The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-09-30
CHAPTER vi
INTO THE roo AGAIN.


NRESENTI.Y she spoke, still play
- ing softly
MY father was an American
4 my mother Italian. But ! have
There! You have more Of my history
than intended telling you" The
music went dreamlly,
II knew IT, Who but an American
woman would have the courage TO do
what you are doing tonight2 Who
but one of mine owD countrywomen
would trust me so wholly and accept
me so frankly for what | am-an
American gentleman?"
"Softlyw she warned. you will dig
pit for your vanity"
mo am an American gentleman.
and am proud Of II, though this state.
ment 10 your ears may have school
boy ring"
"a nobility In this countryf lmpos-
sibler'
Not the kind you find In the Al
manach de Gotha. ! speak Of the no
billty Of the heart and the mind" He
was very much In earnest now.
"Indeedl' The music stopped. and
she turned. She regarded his earnest
ness with favor. He continued
II have travelled much. have found
noblemen everywhere, In all climes,
and also | have found beasts. Oh. !
confess that my country is not wholly
free from the beast! But the beast
here is beast--shunned, discredited.
outcast. On the other side, II he be
mentioned In the Almanach. they give
him sashes and decorations. And they
credit us with being money mad! II
is not true"
But, If you are not money mad, why
these great fortunesT dubiously.
'At certain age fortune In this
country doubles itself without any ef-
fort on the part OF the owner. Few Of
us marry for money, and when we do
we at least have the manhood to keep
the letter Of our bargain"
"And when you marryY' she queried
"Well, 1t is generally the woman we
love. Dowries are not considered
There is no social law which forbids
a dowcrless girl to marry dowerless
man." laughing But over there II Is
always and eternally business con
tract simply. You know that
"Yes. a business contract" listlessly
But they talk Of nobility on the
other side. That Is It; they talk, talk
Italy. France. Germany Why. had
rather be the son OF an English farm
er than prince on the continent. And
| had rather be what ] am than the
greatest nobleman In England"
go on. go on! like II. What do
you call itjlngoY' she laughed.
"Call It what you will Look at the
men we produce. Three or four hun
dred years ago Europe gave us great
poets, great artists. great soldiers
great churchmen and great rascals.
admire great rascal when he Is a
a Talleyrand. Machlavelli |
But a petty one. We have no art. no
music. no antiquity, but we have q
race Of gentlemen. The old country Is |
not breeding them nowadays.'
"Signora dinner is served the maid
"signorar thought Hiilard.
After you. MIR Hillard." she said
He bowed and passed on before her.
but not I'll he had passed did be un
ierstand the maneuver. To follow her
would have been nothing less than the
TO pluck at the strings OF
her mask Would be have touched III
He could not say.
That dinner, Was be in New York;
Was II not Bagdad. the bottle and the
yeniif Had he ever, even In bis most
romantic dreams. expected TO turn
page 10 charming. so enchanting or 10
dangerous 10 bis peace OF mind, q
,ame Of magical bIde and seek1
And shey A whim, o fantastic. uD-
whim--the whlm Of wo
nan seeking forgetfulness. not count
ng the cost nor caring. simply
shlm.
On the little table was Tuscany
,rass lamp Of three wieks. fed by olive
III IL was sufficient to light the tn
,le. but the rest Of the room was sunk
o darkness. He half understood that
here was definite purpose 10 this
eni illumination. She had DO wish
hat be should by chance recognize
nything familiar In this house.
May ask you one question: he
sked.
mo" promptly. There was some
hing 10 his eyes that made her grow
vary o. sudden.
Then | sban't ask IL ! shall not