Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

Chapter 6

When the wedding took place, some three weeks later, St. Peter's was

crowded with a perfect mob of smart people. The service was read in

the most impressive manner by the Dean of Chichester, and everybody

agreed that they had never seen a handsomer couple than the bride

and bridegroom. They were more than handsome, however--they were

happy. Never for a single moment did Lord Arthur regret all that he

had suffered for Sybil's sake, while she, on her side, gave him the

best things a woman can give to any man--worship, tenderness, and

love. For them romance was not killed by reality. They always felt

young.

Some years afterwards, when two beautiful children had been born to

them, Lady Windermere came down on a visit to Alton Priory, a lovely

old place, that had been the Duke's wedding present to his son; and

one afternoon as she was sitting with Lady Arthur under a lime-tree

in the garden, watching the little boy and girl as they played up

and down the rose-walk, like fitful sunbeams, she suddenly took her

hostess's hand in hers, and said, 'Are you happy, Sybil?'

'Dear Lady Windermere, of course I am happy. Aren't you?'

'I have no time to be happy, Sybil. I always like the last person

who is introduced to me; but, as a rule, as soon as I know people I

get tired of them.'

'Don't your lions satisfy you, Lady Windermere?'

'Oh dear, no! lions are only good for one season. As soon as their

manes are cut, they are the dullest creatures going. Besides, they

behave very badly, if you are really nice to them. Do you remember

that horrid Mr. Podgers? He was a dreadful impostor. Of course, I

didn't mind that at all, and even when he wanted to borrow money I

forgave him, but I could not stand his making love to me. He has

really made me hate cheiromancy. I go in for telepathy now. It is

much more amusing.'

'You mustn't say anything against cheiromancy here, Lady Windermere;

it is the only subject that Arthur does not like people to chaff

about. I assure you he is quite serious over it.'

'You don't mean to say that he believes in it, Sybil?'

'Ask him, Lady Windermere, here he is'; and Lord Arthur came up the

garden with a large bunch of yellow roses in his hand, and his two

children dancing round him.

'Lord Arthur?'

'Yes, Lady Windermere.'

'You don't mean to say that you believe in cheiromancy?'

'Of course I do,' said the young man, smiling.

'But why?'

'Because I owe to it all the happiness of my life,' he murmured,

throwing himself into a wicker chair.

'My dear Lord Arthur, what do you owe to it?'

'Sybil,' he answered, handing his wife the roses, and looking into

her violet eyes.

'What nonsense!' cried Lady Windermere. 'I never heard such

nonsense in all my life.'