Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-25


"Then laugh said yacqueline, and she closed
her eyes Il love him.
But Charters did not laugh, and for minute
his contempt shook the infexible snoothness
of his voice. "You pollute those words, he said.
do YOU term your Infamous ambition love?'
ut is infamous ambition." cried Jacqueline
hercely. 1T is laughter and sunlight and truth
and beauty and youth, and though drag myself
through the nire to reach it, will have it, 1t is
love, and ever told memo ever told
mel
"The blood of Messalna and all the Borgias runs
in your veins, said Charters. who are you to
claim love-
~Who are you to deny it meo7 demanded JAG
quene passionately "You and your like have
made me what | am. | am the work OF your
hands
"Mine?7 replied Charters, and he laughed.
"You have broken my soul, y storned Jacquelne,
"as surely as poison skaters the Venice glass.
When | came to London from the convent you and
your friends undertook my education. You taught
me that all your vile world demanded of woman
was that she should be well gowned and we'll
groomed, that she should speak evil loudly and
commit it quietly. You taught me that modesty
had gone out with crinolines chivalry with arrnor,
truth with the Roman togas. You taught me that
the sole duty of woman to be amusing and
to be amused. You taught me to be what |
ann
"You proved an apt pupil returned Charters
smoothly. I'VE gave you your diploma at ten
der age
but VINO taught me OF love. cIleu JdCCluellHt
"Oh not one-not any one of YOU who had
taught many things! | never knew
never knew! l thought that the vile trash that
they gave was love: they said it was. How should
l have known Should l have known
"Jacqueline, consider this TRADE proftless. 1t
is we'll done; but you are leaving one thing out of
consideration. You forget that | know YOU
know mel famed Jacquene. "You who
stand there sneerlng, you think that you know me!
You are one of those who pushed me from the stars
1f ha11
wonder that something was broken in the fall.
But YOU fell with me, Leonard And now you
think, when would climb back al the long way to
a star that shines brighter than those bright
stars from which fell, that you can bar the way
You! Now listen You say that you know me- /
swear that | will trample over you and any other
who stands in my way-that | will wade through
blood and pass through fire-that | will move
mountains and dry up seas-but will get to my
starr
Then there will be fallen star said Char
ters,-"the star of the morning, .Jacqueline, that
you would drag down to your level to burn in hell.
But you shall not drag it,
mo cried Jacqueline triumphantly, 1T will
light me TO Heaven
"You waxing quite lyric Is that all? Be
cause | really must CO.
you shall not go!' said Jacqueline. "You shall
stay. and you shall believe me! | will cry it till l
deafen you-I love him. | love him, | love him!
Do you hear? l love him.
Il fancy YOU overrate your affection, remarked
Charters politely.
The fierce white light died suddenly in JAG
queline's face, as though candle had been blown
out. She stood staring curiously at her hands
which she had stretched out toward Charters, and
then she let them fall.
YOU mean it? You are going to tell him?" she
: asked tonelessly.
Exactly. / mean it and am going to tell him.
LET me" she said, and the words cracked and
1uttered on her lips. "Let me. Give me little
time"
"You would waste the time, Jack, and you
would not tell him
Il will tell him everything. Only, if l explained,
he might understand, he might be sorry. All,
Cesar
ITO what end, Jack?'
He might have loved me, Caesar He said that
/ helped him. He-he gave those violets.
Look, CHsar-the violets.'