The Cairo bulletin., 1904-09-21
Gbe Nese, "a;
Arabian X
!" ; ; ss;:,, Nights

BY ROBERT
LOUIS
STEVENSON

inc smoking fOOH oL the Suiciuc
club was the same height as the cab
met into which 1t opened, but much
larger and papered from top to bot
tom with an imitation OF oak wainscot.
a large and cheerful fire and q number
OF gas jets illuminated the company.
The prince and his follower made the
number up to eighteen. Most of the
party were smoking and drinking
champagne. A feverish bilarlty reign
cd, with sudden and rather CHASTITY
patiscs
us this a full meetlng?" asked the
prince.
"Middling." said the president, by
the way" he added, 'if you have any
payne. 1t keeps up a good spirit and
is one OF my own little perquisites"
"Hammersmith." said Florizel. II
may leave the champagne to you"
And with that he turned away and
began to go round among the guests.
Accustomed to play the host In the
highest circles. he charmed and domi-
mated all whom lie approached. There
was something at once winning aud
authoritative In his address. and his
extraordinary GOODNESS gave him yet
another distinction In this half ma
niacal society. AS he went from one to
another he kept both his eyes and his
ears open and soon began to gain a
general idea of the people among whom
he found himself. AS In all other
places Of resort one type predominant.
ed people In the prime of youth, with
every show of intelligence and sensi-
bility in their appearance, but with lit
tie promise of strength or the quality
that makes success Few were much
above thirty, and not a few We're still
in their teens. They stood, leaning on
tables and shifting on their feet: some
times they smoked extraordinarily fast
and sometimes they let their cigars go
out: some talked well, but the CONVEX
sation of others was plainly the result
of nervous tension and was equally
without wit or purport. As each new
bottle of champagne was opened there
was manifest Improvement in gayety.
Only two were seated-one in chair
In the recess Of the window, with his
head hanging and his hands plunged
deep into his trousers pockets, pale,
visibly moist with perspiration. saying
never II word. very wreck of soul and
body; the other sat on the divan close
by the chimney and attracted notice
by trenchant dissimilarity from all
the rest. He was probably upward of
forty, but he looked fully ten years
older, and Florizel thought he had
never seen man more naturally hid
eous nor one more ravaged by disease
and ruinous excltements. He was no
more than skin and bone. was partly
parnlyzed and wore spectacles of such
unusual power that his eyes appeared
through the glasses greatly magnified
and distorted In shape. Except the
prince and the president, he was the
only person In the room who preserved
the composure of ordinary life.
There was little decency among the
members Of the club Some boosted OF
the dlsgracefu actions. the conse-
quences of which had reduced them 10
seek refuge in death, and the others
listened without disapproval. There
was tact understanding against NOR
nj judgments. and whoever passed the
club doors enjoyed already some Of the
fmmunities Of the tomb. They drank
TO each others memories and to those
of notable suicides in the past. They
compared and developed their different
views OF death. some declaring that II
was no more than blackness and cessa-
ton, others full of a hope that that
very night they should be scaling the
stars and commencing with the mighty
dead.
ITO the eternal memory of Baron
Trenck. the type Of suicides." cried one
ale went out of q small cell into
smaller that he might come forth again
10 freedem."
"For my part" said second, Il
wish no more than a bandage for my
eyes and cotton for my ears. Only they
have no cotton thick enough in this
world.
A third was for reading the mysteries
OF life In future state. and fourth
professed that he would never have
Joined the club IL he had not been in
duced TO believe In Mr.. Darwin.
II could not bear" said this remark
able suicide. ito be descended from an
. ape"
Altogether the prince was disappoint-
ed by the bearing and conversation of
the members.
1T does not seem 10 me-" he thought
"a matter for SO much disturbance. III
a man has made up his mind TO Kill
himself. let him do IT. in Gods name.
like gentleman. This fiutter and big
talk is out of place"
In the meanwhile Colonel Geraldine
was a prey 10 the blackest apprebfn-
sions. The club and its rules were stili
mystery. and he looked round the room
for some ore who should De able TO set
his mind ut rest. In this survey bis
ere lighted on the paralytic person
with the strong slJectacles. and. seeing
him - exceedingly tranquil. he be-