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


TT was very pleasant on the terrace in the star
light, warm enough to dispense with wrap
more cumbersome than scaTfs, cool enough to find
the air on flushed cheeks conscious delight. No
one talked much. 1t was good to rest little after
the arduous chatting at dinner; SO they let Their
thoughts stray, and lent casual ear to the piant
There was no sound save the subdued tnkling OF
coffee spoons, an occasional half finished sentence,
completed by subdued laugh, a tentative sigh
the sudden whisper OF a woman's dress, and, from
the house, the piano. 1t was as though IT Were
singing to ITSELF the piano. dreaming through little
wistful happy catches from Chopin and Schubert
and Schumann, flowers of sound, articuate moon
light.
And, oddly touched but lightly scornful WIS
its wont, the group on the terrace dreamed too
There was nothing to mark them at first in the
darkness save their cigarettes, which hung poised
in midair like whole constellation of small, fiery
Mars, and anon whirlng suddenly off into
space; but gradually there stood out trail wreaths
of mist that were the women, strong blotches OF
white that were the The music stopped
abruptly, swapping the dsdanful dreams like flow
ers from their stalks, and one of the long French
windows thrown open
Are you the terrace came jacquelne $
sweet voice. as all the coffee gone! Have you
chairs for us?'
"All the questions answered in the affirma-
tive returned a mans voice from the GROUP.
what a chatterbox you are, Jacqueline. | sup
pose that YOU are coming down here to spoil it all
and make night hdeous with your pratte.
"There are one-two-three steps, counted
Tacquene. mo, look out, Mark, there are four.
Il know it." retorted Mark bitterly. Having
lust walked off into space and hit the top OF ny
head with my chin and bitten piece out of my
tongue and Jared my spinal column in a shock
ingly dangerous manner, | qualified to state
that there are four steps. But 1t was hateful Of
you to mislead me-
Heavens hear them!" groaned the man who
had spoken before "And they'll keep il up al
night: they love it. Can't anybody stop them
Can't ANYBODY make them go away Can't any
body do anything
"You can stop making such a noise, replied the
unfeeling Jacqueline. you're waking the verH
echoes with your lamentations. On the whole,
think that you are the most annoying man III
England, Arthur.
THAT'S lust what Isabel says exclaimed Arthur
Gordon excitedly. "Only she doesn't stop at Eng
land. Do you, Isabel! Jove. that S an lnteresins
coincidence
Isabel never stops at anything, said Jacque
line charmingly.
4Oh, YES, Dear" came Isabes soft, pretty voice
from the darkness, 81 not blessed with your
reckless courage. And then
Don't fight !" implored Arthur frantically. On,
please don't fight Isabel had rather fight thar
90 to Heaven; but it's wicked to encourage her :
Don't be so idiotic, Arthur commanded JAG
oueline severely You are too absurd! shuddel
to think what opinion people must have OF you
who haven't known you from your extremely try
ing infancy up. 1t is simply
Here Arthur burst into muffied sobs, and refused
to be consoled until Jacqueline retracted her highly
veracious statements.
LIE repels me-" said the athletic and poetic yout
IL in a low voice to Priscilla. 1.-The whole atrnos
phere repels me- In this group OF human souls