Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-01
A Matter of Temperament JOHN OLIVER s9 "o,.,

Well she said, you're not vain. and to
have no vanity is often more useful in pub
have courage, too. Altogether, 1 am not
afraid for you. And now there's something
else / want to say"
Paget's breath came quickly and for the
first time since her arrival she showed a
visible embarrassment.
About u.s." she continued.
Il curse my selfshness every day he
said
Don't do that. We were both selfish"
"No-not you. Never you"
We We're both young and needless.
fell mady in love with You and you
thought You were in love with me. There
is no one to blame. The hard thing Is" she
added. smiling. that we cannot get quite
tree of each other. We can't annul our
marriage. and divorce is impossible"
Il suppose So
Undoubtedly. l have no intention of plac-
ing myself in the wrong. First of all, there's
the child. You can think of that yourself?
l hope You will. Why spoil the whole of
your life? But 1 must think of the child.
1t shant be said that he had bad mother
They may say. if they like, that his father
was genius. That won't injure him.
You know how 1 hate this topic he
said, we must make the best of 1t. There's
no one in the world whom l care for quite
as | care for you"
That believe"
It's in an unsatisfactory way. I know
l suppose you were terribly mistaken in
me-"
NO. my dear not in youth life. After
all, we have had very happy times together
I'm sure loved you most devotedly | have
quite recovered, but it seems that we must
both be charming, or we could not remain
such good friends.'
You are charming-I am not"
Daring, you are not to blame You
wanted life all music. and flowers, and
llght: and beautiful colors! Nothing dull
nothing ugly nothing painful, nothing to
make you wretched. You couldn't face the
1cur-wheeler. me perambuator, baby's tin
path; and baby! You couldn't endure the
landlady. the other dodgers, the smoking
chimney, and the same cold Joint three days
running. 1t was easier for me- because the
enid is such a delightful child. He took
Jam when the butter was nasty and he
slept beautifully on my arm, no matter how
nara the bed Was-of course, it was all the
easier for me-"
But you are as little used to discomforts
as l was. You are making me feel ashamed
OF myself-a wretched creature!
NO! You tried to bear it, l saw YOU
We're sinking under it. 1t was horrible
know that m not genius because sordid
things don't jar on me. 1 dislike them
but they don't weigh on me az they Cypress
you. We should both have died-if we had
not separated. And then what would have
for the best. But
She hesitated-she rose from her chair
and went over to the fireplace where she
knelt on the hearth-rug and held out her
iiaidS " TIC hauling IlTe.
But l think he ought to be told now that
he is your son. He would be proud of you
You could go down and see him a. his dear
httle school, Boys love to exhibit hand
some parents and relatives. He'll be seven
next month Let us go down together to see
him on his birthday. 1t can't hurt either of
US 10 acknowledge our marriage now In
TACT, 1t would sound romantic, and people
would be amused"
years?" GA '''e'
For the boys sake. They all know that
l was legally married to somebody, but
now IN better known 1t is difficult to keep
up the mystery. They may begin to sus-
pect disagreeable things which would re-
fleet upon the child. You can go abroad
and finish your opera; people will never
expect you and me to settle down in a
humdrum way. Poor dear you could never
have settled down with any woman in the
world IN any circumstances You find and
monthst'
He WINGED, but he made no reply.
have never interfered with your lib
erty. L shant begin to interfere now
You are eternally restless and discontent-
ed' not because you are tickle, but because
you are an artist But we ought to say
mat the boy is ours, and that his name is
Rende! Paget. When he grows up you'll
love him very much and be proud of him"
do love him he is, Cara
Yes-in the distance"
NO; tnat isn't fair. But, as you say.
men don understand very young children
l like to please you in every way, and If
You want to make our marriage a matter
OF public gossip. 1 will do anything you
WISH
ut is for the child's sake" she reneated
He asked me the other day If you were
dead l said you once went to sea in a big
ship ship Then he began to cry, for fear you
little thing called out. Don't let him get
drowned. He's impressionabe and artistic
like you"
Every word you say cuts into me. If you
were a revengeful woman, l should think
you were taking your revenge"
"Revenge-for what?'
For all 1 have made you suffer. You
don't deceive me. There are tears in your
voice always. 1 moon about NV onera
while you work your way up from a pound
a week to an income of two thousand a
year l went moaning about our beastly
lodgings, and you have patiently made, by
your own hard work, a home l see the
situation plainly"
His countenance had become hard and
worn and haggard during the discussion.
Terror had entered into him at the pros
pect of telling Vivien that he was married.
He would lose her-his inspiration-the in
spiration which Cara had never been and
could not be. Yet he had a deep fondness
for Cara. and more fondness than he real
lzed Tor his son.
Well said Cara, I'VE needn't decide to-
night. There's a whole month yet before
baby's birthday"
She rose and tried not to see the relief on
Pagets face as he heard that he had a
months respite. So many things could
happen in a month. He fastened Cara's
cloak; wound the scarf round her small,
graceful head and shining hair offered her
his arm down the stair, and helped her into
her brougham, which was waiting In Vigo
street She went back to the theater to
attend rehearsal which was to begin at
l am.
Go be Concluded Next Saturday,