The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-05-10
.INCURABLE.
By 1. ZANGWILL.
Copyright, 1896, by the Author.l
Continued.


Continued.
When the visitors began to arrive,
her torpor vanished. She eagerly raised
the half of her that was not paralyzed,
partially sitting up, but gradually ex-
pectation died out of her large gray
eyes. There was a buzz of talk in tho
room. The hydrocophalous girl was
the gay center of group. The Polish
grandmother who cursed her grandohil-
dren when they didn't come and when
they did was denouncing their neglect
of her to their faces. Every body had
somebody to kiss or quarrel with. One
or two acquaintance approached the
| bedridden wife, too, but she would
speak no word, too proud to ask after
her husband and wincing under the sig
niticant glances occasionally cast in her
direction. By and by she had tho red
screen placed round her bed, which gave
her artificial walls and quasi privacy
| Her husband would know where to look
for her.
"Woe is mel" walled her octogonari-
an countrywoman, rocking to and fro.
"What sin have 1 committed to get such
grandchildren? You only come to see if
the old grandmother isn't dead yet. So
sick, SO sick, so sickr'
Twilight filled the wards. The white
beds looked ghostly in the darkness.
The last visitor departed. Sarah's hus-
band had not yet come.
He is not well, Mrs Kretznow,
Sister Margaret ventured to say in her
best Yiddish, ''or he is busy working.
Work is not so slack any more" Alone
in the institution she shared Sarah's
ignorance of the Kretznow scandal.
Talk of it died before her youth and
sweetness
''He would have written, " said Sarah
sternly. HE is wearied of me. have
lain here year. Jobs curse is on me. +"
Shall l to him." Sister Margaret
paused to excogitate the word, write"
mo; he hears me knocking at his
heart"
They had flashes of strange savage
poetry, these crude yet complex souls.
Sister Margaret, who was still liable to
be startled, murmured feebly, But
Leave me in peace" with cry like
that of wounded animal
The matron gently touched the nov
ices arm and drew her away. Il will
write to him." she whispered.
Night fell, but sleep fell only for
some. Sarah Kretznow tossed in hell
of loneliness. All, surely her husband
had not forgotten her! Surely she would
| Al. Al r ! Al
, her strong religious instinct would for
bid her fastening! She had gone into
the refuge to save him the constant
sight Of her helplessness and the cost of
her keep. Was she now to be cut off
forever from the sight of his strength?
The next day he came by special in
vitation His face was sallow, trimmed
with swarthy hair; his under lip was
sensuous. He hung his head, half veil
ing the shifty eyes.
Sister Margaret ran to tell his wife.
Sarah's face sparkled.
Put up the screen!" she murmured
and in its shelter drew her husband s
head to her bosom and pressed her lips
to his hair.
But he, surprised into indiscretion,
murmured, Il thought thou vast dy-
ing"
A beautiful light came into the gray
eyes
"Thy heart told thee right, Herzel,
my life. l was dying for sight Of
thee"
But the matron wrote to me press
ingly," he blurted out.
He felt her breast heave convulsively
under his face. With her hands she
thrust him away
God s fool that l am! should have
known. Today is not visiting day.
They have compassion on me-they see
my sorrows-it is public talk. p"
His pulse seemed to stop. 'They have
talked to thee of me, " he faltered.
II did not ask their pity, but they
saw how l suffered One cannot hide
ones heart
''They have no right to talk" he
muttered in sulky trepidation.
'They have every right, " she rejoined
sharply eff thou hadst come to see
me even onoe-why hast thou not?'
''1-I-have been travelling in the
country with cheap jewelry. The tailor
ing is so slack. "
Look me in the eyes! The law of
Moses? No; it is a lie. God shall for
give thee. Why hast thou not Gomez"
Il have told thee"
'"rell that to the Sabbath firewoman!
Why hast thou not come? Is it SO very
much to spare me an hour or two q
week? If could go out like some of the
patients, would come to thee, but !
have tired thee out utterly
mo. no, Sarah" he murmured I'M
easily.
'Then why
He was covered with shame and con-
fusion. His face was turned away. II
did not like 10 come" he said desper-
ately.
why not?" Crimson patches came
and went on the white cheeks Her
heart beat madly.
"Surely thou canst understand"
Understand what? Ispeak of green,
and thou answerest of blue"
at anSwpr nc thOu askact -