The Upas Tree eBook

Florence L. Barclay
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 165 pages of information about The Upas Tree.

The Upas Tree eBook

Florence L. Barclay
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 165 pages of information about The Upas Tree.

“I have seen the man—–­ the selfish, self-absorbed fool—­on whom you threw yourself away, six months after you had cast me adrift.  At this moment he is my guest, snoring in an adjoining room while I sit up writing to you.

“He has spent the evening talking of nothing but himself, his journey, his wonderful book—­the strongest thing he has done yet, etc., etc., etc.; till I could have risen up and strangled him with my two hands.  Oh, Helen—­my lovely one—­he is altogether unworthy of you!  I saw a letter of yours long ago, in which you said he was like a young sun-god.  Handsome he is, I admit.  He says he has never felt fitter in his life, and he looks it.  But surely a woman wants more than mere vitality and vigour and outward beauty of appearance?  Heart—­he has none.  The wonderful news in your letter has left him unmoved.  He thinks more of a ’cello he has just bought than he does of your little son.  When I remonstrated with him, he rose up and struck me on the mouth.  But I forgave him for your sake, and he now sleeps under my roof.

“Helen, he must have disappointed you over and over again.  He will continue to disappoint you.

“Helen, you loved me once; and when a woman loves once, she loves for always.

“Helen, if he could leave you alone during seven months, in order to get local scenery for a wretched manuscript, he will leave you again, and again, and yet again.  He married you for your money; he has practically admitted it to me; but now that he is making a yearly income larger than your own, he has no more use for you.

“Oh, my beloved—­my queen—­my only Love—­don’t stay with a man who is altogether unworthy of you!  If a man disappoints a woman she has a right to leave him.  He is not what she believed him to be; that fact sets her free.  If you had found out, afterwards, that he was already married to another, would you not have left him?  Well, he was already wedded to himself and to his career.  He had no whole-hearted devotion to give to you.

“Helen, don’t wait for his return.  Directly you get this come out here to me.  Bring your little son and his nurse.  My flat will be absolutely at your disposal.  I can sleep elsewhere; and I swear to you I will never stay one moment after you have bid me go.  As soon as West has set you legally free, we can marry and travel abroad for a couple of years; then, when the whole thing has blown over, go back to live in the old house so dear to us both.

“Helen, you will have twenty-four hours in which to get away before he returns.  But even if you decide to await his return, it will not be too late.  His utter self-absorption must give you a final disillusion.

“See if his first words to you are not about his cursed ’cello, rather than about his child and yours.

“If so, treat him with the silent contempt he deserves, and come at once to the man who won you first and to whom you have always belonged; come, where tenderest consideration and the worship of a lifetime await you.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Upas Tree from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.