Evening star., 1921-02-13
Translated From the French by
WILLIAM l.. MCPHERSON.

R i: se:a wa" :aa:: S:''* ss' ': he: :,:; ;:
| Y trio lamp, with her little
Chinese pieces, her little Dres-
den cats and her little Japanese dolls
around her. Everything in the room
was diminutive. One might have said
that in furnishing her sanctum she
with her own character, which was
still CONSTRUCTED and childish.
| She was writing to her husband
who had been away for several
weeks:
! Don't hurry back. my dear Rene
Take all the time you need to give to
your affairs. | am doing very well.
! and the days will not seem too long,
| thanks to the little distractions which
| enliven them
/ She had hardly finished the letter
! when the door opened and Rene ap-
peared. He seemed nervous and pre-
occupied.
Il am to be here only few hours. -
he said. Il came to get you. Pack
l
with me tonight. We take the train
for Havre and tomorrow We sail for
! America"
Mon dieu." she exclaimed, in dis
that trip"
Il had 1 believed that it wouldn't t
/ be necessary. But il is. My pres
ence is required in San Francisco it
seems. where We are going to open a
new office. But We shan't be there
very long-not more than a year |
hope"
"Ah, Mon dieu"' she sighed
i couldn't you go alone?"
/ He looked at her reproachfully.
Would you really prefer that?
| Would you accept such separation
| months, and you wouldn't worry about
putting such distance between us?'
| She turned red.
! Il spoke hastily" she said. please
excuse me. ! was taken by surprise.
! So everything must be ready this
! evening""
! "Evidently," he answered in a voice
! which brooked no contradiction
x x X X
CHE left her little retreat Rene
~ glanced around. The apartment
was going to be closed. All these
| puerile and useless things would be
relegated to the past. They two, Ro-
lande and he. would begin a new life
amid new surroundings.
He had taken that resolution, not
because he doubted his wife's fidelity
but because he saw her becoming
more and more absorbed in sterile
and narrowing thoughts and habits
Air and space were needed TO viyify
her youthful intelligence, and since
the occasion had presented itself he
was now more than eager to spirit
her away from her present environ
ment.
Rolande returned in a few min
utes. She seated herself beside him
on the lounge and put her arms about
his neck.
'Is it really true that you want to
go away? L think that you are only
submitting me to a test. People don't
make long voyages on such short no
tice. Rene, we were so happy here.
Can it be that you were contented
with this narrow kind of happiness
Would you offer me some other
kind?" she asked.
He took her on his knees and kissed
her hair.
"You are a little girl, a very little
girl, One must grow and expand TO
enioy life, When we come back you
will see that 1 was right and you Will
thank me-"
She made no answer, but looked sad
and troubled.
what do you regret. then? Rene
asked, with a tinge of suspicion.
Nothing L merely have fear OF
the unknown. l am afraid. What may
happen so far away in a foreign coun-
try?"
you will be with me. Isn't that
enough"
II don't know" she answered in so
low A voice that he guessed her
words, rather than heard them.
THEY bad embarked and were on
L their way across the vast Allan
tic Rolande showed little interest in
the incidents of the voyage. A flock
of seaeulls kept ahead of the ship
seeming to direct it's course. Whence
came these birds. masters of space? !?
No land was in sight. Rene said to
his young wife:
"Don't you wonder at their vigor
and the sureness of their hightE
wouldn't you like to have some OF
their venturesome spirit?
"No," she replied. II feel strangely
upset. Rene. This sudden change in
my life! Yesterday I still enjoyed
sense Of calm and security. Today