The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1922-11-10
nh AQStgE OF,
1T g.
~ BY poerp' LOUIS STEVENSON
By ROBEsRT LOUIS STEVENSON

with fuel; some of the spring birds
that had already Numbered north into
our neighborhood besieging the win
dows of the house or trotting on the
frozen turf like things distracted.
About noon there came a blink OF
sunshine, showing a very pretty, win
try, frosty landscape of white hills
and woods, with Craips lugger waiting
for wind under the Craig Head, and
| the smoke mounting straight into the
air from every farm and cottage. With
the coming of night the haze closed
| in overhead; it fell dark and still and
! starless, and exceeding cold: night
the most unreasonable, fit for strange
events
] Mrs. Henry withdrew, as was now
her custom, very early. We had set
ourselves of late to pass the evening
with a game of cards; another mark
| lily of the life at Durrisdeer; and we
had not been long at this when my
old lord slipped from his place beside
the fire, and was of without word
to seek the warmth Of bed. The three
thus left together had neither love nor
courtesy to share; not one Of us would
have sat up one instant to oblige an
other; yet from the influence of GUS
tom, and as the cards had just been
dealt, we continued the form of play
ing out the round
/ should say we were late sitters
and though my lord had departed
earlier than was his custom, twelve
was already gone some time upon the
clock, and the servants long ago in
bed. Another thing I should say, that
although | never saw the master any |
way affected with liquor, he had been |
drinking freely and was perhaps (al- |
though he showed it not) trife
heated
Anyway, he now practiced one of
his transitions; and so soon as the
door closed behind my lord, and with
out the smallest change of voice, shift
ed from ordinary civil talk into a
stream of insult
my dear Henry, it is yours to
play" he had been saying. and now
continued: ut is a very strange
thing how, even in so small a matter
as a game of cards. you display your
rusticity You play. Jacob, like a bon
net laird, or sailor in a tavern. The
same dullness, the same petty greed.
cette lenteur d'hebete qui me fat
rager; it is strange l should have |,
such brother. Even Squaretoes has
a certain vivacity when his stake is
imperiled; but the dreariness of a
game with you, l positively lack Ian
guage to depict"
Mr.. Henry continued to look at his
cards, as though very maturely con-
some play; but his mind was
elsewhere.
Dear God. will this never be
ione?" cries the master. "Quel lour-
ieaul But why do trouble you with
French expressions, which are lost on
such an ignoramus? A lourdeau, my
dear brother, is as we might say a
pumpkin, clown, a clodpole: a fell
low without grace. lightness, quick
ness any gift of pleasing. any nat
ural brilliancy: such a one as you
shall see, when you desire, by looking
In the mirror l tell you these things ,
for your good, assure you; and be- ,
sides, Squaretoes" Cooking at me and
sitting a yawn), "it is one of my di-
versions in this very dreary spot, to
coast you and your master at the fire ,
ike chestnuts.
l have great pleasure in your case.
or l observe the nickname (rustic as
t isl has always the power to make
you writhe But sometimes l have :
more trouble with this dear fellow ;
lere, who seems to have gone to sleep |
Ipon the cards Do you not see the !
applicability of the epithet have just J
explained, dear Henry. Let me show /
'ou For instance, with all those solid {
qualities which I delight to recognize I
n you, | never knew a woman who z
lid not prefer me-nor, 1 think" he /
continued, with the most silken DELHI l
ration, II thipk-who did not con- I
inue to prefer me-" I
Mr.. Henry laid down his cards. He !
ose to his feet very softly, and '
eemed all the while like a person r
n deep thought You coward" he
aid, gently, as If to himself And s