Evening star., 1932-04-05
INSTALLMENT XXI.

TX you don't know how lonely I
eS " am" the Bajon continued.
There is not a soul in the
world who means anything
to me. Yes, it's true-for
all my celebrity. No, I am incredibly
lonely. Nobody knows what our success
costs us We give our hearts blood, and
what do we get in return?'
The Bojan was now under way. She
was throwing herself into her role OF
the 8Os. and she felt a blissful relief
in playing the part. Her voice had a
hundred nuances as she presented for
Martins benefit little improvisation
in whatever words best served her turn.
In any case. the Bojan did not know
that she was. acting, for she had real
genius and the terms came unbldden
into her voice.
Martin, too, was affected. He held
his breath. He felt awkward and
clumsy and did not dare to open MS
mouth. The Bajon INDUCED and con-
densed her emotion as If she were oelng
filmed, and she felt that her tears hao
at last come into her eyes. She smiled
with moist eyelids and tremulous lips.
She caught her wrap more tightly round
her shoulders until she looked quite
consumptive and thin.
"Yes, you may laugh at me. What
more do want of life? 1t Is soon over
/ know that I shall die young. Yes, l
know it," she said impatient, Tor She
did not wish to be turned from her
theme after all, / am not an old
woman. And now I will tell you my
secret have never known love. L
have never experienced real passion.
Martin CROPPED his way along the
gravel path of the park in state OF
uttered
her last words in a hoarse whisper, ana
he could catch them only by listening
intently. 1t seemed very odd that
moor devil like himself should be walking
beside the famous Bojan and hearing
the secret of her unhappiness. she
told him her secrets. She came to him
to hypnotic him, and she had kissed
him that day as she lay in her gonoola.
Heavens above! he thought, and MS
heart beat violently. Since May mao
abandoned him he had been left de-
fenseless and as if stripped of his tails,
man. And here was the hot hano
again-he took it and held it fast. -,
do you think of me sometimes?
the Bojan whispered. II think o1ten
of YOU. Ever since I first saw you
have thought Of you, 1 dream of you
often at highland when I am awake,
too. Oh, Martin, what are you doing?
Martin was doing nothing. He nao
merely murmured a hoarse Rather!
and pressed her hand. He felt uncom-
Portable. Scenes had always frightened
him. But the way the Bojan spoke
went through and through him. 1t was
as If his naked heart were being rubbed
with a crater. He did nothing. But
even though he did nothing, he sud-
denly had the Bojan in his arms.
YTyt&l1 &l1a nnion UrhQf she acted and
what she dinly felt ran into each other.
and she began to sob and to laugh and
rose rapidly to a pitch of hysteria.
Martin was greatly frightened. He
let her 90 and came to his senses. He
found himself leaning daZed against
the trunk of a tree with the baron in
front of him. Dobbersberg was quietly
holding a small lantern in his hand and
smiling a wry, tortured smile. Martin
gasped for breath. The Bojan gave a
little scream, hesitated moment as to
whether she should faint or run away,
and then, with speedy decision, picked
UP her dress Of the 80s and took to
her heels.
"Pve brought you the boathouse key"
the baron said affably IN his nigh
pitched, pleasant voice.
Martin had vaguely anticipated some
thing dreadful shot, box on the
ears, an outburst, a catastrophe. The
baron's careless amiability made him
feel as If he were falling into an abyss,
down and down, deeper and deeper. He
stumbled along dizzily beside the baron
toward the boat house.
Good heavens. what am to say now?
he thought. as the perSpiration ran
down his back He could feel it dis
tinctly. I am at your disposal. came