The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-09-29
CHAPTER VII.


Dawn, monotone in level gray, hung
over the town ere Tom with the last Of
the jewellers left Glendenning's.
ugh! how cold it is. My blood is
thin at this unearthly hour" said Della
tole, lighting cigarette as they paused
to separate at Madison square. GIVE
often thought if ever do assist my own
departure from this perpetual dressing
and undressing it will be in this gray
stiffness, when one seems to feel the pulse
of the world. Will you be on the stage
tonight"
Eyes, but suppose-now, suppose you
dine with me- said Tom, with a hazy
recollection of the managers advice.
His speech was thick and wavering
Delatole's head seemed spinning round
like top. The trees in the square were
certainly dancing a minuet.
Charmed. And now SO home, Muir
ray, and go to bed. Not used to wine,
are you? You might forget my address,
SOIL put my card in your pocket-there.
Come down at and have a smoke in my
den. Not such fine place as Glenden-
ning's, but cozy, you'll find"
When Tom reached Chelsea square, the
sparrows were chattering as if mad.
Their shrill clamOr and his own unsteady
footballs made the surrounding silence
seem more dense. The college buildings,
like great gray watchers, frowned upon
him from behind blue haze, trembling
and mysterious.
He had walked down the street only
the preceding evening on his way to the
theater, and yet in a bewildered, hazy
fashion he felt that between that hour
and this there had come a rent in his
moral fiber like narrow cleft in a riven
rock.
A binding pain stung his tired eyes.
There was burning in his chest. The
thought of reaching his room unseen and
letting slulnber blot out the medley Of
impressions besieging him was so seduc-
tive he quickened his steps.
How the sparrows kept chattering
among the denuded boughs
"Here he comes" they seemed to chirp
rapidly. "Look! look! Here he comes.
Oh, seel oh, seel Here he comes. Here
he comes"
! Was there an accusing note in their
shrill chorus? Or did he from an unex-
planned sense of guilt only fancy it?
He stole like a thief through the de-
serted halls. When he had locked the
door of his room, he threw himself half
disrobed upon the bed and sank into a
feverish, broken sleep. 1t was a sleep OF
dreams. He was again i'll Glendenning's
house, filling his senses with a surfeit of
the delicious coloring, the evasive fra
GRANGE, wandering among the treasures
| gathered from mosques and throne
rooms, the rugs everywhere changefully
| glowing lil. huge chameleon skins, the
armor looming with feudal significance
in shadow.
His memory foated back to blur OF
wine and smoke; the soft bite of the
champagne was again in his throat, its
delicate fire mounting to his brain and
shedding over it confusion soft and
witchlike. Nor did he forget the jesting
sings at things he had hitherto viewed
as sacred, nor the laughter that turned
virtue to ridicule. They were recalled
with the same genial palliation that had
| marked his acceptance of them.
The rosy light, the crowd where wo'
men futtered like bright hued butter
| flies, the evidences Of reckless wealth Oh
every hand, the complete absence of al
restraint, had captured him, and in g
mental saturnalia he heard the toast'
and saw the money changing hands al
cards, the refrains of songs that shool
the windows and the dances that called
forth screaming cheers. AS half wake
full he tossed upon his bed his memory
reveled in every detail of this new phast
of life-a wildly joyous thing, holding
no thought of the morrow, only the de
light of the dear, the living moment.
A faint tapping sounded through thu
nebul@. At first it seemed that Glen
denning was knocking on the table fo
silence. No, it was rain beating on tn
window. But as it sounded still cleare
and woke him to full consciousness h
opened his heavy eyes and listened. Som
one was gently knocking at his door.
"Tom," came softly to him, "here ar
letters for you"
Virginia's voicel Hestarted up, leane'
his head on his hands, but kept silence
The gay delirium of his dream departed
and he felt sick at heart. He SCENE,
strange to himself. The room wa
strange. Only Virginia outside the doc
calling to him was fearfully real.
If she should see him, she would know
she might even guess from his voice
that he was
He could not finish the thought.
"Tom, it's 2 o'clock. Are you i'll
Don't you hear me?" And now the voic