Mal Moulee.
by Ella Wheeler Wilc.o.x.
PREFACE.
It is more than two years since the outline of this simple story first suggested itself to me, and since the first chapters were written.
Many times since then, conscious that I possessed no talent as a novelist, I have resolved to abandon the work. Yet an unaccountable and mysterious impulse (which no doubt my severe critics will declare as unfortunate, as unaccountable) compelled me to complete it.
I have attempted no fine descriptions, no rare word-painting, no flights of eloquence. These things lie not within my province. As simply and briefly as possible, I have endeavored to relate such events as occur almost daily in our midst.
In Percy Durand, I have described, and possibly, somewhat idealized, a type of man to be found in any of the cities of America.
In Dolores King, the unfortunate and undesired offspring of a loveless marriage _fletrie avant sa naissance_.
In Helena Maxon, my ideal of
"The perfect woman, n.o.bly planned To counsel, comfort and command."
In my selection of a t.i.tle, I could find no suitable English term which would express the meaning I wished to convey in unison with the leading idea in the book. Therefore, I was obliged, not without reluctance, to use a French term.
To avoid many personal inquiries, I would say, in the beginning, that while I have known nearly all the experiences herein related to occur, in actual life, I do not, at the present time, know of any person or persons who answer to the characters I have created.
ELLA WHEELER WILc.o.x.
_Meriden, Ct., December, 1885._
CHAPTER I.
TWO GIRLS.
Helena Maxon stood at the window which looked out on the tennis court, weeping softly, when her mother"s arm encircled her, and her mother"s voice, tremulous with tears unshed, addressed her.
"Lena, darling," she said, "you must control yourself. Madame Scranton will return in a moment, with the young lady who is to be your roommate and companion, during the next year. She is a lovely and charming girl; and I do not want my own sweet darling"s face to be utterly disfigured by weeping when her new friend first beholds it. I am certain, my dear daughter, that you will be very happy here, and perfectly content after the first loneliness wears away."
"I can never be happy and contented away from you and Papa!" cried the young lady pa.s.sionately. "I should feel like a wicked, cruel hearted creature, if I became contented and happy when separated from you. I know I shall die of home-sickness before I have been here one term," and her tears dripped anew.
Mrs. Maxon choked down a lump in her own throat, and forced a smile to her lips.
"You will, I know, try to be happy dear," she continued, "when you realize that the happiness of your parents depends upon your own. We have selected this academy as the most desirable inst.i.tution in which to place you, and Madame Scranton is a lady in every way suited to guide and direct a young girl"s mind. It will be very hard for us to live without you, but we know it is for your good, and you will one day thank us for it. Here comes Madame, and the young lady; dry your eyes, dear child, and greet her pleasantly." And while Lena was bravely striving to stem the upward-welling tide of tears with a very moist bit of cambric, she heard Madame"s deep contralto voice following her mother"s tremulous soprano tones:
"Miss Maxon, let me present your future companion and I trust, friend.
Miss Dolores King--Miss Helena Maxon."
As the two girls looked in each other"s eyes and clasped hands, no faintest premonition came to either young heart of the strange and tragic destiny which was to link their future lives.
Helena"s first thought was, "What a beautiful creature--a perfect Aphrodite." While Miss King was saying to herself, "Rather a nice little body--and almost pretty if she had not disfigured herself by crying."
An artist might have found the two girls a fine study for opposite effects.
Miss King was nearly twenty; tall, and so slight as to seem almost fragile. Her face was exquisitely beautiful in contour, quite cla.s.sic in its perfectly-chiseled features, and interesting from its mingled expression of pride and melancholy. In color her hair was a pure, pale shade of yellow, like the under side of a canary bird"s wing; her skin that firm, yet delicate white, of the calla lily blossom. Her long heavily-fringed eyes were as darkly blue as the heart of a violet--the flower she best loved. A rare, wonderful face, a face that might become a priceless fortune or a blighting curse to its possessor.
Helena Maxon was full half a head below her new friend in stature, and though three years her junior, her figure was much more voluptuously developed. A round face, a clear brunette complexion, a coil of dark hair that exactly matched the color of her eyes--eyes peculiar, from the fact that at times they seemed veiled with a delicate film, which gave the appearance of one in a trance or somnambulic state--a nose which no phrenologist could cla.s.sify, which we must therefore call irregular (and which was just now swollen and reddened with much weeping), lips too full for beauty, yet a mouth so luscious in bloom, and so sweet in expression, that the beholder instantly forgave it for being large. This comprises a fair pen picture of Helena Maxon, on that September afternoon as she stood in the stiff and orderly reception room of Madame Scranton"s Select Academy for young ladies.
