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Page 28
The Aunt Caroline could not believe her ears. She was obliged to
sit down. Her emotion made her knees tremble. It was true then--
something had been going on under her very eyes and she had not
perceived it--the deceit and perfidy of human nature had always
been a shock to her--
"You wish to break your engagement, Stella," she said, as soon as
she could steady her voice. "But you cannot possibly do so
scandalous a thing--and for what reason, pray?"
"I find I do not love Eustace," Stella answered calmly, although
her heart now began to beat rapidly. "I know I never have loved
him; it was only because I thought it would please you and Uncle
Erasmus that I ever became engaged to him, and now that I know
what love is--I mean now that the time is getting nearer, I feel
that I cannot go through with it."
"There is something underneath all this, Stella," Mrs. Ebley said
icily. "You cannot deceive me. You have been led astray, girl--it
is wiser to confess at once and I will try to pardon you."
Stella's spirit rose--she raised her head proudly, then she
remembered her lover's counsel to have no arguments whatsoever,
and so she curbed her heated words and continued gently:
"I have not been led astray, Aunt Caroline, and there is nothing
to pardon. I am twenty-one years old now and surely can judge for
myself whether or no I wish to marry a man--and I have decided I
do not intend to marry Eustace Medlicott. I almost feel I detest
him."
Mrs. Ebley was petrified with anger and astonishment.
"I am sorry to tell you I cannot believe you, Stella," she said,
"your fiance had a most unpleasant shock last night. The foreign
person, Count Roumovski, who was presented to us at the Embassy,
insulted him greatly, and told him that you had agreed to marry
him as soon as Eustace should set you free! I almost blush to
repeat to you this shocking story which we had considered the
ravings of a madman, but the time has come when we must have some
plain speaking."
"It has indeed," Stella agreed, her wrath rising, then went on
respectfully, "but I must refuse to discuss anything about Count
Roumovski at present. Please believe me that I do not wish to
annoy you, dear Aunt Caroline. I only wish to do what is right,
and I know it is right to break off my engagement with Eustace
Medlicott."
Mrs. Ebley felt her anger augmenting to boiling point, but
nothing, she could say had any effect upon her niece, who remained
extremely respectful and gentle, but perfectly firm. Mrs. Ebley
could not get her to tell her anything about her acquaintance with
this dreadful foreigner. She became silent after she had refused
point blank to discuss him. At last the baffled and exasperated
older lady got up and fired her last shot.
"Words cannot express my pain and disgust at your conduct,
Stella," she said. "Putting aside all the awful suspicions I have
about this Russian, you will lay up for yourself a lifelong regret
in outraging all decency by refusing to marry that good and pure
young clergyman, Eustace Medlicott."
"I have done nothing wrong, Aunt Caroline, please do not go away
angry with me," Stella pleaded. "When Count Roumovski asks Uncle
Erasmus' and your consent to his marrying me--then I will tell you
everything about him,--but now I do not wish to. Please forgive me
for causing you pain--we shall all be very happy soon, and surely
I have a right to my life like any other person."
Mrs. Ebley would not bandy further words; their points of view
were too different.
"I regret that I am obliged to request you to keep your room and
have no communication with anyone whatever until I can consult
with your uncle and Eustace as to what is the best thing to do
with you. That we shall leave Rome immediately you may be prepared
for."
Stella here burst into tears. She had an affection for her aunt,
who had always been kind to her in a hard, cold way, and she was
deeply grieved at their estrangement, but there were forces in
life which she knew now mattered more than any aunts in the world.
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