Middletown transcript., 1881-09-02


tender womanliness went from her
bearing. She bowed to him, frigidly,
and turned away.
g Viva Viva p he said, in low
voice, that made me thrill, his eyes
filled with passion.
"You forget yourself" she said,
and he sank back in his chair, his face
growing white and worn, his eyes
stormy with pain. But Viva was
chatting to Percy, lightly and gaily-
only with that strange look in her eyes
that I could not understand.
You must stay to dinner,'' 1 said,
by-and-by; "you and your friend.
Halbert is going out of town, to-mor-
row, for week, and would be disap-
pointed if he did not see you."
rang for lights now, and, by this
time, Viva was at the piano, playing
all sorts of fantastic things, at Percy's
suggestion. Then heard them sing
ing an Italian duet together; a Swiss
chanson followed then some snatches
Of Englith opera and, as her sweet,
clear voice floated down the room,
saw the shadow deepen in Norman
Thorson's eyes.
A moment after, she arose, and Percy
called out Norman, come and sing
that little song you sung that night we
were lost in the Alps"
The professor glanced at me. " Are
we not taking possession of your house
in most unwarrantable manner, mad
anne ~ he asked.
9 Not in the least, " said. . Pray,
sing.
CAS- you will, he said, gravely
and went over to the piano. L had
never heard a finer voice and then the
song attracted me, plaintive, German
ballad of love and loss, that was infih-
itely sweet and sad.
Where had I heard it I? All, yes I
remembered now; it was the same bit
Of music that had aroused Viva S emo
tion, a while ago.
The sorrOwful refrain,
Tender and true
Tender and true
floated, forbodingly, on the air. l
glanced at Vivia-could it be :? Her |
proud eyes were filled with tears, and |
the red. imperious lips were trembling.
1 was filled with wonder. In some way,
these two peoples lives had run to-
gether, discordantly, and unless some
special providence interfered, were
likely to run that way to the end of the
chapter.
AS lie finished the song, and rose,
glanced at Viva again; her face was
calm and impassive.
Norman Thorson glanced at her, too.
''Do you remember ?' he whispered,
in German.
She glanced at him, half scornfully.
g remember nothing, " she said, slowly
and distinctly.
| could not bear to look at him.
Surely, Viva was mad, to throw aside
this mans love; for love her passion
ately, he did, 1 was positive. And love
like his, is not vouchsafed to woman,
more than once or twice in lifetime.
Halbert came in directly, and dinner
was announced soon after. [ often
think Of that dinner now. [ had never
heard so brilliant a conversatiOnalist,
as this Viking of the North. His cool,
polished wit, was like sabre; his daz-
zling cynicisms would have blinded
me but that, behind it all, 1 recog-
nized the wide-souled, generous man.
Viva aroused herself, and talked as,
in her Incidence, she seldom allowed
herself. She was tender and caustic,
in breath, bitter and sweet together,
and witching and radiant, as only girls
like her know how to be.
It comes back to me, like a dream,
often. Their brilliant conversation
those two at gger's-pOints, Halbert's
quiet monologues; Percy's racy talk
my own platitudes with the gleam
and glitter of silver and crystal, and
the rich glow of the flowers. But most
of all, l see the proud beauty of the
girl, and the eyes that were so often on
her face, eager, pleading; and the
black orbs that met the blue, with
"level fronting eyelids,' brilliant and
freezing.
And when Norman and Percy said
goodnight, Percy had vivid carna-
ton in his keeping, and Norman only
faint bow to remember.
The days went on. l did not see
Norman Thorson again. Viva was
more restless, but as reticent as ever.
She had not referred to him, in any
way, except on that night, when, as we
stood alone, she tore the scarlet flowers
from her hair and throat, and put her
foot on them.
& To think he should have found me
wearing those colors y she said, bit.
terly.
Yet she continued to wear the colors,
nevertheless the gray and scarlet.
at was trivial fancy of mine,
girls whim, ? she said, one day, as she
stood before a mirror, adjusting her
dainty hat, "this wearing one color, or
combination of colors, for certain
length of time But it saved me lots
of trouble; all had to do was to send
a note, and my reception, or carriage,
or walking dress was put together,
without any study or exertiOn on my
part. OF course it is silly and trifing
but women are always unreasOning
and frivolous"
Yet, she was not all that. She had
studied deeper than most women, and
was an admirable scholar, and even