Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-06-06
A SUMMER NIGHT.

Inc not summer sun was beating down
on the long white streets and making the
flowers on tho balconies droop, and even
the leaves of the lime trees hung listless
and motionless in the great heat. Not q
SO crowded Andrassy street in Budapest,
and the old porter of the Hotel Esterhazy
sat half asleep, his chair we'll drawn back
into the shade. He knew very we'll that
no one could disturb him at that hour.
Esme St. Maur lay down on the sofa,
lamenting that her fate had made her
spend this grilling afternoon in Budapest.
A few seconds later tall, sunburned
man came into the room.
$50 sorry, Arthur said the lady.
"I'm positively too tired to move. This
heat is killing! Pm SO glad to see you"
she went on, looking at him. "Let me
see, it is nearly three years since we saw
each other. What are you doing here?"
The man hesitated a moment and then
became pale, and his mouth twitched.
II was hurrying to England, Esme," he
said, "because heard report about you
that could not credit-that you were 60
ing to be married"
WELL" said the girl, nervously picking
off the leaves of her rose, "its quito true.
No, no, Arthur, it's no use," she contin-
ued, sitting up and putting her hand on
his arm. ''Sit where you are and listen.
You see, dear, it had to come to this some
day, and may as we'll tell you here as
anywhere else. We cannot fight against
fate, and the fates are against us. Look!
1t would be ten years at least before you
could marry me- and then I should be q
middle aged woman. And, even if could
wait, what am to do during those ten
years? Grandmamma, you know" she
went on, turning her face, now appalling
in its pallor, toward him, "only left me
$50 year, and since her death have been
living, yes, living on my sisters husband
Think! The proud Esme st. Maur actu-
ally living on charity!"
"But surely" Arthur broke In, "sure-
ly''-
"Of course they don't say so, but I
know, know. They have three children
to educate, and look at the position they
have to keep up. know Franks income
is by no means large, and feel I've no
right to be burden to them when have
a good offer"
"Who is the mani" he said dryly.
"Lord Hillborough, she answered, her
eyes down.
"A man almost old enough to be your
grandfather he said, getting up and
standing beside her.
"Do you care for him?"
"No," she answered, lowering her eye
lids YEARLY. "No, but I respect him more
than-than any one but you"
"Esme, said Arthur hotly, ''how differ
ent you are How calculating and world
ly you have become! l remember my lit
tie Esme holding forth 1ercely that love
was the one thing in all the world that to
marry man without love was the great
est wrong a woman could do him; that
Arthur" she said, "what can dor
I intend If I marry Lord Hillborough to
be good wife to him. cannot be that
with another mans image in my heart.
I must live 1t down; must force myself
to forget it,"
Arthur walked away to the balcony.
"Do not make it harder for me-" said
Esme her voice full of sobs. What am
/ to dor cannot do anything to earn my
living. Look at me-" she said bitterly,
drawing herself up to her full height, "a
perfect woman, strong and healthy, with
small fortune spent on my education,
and yet now that am thrown on my own
resources-why, a shopgirl could make
better living than could. Bear it, dear"
she said, going over to him. "You know
this must be the end"
Dearest" he said in broken voice,
sit is only the beginning. You love me,
and yet you marry this man. 1t is the
beginning Of wretchedness for you and him
and me for all our lives"
Arthur" she said slowly, ''you know
me. have made up my mind, and will
carry it through. There is no other course
for me. / cannot do anything for myself,
and will not live on charity"
"You never really loved if you can sac
rifice your love to your pride, If you can
let your head govern your heart"
~ cannot help 1t, Arthur. 1 am en-
gagged to Lord Hillborough and shall mar
ry him in October. cannot bear another
scene like this. Bid me goodby and go
now-foreyer, she added, shivering
slightly.
The man looked at her for u second, and
then took both her hands in his. Eyes,
sweetheart, will bid you goodby and
leave you forever But let me come In
and spend this last evening with you. 1t
is not much to ask, and promise not to
speak one word you would not like. We
will have our coffee on this balcony among
the flowers, with the lights opposite, as in
those dear old days, when we first met at
Ostend. Say may come, Esme, for auld
lang syne--the last evening shall ever
spend with you.
Three hours afterward the witchery of
the summer night had fallen upon the
city. Esme, sitting on her balcony, moved
her fan slowly to and fro and let the mys-
ito beauty Of the night steep itself into her
feelings. ION such night as this, - she
thought, as the old words Of the immortal
dranatist came into her mind. II won
der II such night as this has played as
weighty part in any ones love story as
in miner And this Is to he the last.
Ah," as the shiver Of remembrance came
over her, show shall hate the summer
nights after this''
"All In the dark" said a voice at
Esme's elbow, and Arthur sat down at the
other side Of the tiny table, where the
waiter was putting down the coffee tray.
"Why not, Arthur" she said. "Who
would be barbarian enough to have lights
brought now? Look at that queen up
there' pointing to the moon. The man
opened his lips as though to speak, but
shut them determinedly again. Helooked
across at her steadily. Heavensi What
q magnificent woman she was, with her
! tawny hair that CLEANED like FURNISHED
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