Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-15

MON and had . vast number Of common
friends, and when we came to Constantinople
In the fog we seemed as we-he. she and l.
had been friends for ages.
Through the fog We left the ship; through
the fog we struggled with excited custom house
officials in crimson fezzes; through the fog we
followed our gallant dragoman to carriage; soon
| we were whirling through the fog along some Of
the very worst streets In the world, or at least
In my experience, for Jaffa was then unknown
to me. As we left the water the fog dwindled
and dwindled and at last vanished, SO that by
the time our driver drew bride at the door of
Missiri's, Constantinople had ceased to be city
OF shadows, cloud-cuckoo town Of vapors,
Enthusiastically. vague, and had taken its place In
| our understandings with the solid cities Of the
earth, and something at least Of the interior Of
the great Asiatic capital Of Europe was familiar
to our wondering eyes. But for the exterior,
for that view of the city of the Sultans rising
from the Bosphorous with all Its mosques and
minarets, its crescsnts and domes and cypress
groves and gardens, had perforce to wait
until l was saying my first farewells to the
most enchanting, perplexing capital in the
world. Perhaps after all, there was something
more really appropriate about such an entry
into Constantinople. The city is SO completely
place by itself. SO characteristic of another
civilization and another creed that there was
something whimsically fitting in the almost
magical way in which one sailed out Of Europe
into mist, and when the mist had lifted found
oneself actually In Constantinople. 1t was not
unreasonable after all that one should arrive as
| In dream In the city Of dreams.
"DuIing those early days in Constantinople
was thrown good deal into the society OF the
Trevannions. The English colony was not
quite large then perhaps az it Is now the Ire
vannions and had the same friends among the
diplomatic people, and the fact Of our having
come to Constantinopie together gave our &C.
quaintance apleasing air Of old and long friend
| ship when contrasted with the relations we had
formed since our arrival. 1t came gradually
| to be understood that the Trevannions and
| were inseparabe.
Although was SO young in those DAYS
suppose ought to have known better. I be-
heve that I was rather good looking then and
that was an amusing companion for young
| and rather shy girl 1t did not occur to me
that could by any possibility be a dangerous
companion. She was very sweet and very
pretty, but was not in the least in love with
| monplace familiar filtration in the slightest de-
gree. 1t was no part Of my plan Of life to marry
young. I was ambitious, Independents; like
| Othello. did not wish to change nv free I'M
housed condition for the seas worth. MY
dream was travel and travel of the kind had
| dreamed Of was not wisely possible for q mar
ried man. And as / said, I was not in the least
in love with Miss Trevannion, although knew
| her for what she was, q sweet and iovabie En-
glish girl But was only in love with the
east.
"One day a number Of US went for an s1pe-
dition outside the walls OF ConstantiuOple. We
were quite q large party, men from the en-
bassy. recently arrived travellers, official res-
dents, q very bright, joyous body Of men and
women. We had luncheon at the country
house Of q Turkish gentleman Of great wealth,
| who held high Office under the sultan, and
whose house, or rather palace, was one Of the
wonders and delights Of the Constantinople of
| that day. In a place that was worthy of Sim
bad at his zenith, our host entertained us with
splerdor that was worthy Of the great wan
derer in his glory.
"As usual, Rose Trevannion and I were
thrown together, and we found much pleasure
| in admiring all that our hosts house and
gardens had to offer for our admiration. was
IN ardent admirer of eastern art and architect
ure; knew q little about 1t and thought
knew great deal. Women have great re-
spect for any learning that is or seems to be
| looked upon me as very learned person
indeed. As a matter of fact, suppose was
rather priggish. but / was not . dull prig,
believe, and did not bore my companion.
| 1--WE were all to ride home In the cool OF the
evening. and our way lay for some while through
the park Of our Turkish host. 1t was q very
large park, indeed. 1t has long since dsap-
peared. Civilization moves onward even In
Stamboul, and land Is valuable, and the place
has years ago been cut up, and manufactures
stand on what was then an oriental earthly
paradise One great beauty Of the place was
| winding grove OF Expresses that stretched for
| nearly three miles, serpenting in aud out OF
the glowing gardens that composed the park.
Through this cypress grove our cavalcade had
to take its way.
with much laughter the major part Of our
company pushed on ahead Some were racing
one another. some simply galloping FOR the
pleasure Of the swift motion. Miss Trevannion
was rather nervous horsewoman and did not
| care to speed with the othsrs, and was not ut
| all eager to leave her side. So il happened that
we fell behind and lost sight Of our more ad-
venturous companions, whose voices soon died
away in the distance. We rode quietly along,
delighted with the beauty Of the scene and talk
ing the kind Of sentimentalism that a young
| man and young woman are only too likely to
| talk under such conditions Through the
stately ranks Of the Expresses the rays Of the
evening sun barred our path with alternating
| gold and sable. Tho sky was very blue above
our heads; the air was exquisitely warm and per-
fumed with the heavy fragrance of the roses
for which the Pasha was famous. The gardens,
whenever we saw them through gaps in the
trees, cleaned with the color Of parterres of
gorgeous flowers, and birds sang in the bos-
| cages. 1t was an enchanting evening, full Of
subtle appeals to all the senses.
'Then 1t happened. Our horses were very
close together. We were going very slowly.
We we're quite alone. had said something, l
|
ing. She was SO pretty and young, and she
seemed 80 pleased to listen to me, and sup
pose between the charm Of her beauty and the
fattery Of her admiration I lost my foolish
head. / only know that, without thinking
what was doing, slipped nv arm round her
waist, and STOPPING down kissed her on the
mouth.
1.-The moment had done II seemed to come
TO myself, and to see the folly, the unworthy
folly, Of what had done. waited for and ex-
pected Oh angry reproof.' But, to my surprise,
no reproof came Rose let her pretty head fall
upon my shoulder-remember we were going al
a walking pacs-and looked up into my face
with eyes Of simple, honest love. Her sweet
face was slightly flushed, and her eyes were
bright. Her warm lips parted, the lips that
had Just kissed.
"'My dear she murmured, you have made
me very happy
And then she lowered her eyes. and the
blush on her face grew deeper, but she made nc
| effort to escape from my encircling arm.
"In a moment l understood the situation.
The girl was very simple. She thought that the
| man who kissed her as had kissed her must
| needs be in love with her; she thought that the
man who was in love with her must needs want
to marry her. had not thought OF this when
/ stopped to my careless caress. had kissed SO
many women who took kisses lightly and gave
them lightly, with a laugh that it never oc-
CURED to me how differently Rose might take
it. Had I thought at all, and had acted
wholly, thoughtlessly, should have imagined
| that she would ha Offandad and that uo,1ld