The suburban citizen., 1901-11-02
THE House Or DREAMS
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HE light that filtered into the
CuilO snOp was so aim lnGL
only the bronze Buddha was

only y' the 1o'p Sronss Hss Bnddna 81 r, was WA:
clearly discernible; the shelves
rising tier upon tier along the walls,
and laden with Eastern cloths, seemed
but so many dusky reflections Of the
gloom. NVhiffs of hot air came through
the overshadowed doorway and min
gled with the scent Of spice. The at
mosphere of the place sanded the
throat with a dry and enervating
warmth.
The man and woman, standing amid
the shadows, were conscious Of it, but
with a differing consciousness. The
man breathed it in, as the necessary
breath Of his existence; the woman
felt sti6ed-oppressed. She moved,
and the costly material Of her skirt
rustled against the uncovered floor.
"And this" Her hand rested on
a dark vase. Her figure, family sill
houtted against the wall, seemed al
most incongruOus in such a scene; for
folds, and her hat Crooped over her
face in a wide, eXtravagant curve. 1t
was the dress that three great artists
had made famous, and that the world
knew by heart but to the pale, pinched
man in the mean shop it was too much
a part and too uncomprehended to be
Of any note To him she was q gor,
geous butterfly, that, pOising itself for
a moment in the darkness would pres
emily fit away into the sun.
"And this" she said again,
"That is Chinese" he said in his Pc
culiar voice. 1--WE have had it for ten
years. 1t is accounted very old, 200
years old-perhaps more We prize It
very much" Commercially he always
spoke in the plural Most things that
he did had fantastic turn.
"Indeedw she said. Her voice was
extraordinarily low, but she did not
move her hand.
He watched her uneas.ly. "It Is not
for sale" he said.
"And why" She kept her face
averted, and surreptitiously she
touched the bronze dragon that guard
in a shop is usually-for sale"
The man smiled curiously. "Shops,"
he said, like other tlings-differ."
At the tone Of the words, half eau
tic, half solemn, her mind sprang back
into the past. A picture partly re-
membered-never wholly sat aside,
shot into the light Of knowledge, and
sharp, unexpected pang went through
her heart.
"And your master" she said, hesita-
tlngly "he still livesY
A fash Of surprise lit the mans eyes
then passed. He was too simple to
question a wOman's pleasure Besides
his master had been well known once
and had known many Of the great
world
"My master has been paralyzed," he
said, "these ten years back"
She made a sudden movement and
the top Of the vase fell-rolling away
into corner.
Forgive mew she said; and there
was q breathless catch in her voice.
He sprang after the cover, wlping it
jealousy as he picked It up. "If this
were broken" he said menacingly
Then his manner changed. "He has
been helpless since his misfortune"
he said gently. "When hope Is taken,
life may go as well. The two are one"
This man with his pale face and de-
formed body was an untaught philoso-
pher. There are many such in the
workshops Of God
"Tell me Of him." she said-her voice
was very low. People said that on the
stage her words could thrill to a mans
soul No audience had heard her
speak as she spoke now. Tell me-"
she said again.
For an inconceiyably long time he
besitated Then he looked Up. Even