Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-11
A MOONBEAM.

"But what need have we of the lamp!
According to the old saw, people can chat
more at their case in the twilight. But
perhaps you are afraid. Are you afraid of
me?''
Afraid of you! Oh, dear, no." And
she looked at him laughingly. Springing
up, she ran to the piano and struck a wall.
ing chord. He was perple1ed, for he had
never known her to act like that before.
She was usually cool, self possession per.
soni1ed.
"But Frau Hortense, what is the matter
with your"
She was herself again. ooh, nothing,
By the way, do you like Beethoven"
Beethoven Oh, yes; pretty we'll. I
like the Senate Pathetique' particularly"
"And you like the adaglo movement
best of all, don't your
She did not wait for All answer. Her
hands wandered over the keys, and long,
soft tones orept from under her fingers.
He was more puzzled than ever. What
could possess her to aot so strangelyr He
simply could not understand her. Two
minutes earlier she was the woman whom
he knew as she had always been-msrry
and full of fun, but altogether free from
whims-whereas W
He did not dare to interrupt the music,
and his ACKNOWLEDGEMENT went OH steadily
increasing. Ofenbaoh, Lecoque and
Strauss was the music he had heard her
play before, and he had thought that such
wa the reflection of her own self and
that she knew no other. He had never
dreamed Of her playing Beethoven. least Of
all that magnificent, soulful adagio move.
ment. And how perfectly she was render
ing 1t! She put her heart and soul into
it. But, then. to think Of heart and soul
in connection with her was foolish. Like
everything she did, her rendering Of Bee
thoven was, he tried to persuade himself,
triokery. She was a clever actress, that
was all, In music as In everything else.
She had already enslaved him with her
beauty, her vlvacity, and now she was
urging music merely for the purpose Of
enchanting him more thoroughly, II that
were possible, and 1t was all done to graf.
lily her love of power. 1t was cool ~oalcula-
ton and nothing more. for she had no
heart. The very idea was ridiculous. She
was only a dangerous siren.
Still he listened with bated breath, and
as the twilight deepened into darkness the
spell grew more and more powerful.
Would he ever see her againg Not likely,
but even If it should happen he would
never allow any declaration of love to pass
his lips, not If his heart should burst, for
II he should 80 far lose control over him
self she would be sure to laugh at him, 40
she laughed at everything and everybody
serious. He had come to bid her goodby,
and he had to confess to himself that be
had softened almost to the point Of deolar-
ing his love. But just at that moment
she had laughed at him and had looked
mockingly at him with her beautiful gray
eyes.
Really, are you going to leave met Are
you sure that Is no mere speech for effectf
How nice it will be for you, won't it"
At which he had gained mastery over
himself, and then they had laughed to-
gether, as they always did when he called.
They had never exchanged a serious word.
She joked and he joked. and by the time
that he was strolling along the boulevards
In Paris she would have almost forgotten
him, while to him she would be only a re-
Membrance-a beautiful remembrance, as
Otto Bismarck excellently says-but still
only a remembrance.
And still the room was filed with the
soft, sweet tones which welled from the
piano. 1t bad grown dark. Nothing could
be seen except the white keys, with her
hands floating over them, and the head Of
the Juno in the corner.
He listened, bewitched, to the music, and
wondered why no was 80 moved. Was 1t
really she? How motionless she sat there!
What music her fingers made! No, 1t was
not the woman he had known; a trans
formation bad taken place.
Suddenly 1t occurred to him that he had
perhaps been misiudging her. 1t was at
least possible, ever if difficult to imagine.
Surprising that her light, fiippant gayety
wal only a mask, under which the real
woman was disguised. He himself had
worn a mask. Like her, he seemed to be
what he was not. He had pretended to
be a %sooffer, for modern society demands
that all real feeling and emotion be con
cealed. II ones real self is seen 1t is In
danger Of being ridiculed. 1t might DO
that she had only mirrored him. 1t might
be that she, too, had serious thoughts
which she feared to expose to ridioule.
Why should she treat him, a %sooffer, ear
nestly? And still his heart was chilled and
his lips were closed by the fear Of her
scornful laugh. Her taught How mad.
deningly hooking it wssl
And q recollection flashed across his
mind. He had made her acquaintance in
the isle Of Wight during the previous sum.
mer. One day they were standing before
the emerald green ST. Catherine. From
the summit Of the hill the ruins looked
down upon them. All around was holy
quiet. 1t seemed as II nature were hiding
her deepest, purest thoughts in the rich
stiffness. As usual, she began joking and
soothing. Suddenly from the hilltop came
the echo of her laugh. 1t sounded sacri-
lsgious, and she shrank back startled.
The lost sounds Of the adagio melted
away into silence and the room was still.
| Suddenly she left the plano and stood be-
fore him.
"Surely you haven't been asleepl Now,
confess. / really believe you were dosing."
Her voice sounded just as usual, and
that brought him TO himself once more.
"~Sleepingl I wish I could have slept
myself away into nothingness."
"Wouldn't you rather have dreamedp
mo, I would rather sleep the dream.
less sleep. I shall never zee you again.
You know We shall not meet after tonight,
and what will my liz 10 without your
laughp"
She did not reply nor did she laugh.
The edge Of the thick, dark cloud wal
beginning to take . silver hinge. The
moon had risen. He had taken his hat,
and az he grasped her hand he said:
"And now goodby."
1t was his Last hope. Az be could not
ses her face he trusted that her hand might
trembla. But no, she was self possessed a.
ever. Once more be said very gently.
"Goodby."