Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05

whittier he vent FOR what he did, nor any
thing that passed, until, as it seemed. after
a long while, she looked up and saw Prince
Lrdw.g standing before her. He was COM
posed and calm; but it seemed as If half the
life had gone out Of his face. Osra rose
slowly to her feet, supporting herself on an
arm of the chair on which she had sat, and
when she had seen MS face, she suddenly
threw herself on the floor at his feet, cry
iEg: Forgive me! Forgive me!''
The guilt is mine" sad he; for I did
nobility would have suffered openly. The
guilt is mine And he offered to raise her,
but she rose unaided, asking, with choking
voice:
'She is dead said the prince, and, Osra,
hearing it, covered her face with her hands
and blindly CROPPED her way back to the
chair. where she sat. painting and exhausted.
ITO her l have said farewell and now,
madam, to you. Yet do not think that 1
am a man without eyes for your beauty. or
heart to know your worth. l seemed to
you fool and churl. l grieved most bit
cuse for all Is now known. For, though
you are more beautiful than she, yet true
love is no wanderer; it gives beauty that
it does not find and weaves chain no'other
charms can break. Madam. FAREWELL
She looked at him. and saw the sad Joy
in his eyes, an exultation over what had
been that what was could not destroy, and
she knew that the vision was still with him.
though his love was dead. Suddenly he
seemed to her a man she also might love,
and for whom she also, If need be, might
gladly die. Yet not because she loved him,
for she was asking still in wonder, What
is this love?"
Madam, farewell" said he again, and,
kneeling before her, he kissed her hand.
Il carry the body of my love-" he went
on, back with me to my home. there to
mourn for her; and shall come no more to
Strelsau.'
Osra bent her eyes on his face as he knelt,
and presently she said to him, in whisper
that was low for awe, not shame:
"You heard what she babe me do?'
Eyes, madam; know her WISH
And you would do it?' she asked.
Madam, my struggle was fought before
she died. But n.wyyou know that my love
was not yours" "
THAT also 1 knew before, SIR" and a
slight bitter smile came on her face. But
she grew grave again and sat there, SEEM
ing to be bordering. and Prince Ludwig
waited on his knssA Then she suddenly
leant forward and said:
IF loved 1 would wait for you to love.
Now what is the loHe that cannot feel"
And then she sat again silent, but at
last raised her eyes again to his, saying in
a voice that even*fn the stiffness of the
room he hardly heard.
Now, I do dearly love you, for I have
seen your love and know that you can love:
and 1 think that love must breed love, so
that she who loves must in Gods time be
loved. Yet" She paused here and for a
moment hid her face with her hand. Yet
I cannot" she went on. rs 1t our Lord
Christ who bids us take the lower place?
I cannot take it. He does not SO reign in
my heart. For to my proud heart-ah, my
heart so proud!-she would be ever between
us; could not bear it; even though she is
dead, could not bear 1t. Yet 1 believe
now that with you I might one day find
happiness"
The prince though in that hour he could
not think of love, was yet very much
moved by her tenderness and felt that
what had passed rather drew them to-
gether than made any separation between
them. And it seemed to him that the dead
lady's blessing was on his suit SO he said:
Madam, 1 would most faithfully serve
you and you would be the nearest and
dearest to me of all living women
She had waited awhile; then she sighed
heavily, and looked in his face with an
air of wistful longing and she knit her
| brow as though she We're puzzled. But at
last. shaking her head. she said:
1T Is not enough"