"Miss King will show Miss Maxon to her apartments," said Madame, after the two girls had exchanged greetings. "We will join you there, presently." Then, turning to Mrs. Maxon as soon as the young ladies had left the room, she continued: "I wish to a.s.sure you, my dear madame, that your daughter could not have a more desirable companion, in this her first absence from you, than the young person you have just seen.
Miss King is quite a rare character; I consider her the most reliable pupil in my charge. I have never known her to disobey a rule during the three years she has been with me. I regret that she remains only another year."
"She is very beautiful," Mrs. Maxon said, musingly; "but her face impresses me as a sad one."
"Her nature is tinged with a seriousness which is almost melancholy,"
Madame replied. "Her mother died when she was but a few months old: her father married a second time, and unhappily, I believe: at all events, Dolores has made her home with an uncle--a peculiar and austere man; he has given her every advantage, as he is a man of wealth, but she seems prematurely grave and serious-minded, from her a.s.sociation with him. She is very thoughtful, and of marked originality, and absolutely devoid of the vanity one might naturally expect so beautiful a girl to possess.
She is wholly indifferent to admiration, and seems to have none of the sentimental weaknesses of youth. I am sure she can only be an advantage and benefit to your daughter. She is, too, a member of an Orthodox church in good standing."
"I am pleased with what you tell me of this young lady," Mrs. Maxon replied. "I fully realize the great dangers to which parents expose their daughters in sending them from home to boarding-schools: it requires the utmost care and surveillance, to surround them with the right influences. The choice of instructors and companions for a daughter at this critical period of her existence, is a matter of vital importance; and one not sufficiently considered. Many a young girl"s mind has been poisoned, and her future warped by injudicious companionship at boarding-school. Too often the most careful instructors are utterly ignorant of their pupil"s thoughts and conversation outside the cla.s.s room."
"Quite true: too true," Madame Scranton a.s.sented. "But I endeavor as much as possible to render myself the confidant of my pupils: to lead them to talk to me on all subjects as they would talk with their mothers. Having a limited number of young ladies in my charge, this is possible for me, while it could not be successfully done in a larger establishment."
"And that is the reason why Mr. Maxon and myself decided upon bringing Helena to you," Mrs. Maxon continued. "We were convinced that you would exercise a wise supervision over her character and conduct. She is of a strongly affectionate and emotional nature, full of love for humanity, and belief in her fellow beings. I do not want her affections chilled, nor her confidence checked by worldly counsels, or a premature knowledge of the baseness which exists in the world: let her keep her beautiful faith and loving impulses while she may. Only guard her from being led into folly or imprudence. As I grow older I am more and more convinced that the people who constantly strive to impress the mind of the young with distrust for humanity are the people who are themselves unworthy of trust: or else those who have become embittered by sorrows they have not understood. I believe it possible to keep a nature like Lena"s sweet and wholesome forever."
"But there are infinite disappointments and bitter experiences in store for a nature such as you describe," Madame suggested. "That beautiful trust must be rudely shattered."
"Shocked, but not shattered;" corrected Mrs. Maxon. "And I think it better in this life to be often wounded through too great faith in our fellow-beings than to embitter our minds with an early distrust.
"I have tried to impress her with the belief, that whatever pain is sent to her, comes as an enn.o.bling and purifying lesson; not as a punishment.
I want her to think of her Creator as a Benefactor; not as an Avenger.
Her heart is free now, from all envious or jealous emotions, as a carefully tended flower-bed is free from weeds. But she has never been exposed to the constant friction of a.s.sociation with her own s.e.x: and I tremble when I think what emotions evil influences may implant in that fresh soil.
"I want you to teach her, as I have done, that envy is a vice, and jealousy and unkind criticism are immoralities, certain to destroy the n.o.blest character. We warn our sons from the gaming-table and the wine-cup, with loud voices; but too many of us sit silent while our daughters contract habits of malicious speaking and envious criticism, which are quite as great evils in society to-day, as intemperance or gambling.
"You will forgive my lengthy dissertation, my dear Madame, when you remember how precious the trust placed in your care. And now I must bid her a last farewell and take my departure. Poor child! she has never been separated from me a week in her life. The parting will be very hard for both of us."
"Remember, my sweet child," was Mrs. Maxon"s last injunctions to her weeping daughter, "that you are always to make me your first confidant in all things. Hear nothing, say nothing, do nothing, which you cannot tell your mother, who will ever strive to be your best adviser. And now, G.o.d"s angels guard you, dear, and good-by."
And Mrs. Maxon turned hastily from the clinging arms of her daughter, and hurried away, while Helena threw herself upon the couch in a wild pa.s.sion of uncontrolled tears.
CHAPTER II.
TWO GIRLS AND A DOLL.