The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-11
arzsrea oome that hs-msassdzorrmy

mxxafed 20 me that 7hevmsdfsdoYymv
perfidy. See, you,deserve-do Won hno1y
tha+i I am becoming angry with youY'
She really believed that she had hit
| the truth with her words. Indeed he
had so-well kept up the Illusion with
her, The hid hidden 80 jealousy his en-
barrassment that she did not know how
to,explain this sudden restriction. But
meanwhile every word of hers was n
blowto the heart of Marchis; he saw her
already atthe ball passing from arm to
arm, with herStep like a fying angsi:
listening to the insidious, compliments of
Vicos Noise and his kind. and lceen;ny
meantime in her heart that leayen of
rancr against him because of his re-
fusal; and heSawyhimsef again, as he
had.seen himself alittleswhile4b before in
thesmirror, old, weary, worn, beside her
30 fresh, young, with eyes sparkling
from the. cruel scorn of one who has
made an. unequal bargain.
Suddenly he rose, like one who has
taken a4decision, passed his hand across
his, brow, and without replying went
away 10 go out of the house. She be-
LEVIED that she had conquered, and let
him go without moving herself, only
with fash of cunning in her eyes, but
when he was on the stairs the door
opened, a hondesheadsppeared between
thesfoldingfd doors:
"We.aresagneed, .thenr'
He did. not repay, and she heard his
step down the stairway, slow, heavy,
weary.
The evening Of the ball Marrhis
knocked atSthe door of his wife's dress
ingsroom.
''Cumein, and he entered.
In-the Little dressing roomso iIlumined
as to seem on fire, with the air filled
with fragrance from the little unstop-
pered bottle of perfume, all cleaning
whtewith the disorder of feminine an
parel scattered about, Comma stood
erect before the mirror, between two
kneehng maSds, ready dressed for the
bail. She-was trulyFadiant her gown
of white satin with almond blossoms,
with fresh sprays of almond flowers
around the neck of the dress, at the
waist, among the waving folds of the
train, Issuing from thatcovering Of deli
cate, pale, dawn tinted flowers, she, too,
was fresh ashley. with her family rosy
complexion, as if shewere. one Of those
flowers becomes person. Butunder her
fEshes CLEANED anon the ffash.of cold
andacr1elrancm.
Her husband had not given her the
diaiem.
But hearing him enter, she. turned,
andseeing that he he3dsa-csshetin his
hands she ccmprehended everything.
With aibomdsshe was besideshim, eher
armsstwiredsaruupdh issneck.
ooh, how good You arei Hpwfgood
You aret How'll love you," He trem.
bhedsal over and iwasverypals. Comma
6d;not even perceixesit- All at once,
with one'of herfirresistible movements,
she Eloosened her arms from his neck,
tookwith.one. hand thecaslet and with
thetother holding her husbands hand,
shesled him after her to the mirror. She
seated herself and opened the caskss.
Among puffs Of red plush, under the
burning light, the diadem sent forth
sparkssike a,fame. Sheshad a new out
burst Of joy, took3the husband.shead be-
tween her hands. drew it down and
kissed his forehead theforehead of
acMpse, icy and Gvid. Then without
looking at his features, his wandering
gaze, she offered him the diadem and
bent before hin4her blonde head, which
was so eIlsuited to thatmystical jewel.
GONE, sur, crown mer
And while he sought to unite with
trembling hands the clasp of the gems
among those marvellous blonde curls,
waving and breaking into ripples of
gold at every movement, she, still with
her bent head, lifted her smiling eyes to
meet hisslook. And he answered with a
resigned gentieness to the smile of those
perilous blue eyes; he, the poor man
who deceived for the sake of desire to
be deceived, and who bought for himself
little mock love with-mock diamonds