The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-04-04
= coupe and :jotte.' Go away.
please = We have finished. You will


There was Il tirmness in his voice
which showed that his decision was
final. The girl made no further at
tempt to contest the decree. 1t was
like the Judgment Of the gods; abso-
lutte. irrcvocable. She turned silently
and went out of the room very quietly.
But when the door closed behind her
the strained sensibilities Of the master
could hear, the stealthy sobbing. which
she tried to stitie rs she Slipped down
Stairs; and into the gLllnt hall. He
beard her close the door, and for one
moment he was tempted to 80 to the
window and call her back. Better
sooner than later" he said to himself
'Slle could never make a dancer"
Then he sat down to the harDiSchOrd
and played over Il gavotte OF Ihllly's
until he had played the plain, awkward
girl out of his memory.
1t was summer and very warm The
master sat rs his window in the same
long lilac room. 1t was very pleasant
to sit there and watch the river and
the wherries and barges. and to re-
fleet in its prosperous, peaceful even
ing upon the events Of a painstak;ng.
successful life. The master did not
s:moke-it was a custom he abominated
but there was Il flask Of white wine
near to his hand and glass half full
Of the yellow juice, from which ever
and anon he took Il self-SatiStied sip.
He seldom gave lessons now. for IL s
daughter had married. and his son-in-
law carried on the teaching admirably,
knowing Ramcau almost as we'll as
the old teacher whom he adored. But
the master liked to sit in the dancing
room Of an afternoon after dinner, and
dream over old experiences.
Just now. however, he was thinking
not Of the past, but of the present; for
he had laid down a news sheet in
which there was talk of Il dancer at
the opera who was setting the town
wild, Il dancer who had conquered
European capital after European capt.
tai, and was now making playgoprS
mad with pleasure. The master SCI
dom went to the playhouse now: he
was old and liked his ease. but Il
vague fancy came into his mind that
he would go to the opera and see this
pearl 1t would be treat for his son
and daughter.
A carriage came slowly down the
river road where carriages did not
often come. The master looked at it
with langud surprise and lifted his
glass to his lips. But it stopped at his
own door. and he set the glass down
again in surprise. \ glded footman
got down and opened the carriage
door and Il very splendid lady got out.
Tn" fOotman pushed back the iron
gateway OF the little front galdfn anu
the splendid lady came IN, waved her
hand and laughed. anil then she ran
up the steps and out Of his sight, and
he could hear the muffled thunder Of L
knocking at the door.
He had scarcely r.Scn to his feet.
slowly trying TO recall tho face that had
just laughed at him. when the Splen-
did lady came in, bringing blaze Of
color into the quiet room. The mas
ter bowed but the lady ran rapidly
across the room. and before he was
aware of it she had kissed him on
both cheeks. He seemed to be cnvel
Oped in an atmosphere Of delicate.
haunting perfume us she carcssed him.
Then she let him go and fell back
little way, lOO4.ng at him and laugh
ing. He had Il confused sense that she
was dressed in rare brocade that glow
ed with crimson and OrangH and that
her cloak was brightly blue. She was
not very handsome, perhaps, but she
looked handsome in her rich habit. and
the many jewels on her fingers and
throat. Her great dark eyes danced
with mischief. and as she nodded her
head the feathers in her hat danced
also,
You do not know me- she said. II
am''-and then She gave him the name
of the dancer who had become the talk
Of the town.
The master took pinch of snuff and
bowed again, while he murmured some
thing about the honor in 4 tonr that
implied question.
You don't remember me-" she said
again. "Ah. I remember yol.' and
she mentioned this time another name
the name Of Il little girl whom he
had sent away from his class because
she was 50 incapable.
The man sought in his memory over
a space of nearly ten years; then he
remembered, bowed again, and again
took snuff.
The splendid lady would take no
denial; he must needs come that very
evening and sec his old pupil dance ut
the opera. She had got the noblest box
in the house for him. He must and
should come. There was something
about her manner which was quitc ir
resistiblc. SO he promised and the
shining vision vanished, leaving be-
hind it in his mind a tumble of color
and jewels and perfumes and divine
eyes and II divine laugh. He watched
the coach drive off from the window
and the dancer leaned out of the WIN
dow and waved her hand to him mcrri-
ly till she was out of sight.
That evening the old dancing master
sat in the opera house in the noblcst
box in the theater. He sat between
his son-in-law and his daughter, with
his eyes fixed upon the stage. The
great theater was packed, and when
at length the time came for the ballet
and the curtain drawing up revealed
the adored dancer, the house raYed at
her. Only the master in his sober
black and white sat with his hands
folded on the front of the box and