Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-10-12
THE ORIENTALIST

step. the urgency with which the
chauffeur acted telling that she had
given him some speedy directions.
The machine fitted out of view with
whisk, but not until my companion
had applied a glass to his eve with
the words:
You are good at figures-remembe
2l3421a." Then sententiousIy: sour
work is here, if it is really our work"
and crossed the platform. A lowered
door guarded the structure facing on
the next street. 1t had an iron handle.
and a mere pressure upon this sent
the metal barrier on pulley chains to
the ceiling. AS we stepped across the
grooved threshold of the door,
through some delicate adjustment of
weight. closed after us.
! l was not given to exhibitions of
surprise or unguarded utterances in
the presence of the imperturbabe
! Marvel. What we now faced, how
! ever, astounded me, and noted plain
ly that he shared my emotions. 1t was
| like step from squalOr into spIen-
dor, from gaunt barrenness into the
CLEAN of oriental grandeur. We had
entered large room heavily hung
with tapestries, even to the ceiling.
that must have cost a fortune. A
heavy velvet carpet made our foot
steps noiseless. In the center of the
room was raised dais. In front of
this burned a varicolored lamp cover
ed with the precious metals and rare
and costly jewels. A globe giving out
soft girasole glow flooded the apart
ment with a mystic radiance, while
the incense-laden air enhanced a GER
tain dreamy effect that lulled the sen
ses and suggested the rare inner tenn
pie of some shrine of the Indus.
The dais supported a throne, backed
by wondrous statue carved from
ebony or lignumvitae, representing
goddess perfect of frame and feature.
All around the room were cushions
fashioned of rose silk, and before each
was a prayer rug.
"A translation to the antipodes," re-
marked Resilius Marvel, and for all
the cautious subjugatiOn of his tone,
traced the faint echo of a seoff. Let
us explore to a practical end. This
layout had no legitimate promise in
the heart of an American city. 1t is
here with purpose--we will find out
what.
With the audacity of man not un-
used to penetrating where he chose
when in the line of duty, my friend
led the way across the apartment end
pushed aside the heavy drapery at
it's far end. An antecorridor coltin.
ued the suite. 1t was as deliberately
furnished as the main apartment we
had just traversed. No denizen of the
strange place had as yet come into evil
dence, but as we entered a third apart
ment we came upon a. man hastily
rearranging a disordered attire.
Judging from his clustered manner
and the full sleeved silken robe he
wore, he was the owner of the pair
of arms that we had seen thrust back
the girl from the window. Then, too,
at his waist the man had stuffed into
his belt the fluffy veil or scarf which
he had used as gag to silence that
heart-stricken cry: ooh, some one
come into this house,
The man was dark as The ebony
statue in the first room we had en-
tered. Instantly, as the shadow of
Marvel fell across his range of vision,
he was erect, his arms folded, his at
titude brash and challenging. My
friend had kept straight on as If to
pass the draperies behind this arbi
trary sentinel. Before the apparent
entrance to another apartment the lat
ter sprang, his arm outstretehed.
"Banal-banal !" he croaked shrilly
"-nov
81 say, yes" observer Marvel con-
temptuously, and he placed his hand
across the arm of the man and caught
at the rich hanging. The entire
drapery was suddenly wrenched out
of his reach, the servitor fell to hands
and knees muttering some cabalistic
jargon and then crept out of the way,
and we saw--NirvaSa.
We did not know her then by that
name, it came later; but / was awed
and breathless as, like some splendid
apparition, being in the full bloom
of lovely womanliness faced us. She
stood near gilt stand on which rest
ed a crystal globe. She was peerless
in her dress purely oriental, a SEEM
ing Indian princess. Slightly dark,
her face had an indescribable glow,
rather that of the richest rose than
delicate and clear. + r eyes were
deep set, but sparkli -, enthralling,
inviting.
She smiled upon us, divesting her
welcome of every tinge of awkward
ness, her attributes of any effort to
impress and mystify. One flashing
glance froom those intelligent eyes