Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-22
XXI.
6A1l.
The Drama.U nrolls.

w
he always accompanies it with drawings,
crude or otherwise. of the various set
scenes and curtains known as drops. To
the uninitiated these scrawls would look
impossible: but to the stage manager S
keen imaginative eye a whole picture is
represented in these few pothooks. Each
object on the stage is labeled alphabet
cally. thus \ may represent sofa, B a
window. c table. and so forth and so on.
l am not dramatist am not writing an
acting drama: so l find that a diagram OF
the library in Senator Blanks house is
neither imperative nor advisable.
1t is half-after eight; the curtain rises;
the music of violin is heard coming from
the music room: Colonel Annesley is dis
covered sitting In front of the wood fire,
his chin on his breast his hands hanging
listlessly on each side of the chair. his face
deeply lined From time to time he looks
at the clock. | can imagine no sorrier
picture than that of this loving, tender
hearted. wretChed old man as he sits there,
waiting for Karloff and the ignominous
end. Fortune gone with the winds, poverty
leering into his face. shame drawing her
red finger across his brow, honor In sack
cloth and ashes.
And but two short years ago there had
not been in all the wide land a more con-
tented man than himself, a man with 4
conscience freer. Cod Even yet he could
hear the rolling. whirring ivory ball it
spun the circle that fatal night at Monte
Carlo. Man does not recall the intermedi-
ate steps of his fall only the first step and
the last In his waking hours the colonel
always heard the sound of 1t, and 1t ratified
through his troubled dreams. He could not
understand how everything had gone as it
had. 1t seemed impossible that in two
years he had dissipated a fortune, sullied
his honor, beggared his child 1t was all
so like a horrible dream. If only he might
wake; If only God would be merciful as
to permit him to wakei He hid his face.
There is no hell save conscience makes 1t.
The music laughed and sighed and
laughed.
IL was the music of love and youth; joy
Gus. rollicking, pulsing music.
The colonel sprang TO his feet suddenly,
his hands at his throat. He was suffocat-
ing. The veins gnarled on his neck and
brow. There was in his heart pain as of
many knives. His arms fell: of what use
was it to struggle? He was caught, trap
ped in net of his own contriving.
Softly he crossed the room and stood by
the portiere, beyond which was the music
room. She was happy, happy in her youth
and ignorance; she could play all those
sprightly meas ures. her spirit as light and
conscience-free; she could sing, she could
laugh, she could dance. And all the while
his heart was breaking, breaking!
How shall | face her MOTHER" he
grOaued.
The longing which always seizes the
guilty TO confess and relieve the mind came
over him. If only he dared rush in there,
throw himself at her feet, and stammcr
forth his wretched tale! She was of his
flesh, of his blood; when she knew she
would not wholly condemn him. No.
TO! He could not. She honored and truss
ed him now; she had placed him on 50
high a pedestal that it was utterly i'm
possible for him to disillusion her young
mind, to see for ever and ever the mute
Tcproach in her honest eyes, to feel that
though his arm enCircled her she was be-
yond his reach. God knew that he
could not tell this child Of the black gulf
he had digged for himself and her.
Sometimes there came to him the thought
to put an end to this maddening grief, by
violence to period this miserable existence.
But always ne cast from him the horrible
Thought. He was not a coward and the
Cowardice of suicide was abhorrent to him.
Poverty lie might leave her, but not the
legacy of a suicide. If only it might be
Gods kindly will to let him die, once this
abominable bargain was consummatedl
Death is the seal of silence; it locks alike
the lips of the living and the dead And
she might live in ignorance. till the end of
her days, without knowing that her wealth
was the price of her fathers dishonor.
mist blurred his sight; he could
not see. He steadied himself and wish
an effort regained his chair noiselessly.
And how often he had smiled at the drama
on the stage, with its absurdities, its taw
driness, its impossibilties. Alas, what
did they on the stage that was half so weak
as he mad done; ruined himself without mo-
tive or reason,
The bell sang its buzzing note; there was
the sound of crunching wheels on the drive
way; the music ceased abruptly. Silence.
A door opened and closed. A moment or so
later karloff, preceded by the girl, came
into the study. She was grave because she
remembered Mrs. Chadwick. He was grave
also: he had various reasons for being so.
Father. the count tells me that he has
an engagement with YOU" she said. She
a ninf rr1e mt in u
concerned her.
at is true my child Leave us, and give
orders that We are not to be disturbed"
She scrutinzed him sharply How
strangely hollow his voice sounded. Was
ne ill2
Father you are not well Count. you
must promise me not TO keep him lolg, how
ever important this interview may be. He
is i'll and needs rest''-and her loving eyes
Caressed each line of care in her parents
furrowed checks.
Anuesley smiled reassuAngly. 1t took
all the strength of his will, all that re-
manned Of a high order of courage. to Gre
ate this smile. He wanted to cry out to
her that it was a lie, a ,mockery. Behind
that smile his teeth grated.
81 shall not keep him long, mademoisel!e."
said the count. He spoke gently, but he
studlously avoided her eyes.
She hestated for moment on the thresh-
old: she knew not why. Her lips even
formed words but she did not speak. What
was il? Something oppressed her. Her gaze
wandered indecisvely from her father to
the count from the count to her father.
when YOU are through" she finally said,
''briug your cigars into the music room"
with the greatest pleasure. madenoi-
scllc replied the count And play. II
you So desire: our business is such tina.
your music will be "A pleasure added"
Her father nodded: but he could not force
another smile to his lips. The brass rings
of the portiere ratified, and she was gone.
Bat she left behind a peculiar tableau.
tableau such as is formed by those who
stand upon lee which is about to sink and
engulf them.
TIE two men stood perfectly still doubt
not that each experienced the same sensa-
ton the same thought occurred to each
mind though ii came from different ave-
nues: love and shame. The heart OF the
little clock on the mantel beat tick-tock.
textbook; "A log cracked and fell between
the irons sending up shower of evanes-
cent sparks: one of the long windows Civ
ing out upon the veranda creaked mysteri-
ouslY.
Karlofr was first to break the spell. He
made 4 gesture which was eloquent of his
distaSte OF the situation.
Let us terminate this as quickly as pos
sible." he said
Eyes. let us have done with it before lose
my courage" replied the colonel his voice
thin and quavering. He wiped his fore
head with his handkerchief. His hand
shone white and his nails darkly blue