Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-12-06
CHAPTER II-continued

He began to speak Of psychology In
an Introductory way, his mind still In
foreign countries. "And you under
stand" he said after some preliminary
explanations, shat 1t must always be
q relative subject; for the human i'm
agination Is plastic. takes impressions
from places. The incalculable sad
ness Of pine-hemmed Ravenna with its
lost churches and forgotten graves
might well enchant Lord Byron but
leave the fever-ridden peasant only
with q great WEAKNESS of marshes
from which he could not escape. The
old, old half lights of London with the
fog rolling In from the Thames, and
the black bubble of St Paul's riding
airily-think Of their influence on a
mind like Charles Lambs; or the sea
caves of Guernsey on Victor Hugo's,
and the wind-swept gorgeous heights
Of Spain on the naughty personality
Of Its grandees."
But he wanted to hear her voice
again, and he asked the class ques-
tons for no other purpose than to
hear her speak.
His heart beat rapidly with a new,
enchanting excitement. He had worked
so hard all his life that to turn aside
into romance would have seemed as
futile to him as an excursion into q
lovely wood road would be to a trav-
eier Fastening to a city In which he
had important business.
When tine class was dismissed, and
she had smiled q little as she passed
him, he had sat for long time star
ing at his papers and meditating over
the desperate limitations of theory.
The heart Of the universe was magic
which could not be learned from
books or weary young teachers, but
directly from the bright lining of a
cloud, frail, beautif::: spring flowers,
sunsets, or the profoundly sweet voice
Of one woman selected from all others
by infallibie instinct as the voice a
man would wish to hear through all
his living and at the moment of his
dying. what has got over met" he
said, and rose and put away his books
In the corridor he met Arthur.
"How did you get onT
VERY well-and your"
Miss Bracebridge rather led the
psychology class-she is very pretty,
very interesting. don't you think?"
mot so pretty as Janet Mercer"
Payne breathed a sigh of relief. As
II evoked by the words of her name,
Janet was coming down the corridor
isn't 1t quite thrilling to teach In
such schoolT
at is, indeed" Payne said fervently.
Il noticed something rather odd"
Arthur began. my pupils watched the
corridor q good deal-kept looking
toward the dark hall, and rather ap-
prehensively. And overheard con-
versation between two Of them as they
were collecting their books. 1t ran
something like this: Where does he
keep the dummlesT
Bladder told father they were in
the basement
~ bet you wouldn't go into the
room where they arer
II bet would
"'Balder says he's afraid Of them
she isn'tp
"'She ought to be afraid Of EN-
"'She never knew 'em-she was
only SIX
"Of course pricked up my ears, but
they saw / was listening in, and
stopped. They're nice, hearty young.
sters-rather hazy about their math-
ematical attachments"
Il am rather worried about Mrs.
Denver" Janet said. II went to her
room again, but she Is not there. I
hope Mr.. Haskell win not overwork
her."
He was waiting for them In the
lunch room, and his bright, restless
eyes searched their faces keenly. "Ah,
here you arei Alive, l seel"
The words were trivial, but they
Jared upon Arthur. "Why shouldn't
we be7"
"Well, thought the strain of teach
Ing under these rather novel condi-
tons might be hard. Your pupils are
most enthusiastic-you will 90 far
with them"
Again the curious note In his voice.
AS the lunch proceeded the talk drift
ed to religion. II often think" he said,
'of the old idea that religion and
politics must not be mentioned In So
ciety-whereas. as heard a famous
man say once, they are the only sub.
Jects worth talking about There must
be a religion that swallows up all
others; and a policy that dominates
all other policies Of government. What
an extraordinary privilege to he the
initiator either Of that religion or that
policyl"
"Not being Olymplans, am afraid
we viii none Of US have such u priv
ileGe"