The Yale expositor., 1907-05-10

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to see any man she had ever met and
this type of a man-but she has
never met him. 1t was not only
strange. but IT was dangerous.
At lunch time III anyone had told
her that she was going to keep this
strange appointment she would not
have believed it, yet at half-past two
she was mounting her horse in spite
of herself. Rachel was picturesque as
she rode off. She wore a white habit
and two collies followed her horse.
The place that Webster called Low
ers' Leap was a pine grove overlook
ing the river, and is concealed from
the view of the wayfarer by hedge.
1t was a faVorite Sunday afternoon
walk of the young lovers of Webster.
AS Rachel refined up Betty a man
stepped out OF the shadow. He
seemed almost gaunt. No convention
al commonplaces passed between
them. They faced the situation with.
out preliminary. He began and she
followed his lead
Beloved said the man and his
arms reached out for her. From her
horses back she bent down to him.
Almost savagely he lifted her face
and the kiss that her lips responded
to hurt her. Yet she drew back some
how. though she had found a new
world. Something in the intensity OF
his passion warned her to control her
own. She gradually freed herself
from his embrace, but he would not
relinquish her hands"
Listen. love-" she said. 81 must
leave you now forever.
You cannot when have just found
you. You cannot go. | love you bet
ter than life, than all the world. To
be near you is heaven. To hold you
in my arms is something that God
himself can never know. My love is
a fury that has consumed me since !
saw you last night. | was to have
been married tomorrow, but that is
as impossible now as TO love anyone
but you. l have not slept since first
saw you. | paced the streets all
last night. My head swan with the
desire for you. l staggered under the
weight of my love. | knew | was mad
to dream it, and yet | felt that you
loved me. | have found a new life
because of you. Already you have
made my whole life worth while by
single kiss. 1t can only be a glorious
dream. love you better than life,
and will suffer hell for the rest of eter.
nifty to possess you for an instant.
You tell me you must leave me-" and
he kissed her hands till she drew
them away.
Yes, | must leave you, though ]
feel as you do. My love though, is
different With me the soul love pre-
dominates, with you 1t is the body
love. You see, we would never be
happy after the first wild passion had
passed. You would get tired of me
and | think IL would kill me TO live
with you. l love you too well to mar
ry you. l would only make you mis-.
cradle. You see l cannot break down
all the barriers of heredity and en-
vironment. AS mad as l am to say,
take me- | see the picture of our flu
ture too plainly. | would sink to your
level and | would always feel that
had married beneath me-"
He buried his face in her horses
name and his huge frame shook with
sobs. She stroked his cold hair and
each time he felt her touch it seemed
to break his heart anew.
a.,
hurting myself more, but our love is
as elemental as IL is impossible. When
you see me married to a man who lie
suitable you can know that 1t is you
that love and that l am longing for
you with all my heart and with all
You see | am not capable of as much
emotion as you are. or / suppose that
this remuneration would be impossible
My love will last longer. though.
| When all the world sees me the duti-
full wife of good man you will know
that am q bad woman and think of
you always. You will marry and set.
tie into a contented middle age. You
will forget. but | never can. This is
my last farewell"
She leaned over and kissed him on
the forehead and he, as II moved by a
frenzy. smothered her with kisses un-
til she gssped.
Suddenly, without warning, her
horse started and threw him against a
pine tree. where he stood motionless
waiting till she was out of sight. He
could hear the river just below the
cliff as 1t noisily flowed on it's jour.
ney. It fascinated him. He walked
against his will to the edge of the
bluff as a man in a dream.
The river sang:
You've seen the heaven you can
know.
Now come with me to hell"
, Terrified, he looked over the abyss