Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-20

1uSaL
II quite approve Of your decision, and shall
not combat It" he said, angrily. 'More than
that, compliment you on your address,
She had seated herself now, and she looked Up
at him still standing. my address-"she re-
Anger and disappointment made the Italian
forget both his discretion and his dignity. He
had been to Women 1 whom Ge ae could
suspect and command. He could not command
her, he saw, but he could accuse her.
Yes, your address, he said, with bitter dis
tinctness ''Do you think that have not per-
ceived the coincidence between your quarrel
with me and the return of Mr.. Raymond? He
is rich and famous"
She stared at him in utter establishment. Mr..
Raymond, that noble, ideal man, whom she had
looked upon with sort OF alteration ever since,
scarcely more than child as yet. she had be-
everybody set upon pedestal, and whose writ
ten name was priced almost as the relic of q
s SAM! DIG Luigi Fe1tana mean Could he
If Mr.. Raymond should drop flower out OF his
fingers, she would pick it up, and press it in a
book; If he should speak to her, she would tell
should say it was lovely morning, she would
look out, and study sky and earth to see what
he called lovely: And Luigi Fontana was teal-
GUS OF him! Why, he might as well be jealous
of the sunshine!
"You accepted me the day after he went to
Florence. You thought that he had abandoned
you. You quarrel with me the day after his
unexpected return. You are, perhaps, aware
that he is at this moment in your aunts sitting
ROOM"
when there is nothing to penetrate does not ap-
pear to advantage.
please let us drop the subject" Mrs Breton
said quietly leu y would like to retain friendly
sfCan you declare that YOU are net in love
with this man, and have no desire to be his
wife 2? the Italian asked, still probing her heart
She laughed. .sOf course l am in love with
him! My Imagination and intellect are in love
with him. Ali my soul is In love with him. But
the wife OF Apollo or Orpheus."
SignOr Fontana turned upon his heel without
saIutation, and went toward the door leading
to Mrs. Graham's room. Nina rose and fol-
lowed him, bidding him good-even1ng at the
door. He would not stay, but took an abrupt
leave OF the others.
reading letter which Major Graham had given
him. The light from the shaded lamp showed
heckS OF gold and few silver threads in his
dark hair. His beautiful proud lips were COM
pressed slightly as he read, and his brilliant
gray eyes dOwncast.
He looked up and rose when Nina entered the
taking her offered hand. He was as tail as the
Italian, but more SLENDER and not so consci-
ously superb. He was more natural and more
II beg that you will not let me detain you" he
said to Mrs. Graham. ''You are going to the
theater, and it is now time. AS Mrs. Breton
uOeS uOI go, perhaps she WILL allow me 10 SlC
with her an hour
Ntna's smile showed delight. She had never
had Mr. Raymond quite to herself, and had
really talked very little with him. She had
listened while he talked with her aunt and uncle,
who were old friends of his, only now and then
herself addressing or addressed by him Now
he was to stay quite alone with her an hour.
He talked in quiet, dreamy way, describing
his travels, which had extended over the whole
world, describing his house, a royal song-birds
nest, his eyes looking downward and her eyes
ri xyn1 h nc Thnr, hofr lo<lt
speak of herself, and she told him her story with
out reserve. But now her eyes were cast down
in turn, and his fixed on her. When she came
to the story of the last few weeks. she was en-
barrassed, and stopped. The tale OF her early
life and OF her marriage was told with such sim
pie pathos that the eyes that watched her grew
humid.
.You have never thought of marrying
again?" Mr.. raymond asked, quietly.
Eyes, and am ashamed OF ii, u she said blush
related the history Of the last few Weeks. 'n'
cit was mere fancy" the poet said, when
she had ended. "You did not love him. There
no reason why you should be ashamed Of the
yet, and must expect TO make little mistakes.
May they all turn out as well as this one hast"
"You are SO good, "she murmured, with smile,
and dropped her eyes again after a quick up
ward glance Something in his face reminded
her OF what Luigi Fontana had said 4 him.
81 have wish, which you must not hesitate
to refuse II it displeaSe you, he went on, in his
low voice, which was Father unsteady now. 81
wish that you would think of me as your lover,
as your possible husband and give yourself
ness to accept me, would be very kind to you.
You should have no pain that l could spare
you"
Nina Breton clasped her hands over her heart,
which had given sudden leap. ''Are you in
earnest?n she said almost in whisper
He smiled family. 50 / am quite in earnest.
to see if it were love which / felt for you. 1t
was and is lover
Nina sat pale and GREATNESS little while
sae a. e
"To hesitate about you would be impossible"
she said.
q You are thinking of the poet" Mr.. Ray
want, and it would be mistake If you should
accept me in that way. You must take me as l
am. The poetry is but crown. There is
man underneath"
She remained silent awhile. Oh If she could
but tell him! II she could but make him under
stand, now that his love had lifted her to
pedestal besides his own, and made all things
possible, how her hearts blood flowed into all
those wild and seemingly vain tmaginings OF the
past, and made them palpitate with life! If she
could but tell him how, after reading his poems
in the old days, she had fancied herself some
thing ethereal and exquisite, and that he loved
her!
Ing again. she said presently, trembling and
fearful. Il was content to marry an old man
for my mothers sake, to make her life easier,
because l knew that everything that could
feel OF ideal love was already bestowed, laid
like votive wreath on a shrine. When was
fifteen or sixteen used to forget the troubles of
my daily life In dreaming that you would love
me. was like mortal that looks upward to
where the gods dwell, and is no longer enchant-
ed with ANYTHING earthly. She wishes that she
were goddess that she might sit beside one
whom she sees there; but she knows that her
life is mortal and she tries to be content with it.
My god has come down to me; and you ask me
to constder!'
Flushed, passionate, and fearful, she poured
out the words; and, ending, looked at him with
reproachful eyes.
lie had leaned toward her as she spoke, his
eyes sparkling. AstOntshment, delight and ar
dent love broke into his calm face. He had, lit
tie by little, learned to put the poems OF his
heart all into his book, and to live in prose
elegant prose, indeed, but lacking the ring and
clash of rhyme. He had looked at his coming
gray hairs, and said to himself that he must be
satisfied with gentle and affectionate COM
panion, to whom he would be kind. And here
was a sudden fountain Of youthful love and
romance covering him with rainbowS.
When she ended, and looked at him with eyes
that flashed reproachful passion through their
tears, he threw himself at her feet
An hour later, when their attention could be
won by trifies, the poet observed his lady's odd
breaSt-knoU.
What a little poem!" he said, examining it.
'Silver-thistle Is noble pain, and rubies mean
courage. Why, it tells your story, Nina"
sit contains my story" she said; "but it is
you who tell it. / should not know what am
nor what mean, IT, had not you to interpret
M II