Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-06


Nearly week since his fall. since the first
imperfect taste of the forbidden fruit. Do
not suppose that the unhappy youth did
not struggle with his fate He dared not
trust himself with Hetty even in Cicely's
presence he dreaded to meet those eyes
OF hers: yet If by chance he did meet
them they were calm al d composed as II
there was nothing to be remembered.
Heavens He had kissed the girl-actual-
ly kissed her and her eyes were as calm,
as limpid as If there was no history. Had
she forgotten then Could she forget
Alas He was ignorant of female eyes,
Had he been able to read their language,
they would have said to him, am waiting.
Come to me. Why do you delay ?" He
saw nothing but the outward calm, and he
wondered because he was himself so troub-
led. In these days he slept badly: he an
his Friends in Abyssinia and elsewhere
would have been panied had they known
how little he regarded them.
Now then, was another chance-shall
we call it another temptation Hetty was
alone.
He hestated no longer. For an invisible
rope-but oh so strong and thick that no
jack knife could cut it through-was pass.
ed round his waist, and an invisible hand
more irresistible than his own magnetic
power dragged him, with burning cheeks
and trembling limbs, up the stairs. Why,
it was Hetty's magnetic force which
dragged him she was at the other end of
the rope she it was who drew to her feet
this young man who had kissed her once
and ran away from her. Common mes
merism, as Emmanuel Chick would say.
Yet the mesmeriser was. himself mesmer-
lied. The operator was operated upon.
The subduer was subdued Samson the
strong man, was going to Delilah to have
his curls Topped.
Hetty looked up and smiled. In these
cases the woman does not tremble.
You have come back, Paul ?" she said
You have not been near me for week.
Was it my fault ?"
Forgive me, Hetty." He threw him
self at her feet and caught her hand.
Forgive me, Hety. Oh Hetty."
She aid not reply at first. Then she
whispered, softly:
ooh Paul. Why did you kiss me !?
You ?"
He rose to his feet. Again he stood over
her and they were alone. This time he did
not as before, kiss her forehead and run
away. He threw his arms round her neck
and kissed her lips and her cheeks, whis-
pering brokenly:
con Hetty. love you, Hetty, love
you" That was all he had to say.
She heard him without any reply. She
even made no kind of reply when he rose
and kissed her on the lips and on tho brow
and on the cheeks.
"Hetty," he repeated, 81 love you"
No music falls more sweetly on the ear
of nymph no poetry more moves the
heart than these words from the shep-
herd whom she has already singled out
for that admiration which should precede
all true love. He was great and was pos
sessed of wonderful powers which he bore
modestly he had lifted her soul hundred
times he was her Prophet and now he
said that he loved her. Was it possible !?
But oh Paul % Hetty cried presently
1--WE are foolish. You are pledged to life
of celibacy."
"Only the highest adopts are celibates.
my dear. | renounce for your sake the
highest degrees. | shall be suffered to re.
main on lower plane-wlth you, Hetty."
you would repent-the time would
come when you would repent-and regret
your choice. No, Paul, you must not be
dragged back by a woman You would
never lift me to the higher level. | belon G
i have always known ito the lower
Cicely might rise, but could not. Paul,
leave me and-and-forget me-"
But she uttered these last words with so
much reluctance that all the more they
fired the young and ardent lover. Indeed,
there was no coquetry in Hetty. 1t was
her heart that spoke in this reluctance to
let him go.
sake would willingly abandon-yes, l
would abandon-"he remembered the mo-
milton of his master-'even my powers"
For my sake Oh, Paul For my sake ,
But you would never abandon your Wis
dom. You could always teach me, wheth-
er you could converse with your friends or
not-even if you ceased to talk with the
spirits of the dead"
IF lost my powers" he said, II should
lose MY should lose you, Hetty, be-
cause" He meant to say, because he
would have no means of subsistence at all
But he could not say this.
Whatever you lost, Paul, you would
net lose me-if you desired to keep me"
Without my powers, should be beg
gar indeed Other men have a profession
or ambitions. | should have none. Yet
If | love you-now | UNDERESTIMATE
love you-for the last week my mind has
been full Of you-l could do little. My
powers are falling"
paul, you don't understand" said Het
ty. 81 do not love you because you have
this wonderful gift. Without it you would
be always the same Paul to me. 1t is you
-yourself--not you clothed with magi-
clans robe that love"
"Hetty--how can you love me ?"
NAY, Paul, it is | who must ask that
question. Who am that you should love
me am poor, and am not clever. am
not a lady even by birth. My mother is
Medinm-oh how the world despises
Medium and my father was once a clerk
What he is now l know not, or where he
is"
II love you, because you are the most
beautiful girl in the world, and the best.
| love you because you are Hetty."
"Oh can it be thought no one would
ever love me. | thought it was impossi-
BILE"
impossible Oh, Hetty Impossible for
anybody TO love you :"
Hetty sighed-a deep and happy sigh
Tell me some day, when you please,
Paul about yourself. Tell me all that is
in your mind-oh if you love me, let me
share your ambitions and learn your de
sires"
Il will tell you-every thing, Hetty-ev-
erything-but not now. There are things
which must keep hidden while am here.
Afterwards-but what will happen after
wards | know not what will happen"
while you are here But-Paul-you
are not going away"
He turned his head and answered with
evasion.
II cannot stay here always. | am, to be
gin with, only a guest, though | have
been allowed to feel myself a son of the
house"