The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-03
THE KISS


plain clothes appeared horseback
from behind the church and lifting his hat, Said
His highness, Leut-Gen- Rabbek. invites the
gentlemen officers to his house for tea"
horseback raised his hat again and
disappeared behind the church.
half an hour the officers number,
the threshold the Generals They
by Won Rabbek himself. good-lookiEg old man
Of about sixty in plain clothes The General shook their
hands smiled though it clearly evident on his
that he invited the officers merely because he
thought decency required it,
When officers entered the large dining-room. ten
twelve ladies already seated by the long table
drinking
Gentlemen. of here that it is
impossible you by one." said the Cen
a loud voice, trying to very cheerful
Introduce yourselves. gentlemen. as best you like"
The officers, with serious stern faces
others smiling forcedly feeling rather awkward
made bows those IN the and seated themselves
by table drink
Captain Ryabovich a small. round-shouldered
spectacles ynx-like side whskers. felt
ward any of his fellow-of1cers. While Of
his colleagues tried serious and others smiled
forcedy, lynx-like sidewhskeIs, and his
spectacles seemed say:
Il the most timid, the most bashfu and coloress
officer entire brigade" he could fix
his attention any face object in the
The faces the dresses the cutgass decanters
ccgnac. the steam rising from the glasses Of teaal
blended into huge impression. which filed
Ryabovich with confusion and with desire 10 hide his
head somewhere. But little later he mastered himself
and, recovering his sight. began to observe things
Won Robbek his family skiifully entertaining
the officers looking after their glasses and their mouths
inquiring and then If all of them drinking.
the officers stepped into the parior where
they found many good looking young The
piano began to thunder; then sad waltz waited
through the wide-open windows, and somehow every
body recalled that spring in the air All began to
feel the fragrance of poplar, roses and nacs.
filed the Under the influence of the music
the cognac began tell Ryabovich-he smiled
watched women. seemed him that the door
of poplar and llacs from the garden,
but from the faces and the dresses of the
Soon dancing formed. Ryabovich stood
the door among those that did not dance He never
danced his life and he had escaped the waist
a Ryabovich liked to taking strange
girl by the waist dance but he could imagine
himself in the position of that
When the quadrille started the young Won Rabbek
invited two OF the officers for of billiards. To
while his time away Ryabovich followed them. He
watched the players ndinerently and before long he
began feel lonesome. and it seemed to him that
in everybody's way there.
He decided paror. as
walked of the biard-room he noticed that
not know where He turned his right. and
found himself in halfdark cabinet. which he had not
passed the way the bflard-room He stood there
awhile then he opened the door before him and entered
a perfectly The dull sounds of melancholy
mazurka heard from behind the door. Here.
in paror the windows wide and the odor
poplar, lilacs, and filled the air.
Ryabovich paused in hesitation. Sudden
ly quick and the rusing of dress heard.
a womans whispered emotionally AT last"
two soft, perfumed hands ciasped his neck; warm
cheek touched Ryabovichs cheek and ringing kiss
sounded. But she uttered soft cry. and 1t
seemed Ryabovich started back With disgust.
He point excaiming. but he controlled
himself and rushed towards the other dood.
When returned the parlor his heart beating
his hands trembled perceptiby that he
trying hide them behind his back. At first he
tortured with shame fearing lest everybody in the paror
a had embraced and kissed him little
while before. He looked all sides uneasly' but salts
fed that the people danced and chated as before he
hafrr
perienced sensation.
He felt like dancing, talking, running to the
garden He forgot that he round Shout
dered colorless and uninteresting
At supper Ryabovieh ate and drank mechanically
erything that served him; and paying attention
what going about him. endeavored 70 explain
Q himself how the incident about The
OF a rather mysterious romantic nature
but it easy explain it. young lady must have
made appointment with in the dark room;
must have been waiting there have mistaken Rya-
bovich for her hero
But who she?" he asked himself. surveying the
faces of the before him. She is surely young
for old women don't make such appointments
And, then she surely intelligent he thought indeed.
he felt II by the rustic Of her dress by her perfume
By her voice.
He fixed his eyes young lady. with beautiful
hands and shoulders, intelligent face and
voice. And he gazed at her, he wished her
10 be the him.
After the guests having eaten and drunk their
began to take leave The officers walked out into the
but the darkness and the silence threw them into a
rather pensive mood for while. Ryabovch wondered
whether the time would come when he, like
bek. would have 4 large house. family. a garden
On reaching home. Ryabovich to bed immediate
" Who is she?' he asked himself. staring the
smokestaned ceiling Beautiful feminine hands Shout
ders, dress and brooches lowered about before
him in his imagination. He tried his attention
these images. but they seemed wink hop about
hither and thher When he closed his eyes images
disappeared altogether. quick footsteps
~ rustling of dress, the a he
seized with boundless happiness.
Rising in the morning he felt that last nights joy
was still throbbing IN his heart
quarter hour later the brigade started OF for
the camp they passed the Generals house, Ryabo-
looked the windows. The shutters closed
people evidently sleeping yet She who had
kissed him also sleeping He pictured to him
self the bed-charnber with wde-open window.
branches peepng in The window The odor Of poplar.
Niacs and the bed. chair. the dress
which had rustled night. slippers. small watch
on table nesrbyan this he clearly ard distinctly
outlines OF her gentle face the gentle smile
that which important and characteristc--
escaped his Imagination RyaSovieh farewell
glance at village OF Nestechko and hs suddenly
became though he taking leave % something