Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-18

this mode Of utterance, Hike tire play Of muscn-
La limbs under some clinging garment Bow
Ing gravely, but ever 50 little, he passes out Of
At dinner that evening, they meet again, and
do not exchange word with each other. But
pears, while ne is passing through the lower
hall. She makes him talk to her for a little
while; there Is nothing belligerent between
them this time, and he leaves her presently,
with nothing brusque about his departure. Aud
yet he leaves her with an impression OF having
gotten away as soon a. possible.
During the next week there are several more
no occasion does Grisell lind herself able TO do
mose than just temporarily detain her brothers
tutor He Is perpetualiy slipping away from
One afternoon'she discovers that he il seated
IN q corner of the p0rtico, reading. Scattered
round him age several chairs Miss Fortcscue
iessiv out upon the portico, looking AWKWARD
were miles distant from the chair she takes.
When once well seated, she glances absently
comes aware that she has neighbor. 1t Is
really very well done.
tenacious, Mr.. aorme, the idea Of my not
seeing you'll Then she looks down at her novel
and begins to turn its pages lingeringly. al am
50 glad you were sitting"
"May inquire why?"
Because now you can't go away from me
without being bra xenly rude" Her face is very
serious until the last words Of this sentence.
Then it fairly blossoms with rich brilliant
smile.
Shall be rude il 1 go?" he asks, lifting his
brows. "Thanks for telling me. And IL con-
tinue reading, Miss Fortescue?"
He has brought her to be prepared for shafts
like these, and she chooses new line of tactics
to-day in meeting them. There is no biting Of
the lips, no angry surprise. Her charming
smile only wanes little, and her turquoise
colored eyes take rather tender CLEANS.
"We won't discuss the question of whether
you would be rude In reading or no." she softly
tells him. / am sure you don't mean to read
all about your stupid book, whether it be Greek,
or Latin, or Hebrew"
G. Good Heaven!' shoots through her mind as
she finishes, sis the man ice or marble?')
For not muscle Of his face has changed with
the change in her own voice; no least sign has
shown itself that she has warmed within him
81 am very little of talker," he responds.
lingering the pages OF his book as though he
wanted to get back to il.
But she is irrepressible this morning. Her
chair is not very far off from his, and toward
him she seems to lean all the rieh-molded Ian
guor of her faultless figure, both shoulders
dropped forward in a bewitching curve, and
the little cleft, Peach-li chin thrust out from
"Then YOU shall read 70 me-" she sweetly
commands. like being read to. II your book
is either English or French, shan't send you
into the house to get another one.'
cit is English" He neither refuses nor con-
sents. He appears to be simply stating a fact,
t n,sH ot hUsp hand nothing amiaSle
She jumps up from her chair, seizes 1t, and
brings it very apPreciably near to his. "Then
you mean to read?" setting herself again, and
again leaning toward him, now 30 near that he
feels her breath delicately break against his
face. i" How charming! Let me see what you
have there's" and she reaches out hand, from
muslin falls backward almost to her dimpled
elbow.
He lets her take the book, a little uneon-
cerncd sort Of smile just edging his lips.
" All! poetry!" she cries out, in a pleased
way. " Are you fond Of poetry? / worship 1t.
Let me see whose these poems are. Oh, Robert
Browning's. He is the man who is 50 hard b
understand, isn't he?''
"Some people and him 60"
She bases her elbow on her lap very suddenly
rests her cheek agsnst her ha%S
wholly lacking in affection.
"Now and then his thought is a little hard tO
follow. But he rewards the labor you expend
upon him in many instances
She hands him back the book, settling her.
self into demurest primness.
"YOu shall read him to me, and shall judge
When everything is darkness, you shall say
He takes the book and openit
81 hope there win be-" he comments, unim-
You mustn't judge my intellect by Folke's-
poor, dear boy! Does it follow, because he is a
simpleton, that am simpletoness? Have you
forgotten how Sharlemagne was the father OF
+" History hopes TO-" he answers, beginning tc
read. He has read a line when she stops him
ait sounds sort of hickOry-nuttish already
However, that wasn't why stopped you.
want to know the name of the poem you are
honOring me with"
"Any Wife to any Husband is its title. May
l begin again now!"
He recommences He has read about seven
go hon he hears
sigh. And Herewith he pauses again.
% 1t has been opaque for quite little while
with flashes Of comprehension; How torment
ing! You couldn't give, could you, a sort Of
"Plain.grOse explanation what Mr.. Brown
sPrecisely." She thrust ont that round
pink chin again, and creased her smooth fore
head ever 30 family, and made her eyes two
wistful stars. Z" How quick you are catching
meanings! really think you can read me
quite as well as YOU can those headachy poems.
But am not Aeadachy bit; am very easy to
understand."
making the rapid color assail her face, though
she is proof against getting angry this morning
'As L take it," he begins, ''the meaning OF
what have read you Is" and with a voice
quietly dispassiOnate at first he progresses In
Every sentence seems to hang lantern TO,
her along the dark, intellectual path, through
which she tried to follow him. He Is firm
lover Of Browning-One of the few to whom thi:
poets many sidedness and complexity offer any
real charm; one Of the few that can discern his
works, fine mingling of rough and delicate, OF
sweet and bitter, Of dramatic quartz and lyric
silver. Unconsciously, while speaking, hi:
voice rises and falls in larger waves of earnest
ness; he fOrgets nearly everything but his sub
ject, and that he has long been in love with. A
new fire warns his eyes, making them shine out
right richly beneath his high broad forehead
Grisell is astonished and fascinated-at least IL
all appearances. Be this as 1t may, the man
has given her glimpse into his nature, though
brief enough the duration Of such scrutiny.
For his enthusiasm cOols very quickly. He
ceases speaking With the most unexpected abb
ruptness, and returns to the book. have
been thrown off my guard" his whole Manner
seemed to express, while Grisell mutely watches
him. Into his usually pale face an undeniabie
color is stealing.
"Shall we go on with the reading?" he pre-
seAtly wants to know.
Eyes, of course. And you have rendered the
poem so clear to me nOw!''
Something in her voice makes him glance up
from the book and mOmentarily search heI
face. 1t has grown grave on sudden; the
brilliant smile is nowhere, but the eyes still
keep their wistfulness!
During many subsequent days it so happens
that they hold many more such meetings to-
gether. All his old, unimpassiOned, unimpres-
sible manner has returned TO him. Since that
a