Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-20

Mr. Tomesr' he exclaimed. s'Clodagh.
my dear, here b Mr.. Tonnes.
Ciodash turned without enthusiasm and
looked at the loose figure and unkempt
hair Of the scientist.
II do not think you and my-my wife
have met. Mr.. Tomesr' Ailbanke broke In.
with q nervous attempt at seniahty.
mo: but have many times seen Mrs.
Milbanke." he said ponderously.
Clodagh bent her head, noting with the
clothes were baggy and his hands unclean.
Miibanke gave nervous. conciliatory
laugh;
Mr.. Tones smiled.
That is scarcely compliment to Mrs.
Milbanke," he interposed consciously.
Clodagh looked up and met his eyes,
81 don't wish to be paid compliments,
Mr.. Tones" she said. please don't try
to think of any. Did you come to take my
husband out?"
Mr.. Tones stammered, visibly crestfailen
WELL" he began, there is a certain
archway in one of the smaller churches
which 1 think Mr.. Milbanke ought to see;
lady's consideration. 1t struck melt
occurred to me-
But Clodagh cut him short
oh, Mr.. Tones, I'm much too frivolous
your calculations: should only spoil them
OF course. it's very kind of you," she
added with tardy remorse, but the ex-
pertinent would be a failure. Ask my hus-
Milbanke looked distressed
''Oh, my dear he began.
But Clodagh's nerves were Jared.
awfully kind Of Mr.. Tones: but couldn't
really, really couldn't"
Mr.. Tones relapsed into a state Of
Miibanke looked from one to the other
in nervous misery. -.
Certainly not: certainly not. my dear"
doing too much" He peered at her through
the softly falling twilight with a look Of
helpless concern.
She felt rather than saw the look. and
that sensitive dread of being rendered
conspicuous that attacks us all in early
life caused her to shrink into herself.
Nonsense she said, little coldly. II
am perfectly well. Please go and see Mr..
Tones archway-I don't mind being left
alone. I would like to be left alone"
Milbanke stirred uneasiy.
"Of course, my dear, If you wish it, he
murmured. Mr.. Tones, shall we? Are
you ready"
He waved his hand toward the canal.
Mr.. Tones drew his loose limbs together,
and bowed formally to Clodagh.
Certainly, If you wish it, Mr.. Milbanke,"
he said, stiff1y, and walked of along the
terrace.
Milbanke did not follow him at once. He
stood looking at his wife in panied uncer-
tainty. ~
"Clodagh. my dear" he began at last, IF
there is anything can do"
But Clodagh turned away. -
mo. she said, almost inaudibly-"no;
there is nothing. I'd like to be alone /
want to be alone"
And Milbanke perplexed, embarrassed,
vaguely unhappy-turned slowly and walked
across the terrace after his scientific friend
Clodagh waited until the last sound of
Mr.. Tones loud. rolling voice had melted
into the distance with the departure Of his
gondola; then with a stiff, tired movement
she rose. walked in her own turn across the
terrace, and, leaning upon the stone para
pet, gazed out into the purple twilight as
she had gazed on the evening of her first
arrival.
How long ago-how infinitely far away
that first arrival seemed to her! With the
capacity for the assimilation of new emo
lions that belongs to all her race, she had
lived more keenly during the last three
days than during the preceding four years.
To one of her temperament, life Is not a
matter OF time, but of experience. At SEVEN
teen she had been child on her twenty
second birthday she had been girl: and
now, when that birthday was past by but a
few months, she was conscious of the stir
ring OF her womanhoOd-roused into swift
activity by the first approach of the world
with its men and women, its laxities and
prejudices. Its infinite potentialities for
good or evil.
Some vague foreshadowing of this idea
the thread Of her musings was suddenly
broken by quick step sounding across the
deserted terrace; and with a slight. invol-
untary movement she Strengthened herself
cold surface Of the parapet.
Sir Walter Gore had parted with Bar
nard in the hall of the hotel, and now he
crossed the terrace quickly conscious of
the fast-falling twilight He was close to
the flight of stone steps that led to the
water before the f1utter of Clodagh's light
dress caught his preoccupied attention.
Seeing her, he paused and raised his hat
You look very mysterious. Mrs Mil
banke," he said. HAS your husband gone
indoors?'
Clodagh felt herself color Unreasonably,
and seemingly inexplicably the mention Of
Milbanke's name Jared upon her.
My husband has gone to see an archway
in ;one OF the churches" she said. with a
twinge of sharpness.
Caught by the infection of her voice,
Gore looked at her more closely through
the gathering dusk.
"And you do not share his taste for the
antique?"
She turned toward him. her eyes alight
with sharp, cold brightness.
II hate the antique" she said, with sud-
den vehemence. .-,--sr---.,
her again.
And yet you come from Ireland? Isn't
everything there very old?"
For an instant she looked away across the
darkening waters; then her glance flashed
back to his.
eyes, DID," she said, passionately, but so
naturally old that its age is not thrust upon
you. Where come from there is a ruined
chapel on the edge of cliff that dates from
the fourth century. And at the present day
the peasant pray there just as their an
cestors prayed centuries and centuries ago.
They don't stare at 1t and read about it
and write about it, like the antiquarians do.
They pray there. The chapel isn't a curios-
ity to them; it's a part of their lives"
Gore was silent. An unconquerable sur
prise-a reluctant fascination-held him
chained, forgetful of the gathering dark
ness and of the gondola that awaited him
at the foot of the steps.
AS he stood hesitating Clodagh spoke
again.
Don't you believe that things should be
lived-not merely looked at?'' she. asked,
her voice low and tense. Almost uncon-
sciously the desire to interest this man, to
win his attention, to compel him to share
her opinions had sprung into her mind.
Gore answered her with directness.
mo" he said. IAN things cannot be
lived
His voice was quiet and controlled: the
pose Of his body. the look In his eyes, all
suggested tempered strength-a curbed
vitality. The desire to dominate him rose
higher, overshadowing every other sensa-
ton In Clodagh's brain.
She stepped nearer to him. her hand rest.