The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-22

Gertrude AthertoD
| She paused aImoment, ana Clav.
ering unconsciously braced him.
self. Her initial revelation had left
the deeper and more personal part
OF him stunned, and he was listen.
ing to her with certain >detach.
ment. So far she had revealed lit.
tie that Din widdie had not told him
already. and as he knew that this
brief recapitulation Of her earlier
life was not prompted by vanity
he could only wonder II It were
the suggestive preface to that Sc
cret volume at which Dinwiddie
had limited more than once.
AS she continued silent. he got
suddenly to his feet ''I'll walk uA
and down a bit. II you don't mind"
he muttered. I'm rather-ah-
getting rather cramped."
DO" she said indifferently.
please 60 on. l am deeply in.
terested."
She continued in a particularly
level voice while he strobe uneven.
ly up and down: "Of course the
time came when ugly memories
faded. my buoyant youth asserted
itself and l wanted love. And when
woman feels a crying need to
love as we'll as to be loved. her
whole being a peremptory demand.
unsatisfled romance Quickening.
she is not long finding the man.
had many to choose from. I made
my choice and was happy for
time. Although I had been brought
up in the severest respectabiiity-
just recall Jane Oglethorpe. Mrs.
Vane, Mrs. Ruyler. and you will be
able to reconstruct the atmosphere
several Of the women l had
known as girl had lovers. 1t SEEM
ed to me that American wome3
came to Europe for no other pur-
pose. and I was now living at the
fountain-head Of polite license. Not
that l made any apologies to my.
self. should have taken q lover
II had wanted one had virtue
been the fashion. And the contract, =,
with my husband had been dig
solved by mutual consent. The
only thing that rebelled was my
pride. l hated stepping down from
my pedestal"
Clavering gave a short barking
laugh. Your arrogance il the
most magnificent thing about you,
and that is saying more than I
could otherwise express. I'll for
tify' myself before you proceed fur.
Their, II you will permit" He pour.
ed himself out drink. and return.
ed to his chair with the glass in h!st
hand. pray go on" - ~" :
She had not turned her head ana
continued to look into the IRE. She
might have been posing to sculp
tor for bust that would hardly
look more like marble when I'm.
ished.
: Il soon discovered that ! had not
found happiness. Men want. Thew
rarely love. realized that I had
demanded in love far more than
passion. and received nothing
else.
Il am not going to tell You how
many lovers I have had II II NON.
OF your business" y
An" Clavering, staring at her
had forgotten his Arst shock everv.
thing but her living presence; for.
gotten also that he had once appre.
hended something OF the sort then
dismissed 1t from his mind He
split the whiskey over the arm of
the chair, then sprang to his feet
and began, to pace the room once
more. '!e''Hi a3f III
She went on calmly: "D,sap.
pointment does not mean the end
OF seeking. They gave mo
little that l wanted. They were
clever and adroit enough in. thu
prelude. They knew how to create
the Illusion that in the. malone
could be found the fulfillment Of all
aspiration and desire. No doubt
they satisfied many women, but
they could not satisfy me. They
gave me little did not find in tho
mere society Of the many brilliant
and accomplished men with whom
! was surrounded. I had q rapa.
cious mind. and there was ample
for 1t in the men Who
haunted my salon and were con.
stantly to be met elsewhere. Eu.
ropean men are instruits. They
are interested in every vital sub.
Ject. intellectual and political. da.
spite the itch Of amor. their delib.
crate cult Of sex They like to talk 4
Conversation Is an art. Ny mind
was never uncompanioned. But
that deeper spiritual rapacity. ono
offspring Of passion as It may be.
they could not satisfy: for lows
with them is always too confused
with animalism and IS desiccated
In the art Of love making. Fidelity
is virtue relegated to the bour. .
geois-" &
What shout Englishmen?" as
manded Cl&vering sarcastically. Il
thought they were bad artists but
real lovers"
Il know little Of Englishmen.
Zattiany was never appointed to
st. James. and although, OF course,
met many Of them in the service