Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-21
BOOK II.
CHAPTER XVu.-Continued.

'Sir Julien" he said, land you, my dear
young lady, your entire future depends
upon this little conversation. Can you
not put 1T out OF your minds for few
moments that am the dangerous Falken-
berg, the mischief maker, the ogre Of all
respectable Britons? Can you not remem-
Der only that l am well meaning, not
unkindly old gentleman. who has some
good advice to offer? You, at least. will
listen to me, Lady Anne. Do I look like
an assassin by choice? Do I seem like
the sort of person to indulge in these dam
gerous exercises for mere amusement?
You are both young, you have both your
lives before you. Why do you, Sir Julien,
voluntarily put the yoke about your neck?
Why do you, my gracious young lady,
be linked to deliver himself over volun-
tarily into state of bondage? Politics
lose all glamour to those who have dwelt
within the walls. Sir Julien has dwe1t
there and SO have /. He knows in his
heart whether it is worth while. One
lives always amid q clamor Of evil
tongues a pestilent trail Of poisonous sus-
picions.. One gives up ones life to be
flouted and misunderstood, to be accused
OF evil motives and every imaginable
crime. When 1t is all over. when one has
time to think of all that one has missed.
one feels that all one has done could have
been done just as well by the next man
in the street. That is the end of it. And
against all that you two have the world
before you. You can be rich-very rich,
indeed. You can make an idyll OF this
love Of yours. You can travel around the
world in your own yacht, you can visit
all strange countries, you can wander
. where YOU WILL and all the time affairs
in the world will go on very much the
same as il you had stayed and given the
best hours Of your life to the dusty tread
mill. / am an old man, Lady Anne, and
have an evil name In your country
They call me greedy, subtle and amoi-
tious / may be all these things, but let
me assure you that II l had my time over
again my master could find another serv-
ant and my country another toiler. There
are fairer flowers in life to be plucked
than any which can be reached from the
high places in Downing street or Berlin.
Let me, at least, Lady Anne. make sure
of your support? Mind. l am not threat
ening now-I plead"
Lady Anne looked at him gravely.
''Sir Julien" she declared. will answer
you for himself"
But l want your own decision. F'al-
>kenberg insisted. II want you to see the
truth as / see 1T. l want you to tell me
that you agree with me.
She shook her head.
But 1 do mott" she exclaimed. ITO me
you have spoken like q sophist. One does
not gain happiness by seeking 1t. You
may be honest In some parts Of what you
say-I cannot tell. Only I think that you
have mistaken Sir Julien's ideas = and
miQe.''
You disappoint mel" Falkenberg MUIR
INJURED.
Sir Julien smiled.
mot very much, think" he said. You
| always did believe In trying the hum
dredth chance. Let us come back TO the
reasonable part OF our discussion. Do
you propose then. that / should leave this
house at this moment with your
My car Is entirely at your service
Falkenberg suggested.
DO / seem to you so ingenuous? Ju-
lien inquired. Il am wondering what re-