Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-01-23

tIlat IL WAS HOL so. knew tfldL COA1
attempt this with sincerity; because
felt her fascination off the stage as
had felt it when she had charmed ms
s touched me, frightened me, in the the
Y ater. Her peculiar personality, marvel
ously and mysteriously interesting, wa
(for me, at any rate) unaffected b.
= her ageing body. She didn't believe tina
I this was possible wanted to fore
: her out Of her unbelief
She allowed me to become almos
friendly with her. met her nearly ev
cry day. She let me do little thing.
Tor her, choose a donkey and donkey
boy for her service. go with her K
! Karnak, and to the temples and tomb.
I on the opposite bank of the Nile. Now
! and then she sat with me under the
, trees in the garden not far from the
tennis courts. And very often we were
together on the terrace at the sunset
hour. She never, so far as I knew,
talked to any of the now numerous
visitors to Luxor except to me. Some
Of my acquaintance chaffed me about
her, and said was privileged. And no
doubt was. But always knew that
Nine. Paradi kept at a long distance
from me, that she chose to be alone
even when she was with me.
Although was living in a bunga
low-I often went to the Winter Palace
hotel at night, either to dine with ac
quaintances or after dinner when
dancing began, never saw Nine. Par
/ adj at night. Evidently she dined alone
and stayed in her sitting room after
! darkness had fallen. But one night
| there was the combination Of q full
moon and a stiff breeze The palm trees
| in front of my windows rustled their
plumy headdresSes. AS heard them
and, looking up, saw the glitter OF
the moon in the cloudlesS sky, I re-
solved to go on the Nile. got hat and
coat. passed through the Pylon behind
the white tomb that was close to my
bungalow. and came out on the bank
of the Nile. There the wind took me.
There were waves on the broad river.
1t was a night for sailing, a night for
getting away from the concentrated !
animation of Luxor, in a felucca, with |
one of those great sails set, one could |
be away to Armant in little more than /
an hour.
I hailed the boatman leaning over
the wall. RamseS the Great responded, 1
and went down the steep bank with
alacrity to get everything ready. And
Just then the thought came to me:
Gould persuade her to go?"
called down to RamseS that would
be back in moment, crossed the road,
ran up the steps of the terrace and
passed into the hall. The Swiss con-
cierge from Brigue asked me what he
could do for me.
II want to persuade Nine. Paradi
to come out on the Nile" I said to
him. rs she in her room?"
Eyes, monsieur. She always dimes
there. She never comes into the public
rooms at night"
"She's up, I suppose"
II should think so, monsieur. 1t isn't
'T1l just write a message to her"
He gave me a sheet Of note paper,
and / wrote
"A marvellous night-moon and wind.
Won't you come on the Nile? I have
a felucca." I added my name. Nubian
boy took the message and came back
IN about five minutes.
'Well?" asked.
Madame is coming"
Shall we go up river or DOWN."
Not toward Cairo" said Nine. Par
adj.
Wrapped in a brown fur, her thick
white hair swathed in a dark blue
yeil that looked like a turhan, she was
lifting on carefully arranged cushions
n the bottom Of the broad white boat.
I pointed to the south. Ramses cast
IF, let go the huge sail. Behind us
quatting on his launches, smiling
lack boy called Hussein gripped the
iller The boat bent over. The Nile
water foamed against the gunwale.
luxor was left behind. Swiftly the
Ights of the sultana's big house on the :
Iank, the lights Of the Villa Androud
AIDED behind us. The great river looked
aster in the loneliness Of the moon
ght. Far behind us the golden bar Of
he dahabish lights was lost in the
liver Of the moon. We disappeared into
Upper Egypt on the way toward Nubia
nd the Soudan.
An absurd feelingl But I had it, and
,aning down expressed 1t to Nine.
aradi
She looked up at me. Her large eyes
eneath the blue turban held a light
admit seen in them before.
why can't we go on and on and
ever come back?" she said. I'm so
red Of it all behind us"
She made a gesture to the cushions.
dropped down into the bottom Of the
rat beside her
Behind us the black boy at the tiller
as grooming a song to himself and the
ght. Ramses the Great sat well for
d. His face was turned toward the
nth. The big boat rushed on, south
ard under the moon. There were no
yhts on either shore now.
I felt very far away, but closer to
Y famous companion than had ever
It before.
Wont you tell me now?" said.
She didn't ask me what meant. She
iew and didn't take the trouble to
etend she didn't.
You really are Interested" she said
Deeply interested" answered
She turned on the cushions till she
arly faced me. and stayed thus for
fun minute with her eyes fixed upon
It's very strange" she said at
18TH.
What's stranger"
That such a thing can interest you
t-yes. see it does"
She said the last words with convic-
n, and added, after a little pause:
I left the stage because a man told
I was becoming an old bag"
CULVER went all through her as she
Ike. Even her face seemed to me to
mble.
was shocked, startled and genuine
shocked.
A man-all those years agoI" I ex-
lined