Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-01

Don't judge him as you would another
man, Aurelie." implored the countess dowager
He Is poet. not q reasoning being, a spoilt
child of genius. Treat him such; treat him
| a. if he were lad in his teens, save him for
his genius sake, for his own. for my sake. for
your sake, dear Aurelie. Have your wits about
you, my child. It's a glorious chance for you,
| glorious one, / say"
It was arranged that on the poets approach
ing birthday fete should be given in his
honor at the villa; that all preparations should
be made secretly, so as not to alarm him or to
| give him time to map out any fixed plan of
action.
delightful autumnal day was followed by
| an evening of unwonted mildness and serenity
The villa gardens were full of glory and fra
GRANGE and the air was caressingly soft and
balmy. In the bosky depths OF the pleasure
| grounds the nightinGnles poured forth sweeter
songs than any earthly poet had ever sung. On
| his way home from old Father SALES cottage
| Charles had halted again and again to steep his
| soul in this delicious harmony. The moon had
| not risen yet, and the dull, liquid opalescent
glow OF the star dust like oil troubled waters
stilled the conflict which was raging within
him, and gave him peace and comfort eIquis-
| itely delightful to his tired soul. Suddenly Q
| burst Of joyous laughter broke upon his reveris
with harsh and discordant effect He turned
| quickly toward the villa and was more than
| surprised to see food Of light pouring from
every window and to find the verandas illumi-
mated with festoons OF coored lanterns. With
| lightning-like swiftness the truth flashed upon
him that it was fete arranged in honor Of his
birthday, and the idea-why he could not tell
seemed abhorrent to him He removed his
| hat and passed his hand over his heated brow
| aud pushed his hair back to let the cool breeze
| reach his throbbing temples Then fixing his
eyes for q moment upon the brilliantly iilumi-
| mated villa, and bending eagerly forward to
| catch the low murmur of glad voices, he sud
| denly broke loose from the fascination of the
| spectacle and turned his footsteps toward tho
peasants cottage, his pace quickening almost
| into run, as il he were escaping from some
| sudden and real danger.
| All at once the tall, 1.-the, graceful figure Of q
| woman blocked his retreat, and as he halted
| through his and deep, soft, mellow voice
whispered:
"Why, Charles, are you running away from
your fete2 1t will never do; come back. I'll
30 with you to the door,"
Great heaven, Irnla, is that you," stam-
mered the poet as he looked into her beautiful
face illuminated with light % mysterious a.
| the glow of the stars.
Eyes, mon ami it is l." she replied SOFTLY
''but don't be astonished to see me out here
shut, SO well are they known to me, and he
would be swift runner indeed who could over
| take me or find me in my hiding places But
come, you'll be late for your fete," and gently
| urging him, Irma led the poet toward the
| superb homo which doomed up in the distance
| like a castle OF enchantment.
There, here begins the main path to the
| front entrance Of tho villa. 1 may 60 no
further. Go straight on. God bless you good
night"
| she had disappeared in the dark shadows Of
the shrubbery. Again he turned to make his
escape, but it was too late. He had been seen
by servants placed upon the lookout to an
nounce his arrival and in almost an instant
cries Of Count Charles has arrived! Our dear
poet is here! Let the fete begin! On with the
fete!' resounded on all sides.
Ere dAthis could recover from the bewilder-
mont into which 1rma's sudden interference to
prevent his escape from the fete, her ex-
quisite tenderness in leading him back to the
villa and her almost mysterious disappearance
had plunged him, a bevy OF maidsns clad in
white had surrounded him and begun to scatter
white roses in his pathway as they led him
into the villa, meanwhile chanting his we'll
known beautiful ode, TO the Victor" which
had been set to music by Mademoiselle dc
Seychelles.
Like a man suddenly awakened from q deep
| sleep, Charles d'Athis walked into the bril-
liantly lighted salon, the walls, candelabra.
pictures and statues of which we're fairly
buried beneath festoons, garlands and wreaths
OF white roses. The scene was entrancingly
beautiful and gradually the poet recovered his
wonted serenity and entered upon the task of
accepting this homage gracefully and CRATE
fully. But still his heart seemed heavy to him
and he made haste to lift glass of wine to his
lips After an hour spent in hsaping congratu-
latlons upon the poet silence was commanded
by the countess dowuger and Aurelie. her lus-
trous blue eyes filed with q radiance SO soft
and soulful as to seem born Of another world,
opened Q volume Of d'Athis verses and began
to read his poem, entitled The Chariot of
Fire" Never had Mademoselle de Seychelles
seemed more unearthly beautiful to Charles. Her
golden tresses falling in studied disorder upon
her shoulders set an aura of celestial light about
her face, and d Athis treuab led he gazed upon
her. With the ever-increasing pathos of
the poem, her beauty took on new ef-
fulgence, and as she drew near the
end deep stiffness, broken only by the Eoft,
round, sympathetic voice of Aureie fell upon
the assembled guests. D'Athis himself was
deeply moved and seized with some uncon-
trolable trend, as mysterious as it was delight
full to be yielded to, the poet threw himself
upon his knees at Aurelie's feet Had this act
been part of the program and carefully calcu-
lated it could not have been more charmingly
opportune, for at a signal from Aurelie a beau
tiful child, richly dressed in the costume of
page, approached her, bearing upon purple
cushion a laurel wreath, and this the fair
Aurelie now set upon the poets head and then
taking his hand amid the boisterous plaudits Of
the iookers-on exclaimed:
Rise child Of genius, son Of the gods, arise
Thou art Orpheus the Persuader and Apollo
the Driver. Thou alone canst guide THE
Chariot Of Fire" as thy genius alone could
have created it."