Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06


he seen her wear so imperial a mien. He
dignity and the power of her presence liter
ally awed him, for at times Beatrice
beauty was OF that royal stamp which, whel
it hides heart, is compelling force, con
quering and born to conquer.
"Does it not strike you, Mr.. Bingham,
she said quietly, that you are taking a very
great liberty? Does it not strike you that nj
man who is not a relation has any right Il
speak to a woman as you have spoken Il
me?-that, in short, you have been guilty o.
what in most people would. be an imperti
nence? What right have you to dictate tc
me as to whom should or should not marryi
Surely. of all things in the world that is my
own affair"
Geoffrey colored to the eyes. As would
have been the case with most men of his
class. he felt her accusation of having taken
liberty, of having presumed upon an init
macy, more keenly than any which she
could have brought against him.
Forgive me, he said humbly. II can
only assure you that I had no such inten-
tion. only spoke illjudsedly, fear-be-
cause-because l felt driven to it.
Beatrice took no notice of his words, but
went on in the same cold voice.
"What right have you to speak of my
affairs with Mr.. Davies, with an old boat
man or even with nv father? Had ] wished
YOU to do so I should have asked you. By
what authority do you constitute yourself
an Intermediary for the purpose of bringing
about marriage which you are so good as
to consider would be to my pecuniary inter
est 4? Do you know that such matter is one
which the woman concerned, the woman
whose happiness and self-respect are at
stake, alone can judge OF? 1 have nothing
more to say except this. / said Just now that
lol oF -,
people be an impertinenee. Well, / will add
something. In this case, Mr.. Bingham,
there are circumstances which make it-a
cruel insult p'
She stopped speaking, then suddenly,
without the slightest warning, burst into
food OF passionate weeping. As she did so,
the first rush of the storm passed over them,
winnowing the air as with thousand eagles
wings, and was lost on the moaning OF
depths beyond.
The light went out OF the sky. Now
Geoffrey could only see the faint outlines OF
her weeping face. One moment he hesi-
tated, and one only; then nature prevailed
against him, for the next she was in his
arms.
Beatrice scarcely resisted him. Her ener-
gies seemed to fail her, or perhaps she had
spent them in her bitter words. Her head
fell upon his shoulder, and there she sobbed
her fill. Presently she lifted it and their
lips met in first long kiss. 1t was fa-
ished; this was the end of it-and thus did
Geofrey prosper Owen Davies suit.
''Oh, you are cruel, cruell" he whispered
in her ear. "You must have known Iloved
you, Beatrice, that spoke against myself
because thought it to be nv duty. You
must have known that, to my sin and sor-
row, have always loved you, that you have
never been an hour from nv mind, that 1
have longed to see your lace like sick man
for the light. Tell me, did you know it,
Beatrice?'
"How should 1 know" she answered
very softly; 'I could only guess, and if, in
deed, you love me, how could you wish me
TO marry another man? thought that you
had learned my weakness and took this way
to reproach me. Oh, Geofrey, what have
we done? What is there between YOU and
me-except our love?"
1T would have been better if we had been
drowned together at the first be said
heavily.
'No, no." she answered. "for then we
never should have loved each other. Better
first to love and then to die!',
do not speak SO, he said; 'flet us sit
here and be happy for little while tonight,
and leave trouble till tomorrow
And, where on a hygone day Beatrice
had tarTied with another wooer, side by side
they sat upon the great stone and talked
such talk as lovers use.
Above them moaned the rising gale, though |
sheltered as they were by cliffs its breath |
scarcely stirred their hair In front of |
them the long waves doomed upon the
beach, while far out to sea the crescent |
moon, draped in angry light, seemed to ride
the waters like boat.
And they were alone with their great
bliss, or did they only dream? Nav, they
were alone, alone with love, and lovers
joys, and all the truth was told, and all |
their doubts were done. Now there was an
end of hopes and fears; now reason fed and |
Love usurped his throne, and at that royal
coming heaven threw wide her gates Oh,
sweetest and most dear! Oh, dearest and
most sweet! Oh, TO have lived to find this
happy hour-oh, in this hour to die
See heaviness is behind u.s. see now we
are one. Blow, We winds. blow out your
stormy heart; we know the secret of YOUR
strength, you rush to your desire. Fall,
deep waters of the sea, fall in thunder at
the feet of earth; we hear the music of your
pleading.
Earth, and seas, and winds, sing YOUR
great chant of love! Heaven and space
and time, echo back the melodyl For life
has called to us the answer of his riddle
we are more wise than Solomon, and richer
than barbarian kings. for happiness is ours.
To this end were we born, dearest and most
sweet, and from all time predestinate! To
this end, sweetest and most dear, do we live
and die, in death to find completer unity.
For here is that secret of the world which
wise men search and cannot find, and here.
too, is the gate of heaven.
Look into nv eyes and let me gaze on
yours, and listen how these things be. The
world is but a mockery, and a shadow is our
flesh, for where once there were there shall
be naught Our love is real; love shall en-
dure till all the suns are dead, and yet be
young.
Kiss me, thou conqueror, for DESTINY is
overcome, sorrow is gone by; and the flame
that we have hallowed upon this earthly
altar shall still burn brightly, and vet more
brightly, when yonder stars have lost their
fire.
But alasi words cannot give fitting form
to such song as this. Let music try! But
music also folds her wings. For In so su-
preme an hour
A bolt is shot back somewhere in our breast
and through that opened door come sights
and sounds such as cannot be written.
They tell us it is madness, that this un.
earthly glory is but the frenzy OF passion
gross In It's very essence. Let those think il
who will, but to dreamers let them leave
their dreams. Why then, at such a time.
do visions come to children of the world like
Beatrice or Geofrey? Why do their doubts
vanish, and what is that breath from heaven
which they seem to feel upon their brow?
The intoxlcation of earthly love born of the
meeting of youth and beauty So be i'll
Slave, bring more such wine and let us
drInk-to Immortality and to those dear
eyes that mirror forth a spirits face!
Such loves indeed are few. For they must |