Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-14
Xxx.

Xxx.
Serracauld smiled his acknowledgement Of
the granted permission, and departed in
| search of his uncle, while Barnard looked
| at Clodagh with amused interest.
IF you can waive your prejudices against
the milk baths. Mrs Milbanke,'' he said,
you'll find old Deerehurst quite delight
| full person. But. of course. when one is
very young. prejudices are adhesive things"
He finished his coffee meditatively. shoot
| ing glance at Clodagh from the corner Of
| his eye.
Clodagh remained silent for moment.
tentatively lingering her cup.
| do 1 seem so very young? she asked at
last, without raising her eyes.
At the words he turned and looked at her
| fully.
| seriously 81 am literally devoured by de-
| sire to ask you your age? When | saw
you come downstairs tonight, felt-pardon
the rudeness-like laughing in James face
when he introduced you as his wife You
scarcely looked eighteen But just this mo-
ment, when you spoke of your life at Flor
| ence, l suddenly felt out in my calculations.
| Your face, OF course, seemed just faSci-
| natingly young; but from your expression
| l could have believed you to be twenty
four. And now again-please do be lenient
| to my lmpertinence-now again, as you
| spoke to Serracaud you looked like a child
turning the first page in the book of life
| Are you an enigma?"
During the first portion of his speech Clo-
| dagh had looked grave; but Ut his last
| words she laughed with a touch Of con-
| straint.
| mo" she answered 81 am nothing half
so interesting-and it's four years since l
| was eighteen. But hadn't l better get my
| cloak before Mr.. Serracauld comes back?'
! With another slightly embarrassed laugh
she rose, and. without waiting for Bar
| nards escort. walked out Of the room.
| Ten minutes later she descended the
stairs, wrapped in a light evening cloak.
| Her cheeks still flushed with excite
ment and her hazel eyes were dark with
| anticipation. Yesterday-onl- yesterday
| she had been mere item in the secluded,
unimportant life of the villa at Florence;
| now. tonight, three men-each one of whom
must. in his time, have known Superlatlvely
| interesting and beautiful women-awaited
| her pleasure!
AS she stepped across the hall Serracauld
darted forward to meet her.
| This is very gracious of you, he muir
INJURED. Il hear it Is your first evening In
| Venice"
She glanced up at him as they moved
slowly forward across the hail.
MY very first evening" she said. softly.
"And 1 so want to enjoy it,
He paused deliberately and looked at her
| May I take that as a permission to make
it enjoyable-if l CAM"
Her iashes dropped in instructive, native
| coquetry.
AREN'T you goingto introduce your uncle
He looked at her. mystified and attracted
IF knew you better, Mrs. Milbanke-"
he began.
But, without replying, Clodagh moved
away from him across the hall and out on
| to the terrace There, transfixed by new
impression, she paused involuntariy.
Venice is beautiful in the morning and
| exquisite in the twilight. but 1t is at night
that the mystery of Venice-that most subtle
of its many charms-enwraps and envelops
| it like a magic web. There is nothing In
Europe~to rival the literal. Tangible TO
mance>of Venice at night. The faint, idle,
! infinitely suggestive lap of water against a
thousand unseen steps; the secret dark
| ness, revealed rather than dispersed by the
| furtive, uneven lights shed forth from win
dows or open doors; the throb of music that
seems woven into the picture-an insep-
arabic, integral part Of the enchanted life
All-collectively and separately-is wonder
| and JOY.
| To Clodagh, with her inherent apprecia-
| tion of things mystic and beautiful the
| scene a narcotic. In an ecstasy she
| stood drinking 1T in: then. suddenly touched
d, with the warm desire of sharing her impress
sions. she turned to the companion who had
| followed her.
| isn't it-wonderful?" she said below her
| breath.
/ Serracauld looked at her for a moment in
puzzled doubt; then he smiled indulgently
Yes" he said. vaguely. Yes. 1t Is
| rather great-the singing and the gondolas
| and-and all that sort of thing
Her large, clear eyes rested on his face,
then slowly returned to their scrutiny of
| the canal. A momentary sense of disap-
| pointment had assaied her; she was con-
| scious of a momentary jar. But as she
| stood, silent and uncertain, fresh burst of
| low, throbbing music broke across the
| darkness, and at the same moment she be-
| came conscious of a large gondola gliding
| up to the hotel steps.
| with the excitement of anticipation, the
| cloud passed from her face.
Gomez she cried Come! 1 see Mr..
| Barnard"
! 1t was at the head of the flight of stone
| steps leading to the water that Lord Deere
| hurst was introduced to her; and in the
| semi darkness it struck her that he made
| distinctly interesting figure, with his black
| hair worn a shade lower on the forehead
| than modern fashion permits. his pale, aris-
| tocratic, Unconditional face, his cold, pene-
| trating eyes. and the somewhat unusual
| evening clothes that fitted his tall figure
| closely, and, by clever touch of the
| tailor's art, conveyed the suggestion of an
| era more picturesque than our own. She
studied him with deep attention, and bent
] her head in gratified acknowledgment of
| the profound bow with which he marked
| the Introduction. A moment later he e.
4 fered her his hand, and himself assisted
| her to the waiting gondola.
With a pleasant. excited sense of dignity
| and Importance, she passed down the steps
| and entered the boat, noting as she took
| her seat its costly and elaborate fittings
| and the picturesque livery Of the two gon-
| doliers; then, as she leaned back against
| the cushions that supported her. her eyes
passed back interestedly to the three men
to whom she owed the nights adventure.
Lord Deerehurst came first, moving with
a certain stiff dignity. End appropriated the
seat by. her side; Barnard and Serracauld
followed, placing themselves the two
smaller seats that flank the stern; and
moment later she saw the gondoliers swing
lithely round into their allotted positions,
and felt the gondola shoot out swiftly and
silently into the dark waters.
Following the custom OF the place, the
gondolers headed for the point where the
idle and the pleasure-seeking of Venice
gather nightly to listen~to the music and
lazily watch the swaying paper lanterns OF
the musicians gondolas
Clodagh sat silent as they SKINNED on
ward. She was bending slightly forward,
her whole attitude an unconscious typifying
of expectancy: her hands were lightly
ciasped in her lap. ard again the golden
hazel of he- eyes was darkened by their
dilated pupils
AS the gondola slackened speed and the
tErobbing music became nearer, more intox-
icating, more distinct Lord Deerehurst,
who had been covertly studying her. leaned
suddenly close to her.
You are great appreciation of the beau
tiful, Mrs. Milbanke," he said. in his thin.
high-bred voice.