The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-10-28
CHAPTER U-CoSr1SuED.

MNtEG- VET LlAC NAOGSbI4-AAHt SOiA4DtI1lGsS
never became too heavy, and now and
then it revealed bursts of refreshing
brilliance in a fall of rare tapestry or a
stretch Of blazoned windows While
the two friends taFried late that evening
in the groined dining-room with its tall
wax candles (having been left TO their
cigars, coffee and Burgundy by a serv-
ant of perfect training) they talked of
many things. But chief among these
topics the recent troubles of Alonzo
stood forth. He told all which had
passed between himself and kathleen,
finally adding:
81 don't altogether approve my own
conduct. now that / look back upon it."
Approve it, exclaimed Eric. ''My
dear boy, You are delicious. Why, it's
Just as If Caligula should declare to-day
that he thought ne had behaved tTile
iInpclitely yesterday"
Really, Eric, 1 was not prepared"
TO be called cruel? OF course you
were not. You expected to have me
agree with you that you've been n
martyr"
y have been--to that horrible. Mrs.
Kennaird
But by yo1r own showing You quite
defeated her. Kathleen was willing TO
DEFY her authority"
"Willing-yos."
And you wanted the poor girl to
PROSTATE herself before You in Al &c
stacy Of submission. ca course Won did.
All lovers. in like circumstances, do.
Don't bite your ljTs aad glare a me,
dear Lo1z. It shows in yen new
spir.s of rebellion fer which I an to-
tall unr~erare1. Always before this
yo0 hove recognized nv right 20 scold
yC-l when you deserved it."
'But you've never before scoIded ne
unjust'v. Erie. Let rs talk, however,
OF something else. low is It that you.
SO sapieat in the ways Of lovers, hare
found no vile among all these charming
ladies Of Saltrayia?7
- marry a Saltravia lady!- broke
from Eric. while he nearly spilled the
glass of Chanbourtric that he was lift
ing to his lips. 'You might as well talk
of my marrying some celestial creature
who had lately arrived here from the
planet Mars
what do you mean? I Thought they
adored you"
y ''Some Of them detest me, my deer
Lonz."
"Ah. Jealousy of the kIng?"
Partly But there's another cogent
reason. Many Of them look upon me as
a hideous vandal."
~ vandal-you?'
''Yes-and it's 50 odd when ore thinks (
of IT. 4 vandal Of cultureI / swooped |
down on their dear valley and shattered !
lat Clarimond's command) its immemo-
rial u@lincs5. Talk Of the romance of |
the past Adobe huts are scarcely dis
mailer than were some of their ances- 4
trail Judgments. Oh, yes, I've been to
them, rs - were, a very barbarian Of
civilization"
But this was the kings tyranny, not /
yours
The imagine that I have put all |
these atrocious reffnclents into Clari- |
moad's head. They realize that he is /.
that anomalous and unprecedented per (
son. a nineteenth century king; but |
they blame me. n the same time, for 4
aSgravating his fauacics."
Then they think it is a fallacy TO be- /
liove IN surrounding oneself with beau |
typ
They prefer TO surround themselves 1
with memories. And they had many.
Salt-avia. you know. is ridiculously old. |
After all, It was q very stern demo- /
lition. I probably tore up hearthstones /
that were eight or nine centuries old. /
I was quite pitiless."
"PitilesS as Caligula?"
'Ah. Lonz, you're angry at me-
NO
We'll. well, perseveTe in your grudge /
and you'll make me apologize" Here
Eric looked with melancholy at his half
consumed cigar. An apology, You know,
is the murder Of prejudice. And I'm
50 fond OF my preiudices! They're my
cherished children. 1 speHd half my
time in training them to live thrifty,
reputable lives. Besides, we're not to
begin our bachelor days together by
even the semblance OF a quarrel"
Alorzo started. Are we to live here
together, YOU and p he asked.
Not unless You desire it"
.'Oh, Eric,' And Alonzo's eyes filled
with tears. IN this lovely castle.''
~ castle 5oyr gire, my friend"
''But-bat Eric! It's too Internally
sweet of you"
Internally sweet is Just what want
to be called. It reminds me of the fin
az aieclo art. 1t makes me think of Lee
conte de Lies poetry. Bandelaire las
that wonderful saycr OF happy things,
Oscar Wide, Tot long ago declared,
when he dropped into Salt-avia and
spent q few days in the palace with
Clarimord) IS chiefly great as poet for
having discovered the beauty in ugli-
ness Nothing except that is left us
now, in this unacade1nic age. The mo-
ment that enc Is classical nowadays he
Is denounced as commonplaces'
But Alonzo was not listening. If his
wounded life needed any balsamic
touch it was just these tidings that here
in this lovely valley, in this choice
abode, he should secure lasting home
with the friend of his heart
1T IS too kind, 100 generous of you,
Eric" he At length found voice to say:
And when l make my trips here
and there about the continent you have ]
decided that 1 am always to return /,
to-yOurself?''
Unless you are very bored Then | |
you viii be frank and tell me, and then :
we shall certainly quarrel. For the in I
slant / become conscious that have |
bored anybody my egotism will leap ;
forth ike a tiger. It's crime of which {
no one has yet had the audacity to ]
accuse me. 1 keep a jeweled eastern |
dirk ready to plunge into any such Of I