Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-18
VIII.


The Padlocked Book-In this book am
going to write you. Louis. a letter which
win never be delivered: because / shall
burn it when It is finished. Yet that will
not prevent my tantalizing you about 1t.
To the padlocked book I can say what
want to say. To you 1 must say what is
expedient
That is a foolish woman who does vio-
lence to love by inordinate loving. Yet
first will tell you that sink to sleep
saying. He loves met and rise TO the
surface saying, He loves met and sink
again saying. HE loves met all night
long.
The DAYS when I see you are real days.
finished and perfect, and this is the best Of
them ALL God forever bless in paradise
your mother for bearing you. IL you new
err had come to the world should not
have walked to life myself And why this
is 1 cannot tell. The first time l ever
saw your tawny head and tawny eyes,
though you did not notice me, said.
whether he is the king Or not would
make no difference Because knew you
, were more than the king to me.
Sire you told me once you could not I'M
derstand why people took kindly to you.
There is in you a gentle dignity and man.
hood, most royal. AS you come into a
room you cast your eyes about unfear1ng.
Your head and shoulders are erect. You
are like, a lion in suppleness and tawny
color. which influences me against my
will. You inspire confidence. Even girls
like AnnaheI who feel merely at their
finger ends and are as well satisfied with
one husband as another, know you to be
n solid man. not the mere image Of man.
Besides these traits there is a power go
ing out from you that takes hold of peo-
pie invisibly Ny father told me there
was man at the court of your rather VINO
could put others to sleep by a waving OF
his hands. / am not comparing you to
this charlatan; yet when you touch my
hand a strange current runs through me.
When we were in Paris I used to dress
myself every morning like priestess go
ing to serve in a temple. And what was
it for? To worship one dear head for half
an hour perhaps
You robbed me of the sight OF you for
two months. 1850
Sophie Standardized told me to beware Of
loving a man. Today he says, Il love
you! 1 need youl I shall go to the devil
without you!" Tomorrow he turns to his
affairs. In six months he says. Il was a
fooll'' Next year he says, Who was 1t
that drove me wild for time last year?
What was her name?"
Is love a game where men and women
try 10 outwit each other. and man boasts,
''She loves me'-not II love herr"
You are two persons. Lazarre belongs
to me. He follows he thinks about me-
He used to slip past my windows at Lake
George, and cast his eyes up at the panes.
But Louis is my sovereign. He sees and
thinks and acts without me, and mis- lot
is apart from mine.
we are in a ship going to the side of the
world where you are. Except that we are
going towards you, it is like being push
ed off cliff All my faith in the appear
ances of things is at an end. have been
iuggled with. have misjudged-
l could have insisted that we hold Mont
Louis as tenants. The count is our friend.
1t is not a strong mans fault that weak
man Is weak and unfortunate. Yet seeing
Cousin Philippe vince, / could not put the
daily humiliation upon him. he Is IKE