The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-26
xxx (continued)

xxx (continued)
His own room, where he was
nearly always alone, with its warm
red curtains and rug. the low book.
cases built under his direction and
filled with his favorite books, the
refectory table and other pieces of
dark, old English oak that he had
brought from home, and several
family portraits on the wall. re-
stored his equilibrium and his
brain was abnormally clear. He
wondered IL he ever would sleep
again. Better think It over. now.
Mary Zattiany as she talked had
never changed her expression. She
might have been some ancient or
acle reciting her credo, and she
seemed to have narcotized that
magnetic current that had always
vibrated between them. Neverthe-
less, he had been fully aware that
she felt like nothing less than an
oracle or the marble bust she
looked. and that her soul was
racked and possibly fainting. but
mastered by her formidable will.
Formidable. Did that word best
express her? Was she one Of the
.superwomen who could find no
mate on earth and must look for
her god on another starr He GER
tainly was no superman himself
to breathe on her plane and mate
that incarnate will. Had she any
human weakness? Even that sub
terranean sex-life in her past had
not been due to weakness. She was
far too arrogant for that Life had
been her foot-stool She had kicked
1t about contemptuously., Even her
readjustments had been the die
tates of her imperlous will. And
her pride!. She was q female Luci.
fer in pride.
No doubt the men she had dis.
missed had been secretly relieved;
Itung for the only time in their
ives perhaps, with sense Of in.
.eriority. It must have been like
receiving the casual favors of a
queen on her throne. Well, she
aad got 1t in the neck once; there
vas some satisfaction in that. yHe
wished he knew the mans name.
He'd hunt him up and thank him in
behalf Of his sex.
For an hour he excoriated. her,
hated her, feared her, dissociating
her from the vast army Of woman.
hood, but congratulating himself
upon having known her. She wasra
unique if crucifying study. .
With restored youth superim.
posed upon that exhaustive knowl-
edge OF life-every phase of it that
counted in her calculations-the
regeneration of all her great natu-
raj endowrfents, she'd probably go
back and rule Europe! What use
could she possibly have for any
man?
He made himself a cup Of coffee
over his electric stove. turned of
the malodorous gas. which affected
his head. stood out on his balcony
for a moment, then lit his pipe and
felt in more melloY mood.
After all. she had suffered as
only a woman 50 literally endowed
could suffer. and over long period
Of years. She had known despair
and humiliation and bewildeTment,
lethargic hopelessness, and finally
q complete sacrifice Of self. His
imagination. in spite Of his rebel.
lious soul. had furnished the back
ground for that bald recital.
And she must have an indomi.
table soul, some inner superfine
spiritual essence. with which AFRO.
gance. and even, pride had less'to
do than she imagined, Otherwise.
after the life she had led. she
would either have become an i'm
perious. uncomfortable old woman
or one OF those faltering nonenti-
ties crowded into the backwaters
Of life by a generation which in.
spires them with nothing but tim.
idity and disapproval. Towering in.
iividualities often go down to de-
:eat in old age. -
And nothing could alter the fact
hat she was the most beautiful and
he most wholly desirable woman
le had ever known, the one woman
xho had focused every aspiration
II his mind. his soul, and his body.
lie knew he must ask himself the
Inevitable question and face 1t with.
tut blinking. Was he appalled, by
Ter. real age: could1he ever get
way from the indubious fact that
whatever miracle science may have
,ffected. her literal age was verg-
ng on sixty? II she were not an
iii woman she had been one. That
,eautiful body had withered. .unde. |
tired OF all men. that perfect face
had been the battered mirror OF an
,ged ego. He did not ask himself
{ the metamorphosis would last. II
he shell might not wither again to.
morrow. He was abreast Of the Inn