Evening star., 1924-09-07
The Nightingale


until the moonlight fell upon his lean
face.
The Nightingale was still young,
but the penitentiary had turned his
skin ghastly, pasty color upon
which the thin lines of his lips were
vivid and the shadows of his nostrils
and his heavy eyebrows were gro
tesquely emphasized. His corded
neck gave some indication of his
wiry, catlike strength, and this neck
was eternally twisting; the shoulders
beneath were ever restless under
their covering.
He had trailed his victim unwilling
to strike until the dramatic moment.
That was like him. He was dressed
almost jauntily in suit. of dark
brown which was none too full to
conceal the fact that he was power
full in shoulders and thighs, and spare
of flesh where less sinewy men carry
useless weight. For warmth, he
wore sweater, the edges Of which
showed from under his waistcoat.
There were gloves on his hands-old
some pal who had welcomed him
out" Of the penitentiary. and in his
buttonhole he wore a rose SO white
that 1t appeared as a symbol of the
moon and the cold and Of bloodless
things. 1t was all quite like him
quite like the Nightingale.
The frightened eyes of the young
woman stared at the white-petaled
rosebud there in his buttonhole.
I'VE can talk-us three for a
WHILE" said the discharged convict
Don't cling to him so-it makes me
sick. You amt saving him. I could
kill You both. couldn't 1? What's
the odds? Listen, I've been think
ing. l used to think at night. Denny,
old skyrocket, you ought to knew.
You've been there. I thought on my
cot, and l thought in the chapel, and
| thought all around everywhere be-
hlnd the bloody stones and the con-
crete. Believe me. I've become a
philosopher, and the first thing
Philosopher has got to do is not to
care what happens to him. One or
two lives amt anything more or less.
Let 1t go at that. Only. of course,
I've waited for this evening long
while. There was a time when I
liked to feel red and lash out; now
/ want to take it all easy. l got
my wish. Denny-you and me is face
to face. There amt any hurry. 1
like to taste it all. I like to smell
1t and touch it to my lips and taste
a little of it. Then comes q big
swallow. Gee, won't L love it"'
THE other man stared at the sneer-
ing. curled thin lips through
which these words came, but he did
not finch. Alice waited for the
tremor which the darting tongue of
snake with the voice Of a bird
might bring, but none came.
Denny" she said.
Let him kill me-" her lover an
swered, in a clear. deep voice.
why don't you beg, Denny? That's
"hat man does who double-crosses
his friend. l might let YOU off.
might give You chance to pull the
gun you carry. Why didn't you pull
it when l sang up to you, Denny? Be-
cause you knew you'd have to go back
up there-inside-for life. That's the
best they'd give you, Denny-man-
slaughter. There wasn't much for you
to do but hope 1 wouldn't kill you.
Well"
We'll, WHAT"
why don't you beg?'
IT amt going to beg" replied the
other, disengaging himself from the
girls clinging arms. 60 to it. Shoot"
Suddenly the higher voice of Alice
rang out.
whats he going to beg for? He
never did anything to your"
HE took you-after promising to
speak for me. He took you-didn't he?
when I was up there? I wanted to
square it with you. so I told him to tell
you the truth about me. But he and
you-took verything-everything / had
plans and hopes-all I ever wanted,
Pah. l can't wait. 1 know what l
came for He snapped the gun up
into the air and swung it downward.
II never loved you"
Alice almost shouted the words. The
Nightingale turned toward her.
II told him so. II you want to kill
anybody-kill me-" she said.
you would have loved me. I'd have
made you love me-" the Nightingale
replied, in a vicious whisper. "There
never was anything like you to make
me-good."
Good! You-good." exclaimed the
girl
"You don't believe there's anything
good in me-"
He came closer to her and peered at
her, as if suddenly he was initiating
a man in fear.
"No-nothing." she said defantly;
mot even your love. Even that was
bad-it was all for you. Not even
your love was good"
The Nightingale stared at her as II
he were dazed.
"Listen," he said, after a second
"You mean that? Say it slow-you
| mean that?"
The girl stared at him, her mouth
twisting.
NO" she said, at last.
'fNo-what?"
"No; l don't mean that she said
| slowly. "I didn't meant it,
Hes playing with you!" Denny ex-
| claimed. Don't believe in him"
"Im not going to blacken my heart
with that lie,'' she answered stub.
bornly. Before God, believe there's
something good in him.