The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26
CHAPTER VIII.
LOVE coNoUERs DISCRETION.

LOVE CONQUERS DISCRETION.
The following morning was called
before the chief. and after brief trial
was told to go home, but warned that
I was under the suspicion Of the po-
lice"
On my way home learned from Mr..
Levinski, who had had an interview
with the chief Of police concerning
Ephraim, that Ephraim was also ar
rested on suspicion only, but his case
was rather serious because he had car
ried on some correspondence with Pro-
fessor Dragmanoff, who was a great
agitator of nihilism and who had fed
to Switzerland. The worst for Eph-
rain was, however. his being found de-
stroying papers, and the discovery in
his trunk Of letters from Ora gmanoff
after his denial of ever having CORE
sponded with the professor. Besides
other censored books, ''The Revisor"
(Gogol's famous drama Of corruption),
which had been particularly suppressed
that winter, was also found in Eph-
rains possession. Mr.. Levinsh gave
it as his opinion that Ephraim would
certainly be sent to Siberia.
However, the misfortune that befell
my friend, and the still graver afflic-
ton that the nation had sustained by
losing the noblest of its emperors, were
as naught compared to my anxiety
about Katia. OF what interest or
value was Russia to me? What did it
matter that the liberal Car was as
sassinated when Katia, who was more
race, and above kings and queens, was
away from me and yet dwelt in the
innermost chamber Of my heart? For
who is more selfish, jealous, conceited
than a lover? Human beings, the ami
NAL kingdom. and other matters like
pen, ink, or paper. serve only one pur-
pose-to communicate his or her fever
ish sentiments to the beloved. Even
the world plays a trifiing part when
the egotistic lover is engaged in the
amorous vanity of the heart. And yet
the world was built on love. so the
poets say. Love is the magnetism
which holds together the molecules of
humanity.
I stayed in my room two days, and
then, the excitement being over,
went to give Katia her regular lesson.
I was shown into the reception-room,
where I found her taking leave Of a
tall stout man of military bearing. 1
had met him several times before, but
he had evaded an Introduction. always
overlooking me with obvious contempt.
This time he could not avoid meet
ing me, but he acknowledged the intro
duction formally with bow that
seemed to mean: What the devil is
the Jew doing here?"
He remained only a few minutes
longer, and when he departed he did
not give me even so much as a friend
ly look.
us 1t not horrible, Mr.. Russakoff?''
Katia began tremulously. MY father
has been sick in bed for the four days
since the fearful news reached US. He
takes this catastrophe so to heart. 1t
is terrible. Oh, the Nihilists are ruin
ing this country! Why cannot people
live peacefully, 1 wonder?"
She dropped into chair as IL from
sheer exhaustion. She evidently knew
nothing of misery. of suffering. of
starvation, of oppression-she did not
even know her own father.
For a while we talked of her father,
Of the Nihilists, of the possible results
of the Cars assassination; and then
our talk shifted to Heine, whose
"Reisebilder" she was reading with my
assistance.
II always wondered how those poets
could write so much on the single sub
ject of love-" Katia remarked; and
then she Immediately blushed, as if
she wished to recall her words.
Because they felt so much" 1 an
swered.
1T seems strange" she went on hes
itatingly playing with the golden cru
cifx that dangled over her bosom.
When my feelings are touched have
very few words to say, and for the
rest"-she broke the sentence with a
forced Taught cry. I think that
tears are the poetry that flows from
the very depths OF ones soul, while
words come more from the brain. Don't
you ever feel inclined to shed tears,
Mr.. Russakoff?'
Sometimes" 1 replied in a sti1ed
tone; and Immediately added with an
attempt at Iightness: And sometimes
l relieve my feelings as the poets do
in verses
A silence of a minute or more fol-
lowed. during which she glanced at me
several times from under her lowered
eyelashes.
DO you know" she resumed. clearing
her throat as she spoke, "the mere 1
see of you the more you remind me OF
Israel. He was always melancholy"
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