The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-27

what I wanted - built up the
pianes."
The girl came down from the
platform. She put on her specta-
cles and at once the blind inno-
cence and vague confiding charm
Of the face vanished. There re-
manned now as easy, cheap pretti-
ness.
She came to stand by Henri
eta and look at the clay model.
"Oh," she SAID doubtfully, dis
appointment in her voice, cts
not very like me, is it,"
Henrietta smild.
"Oh, no, is not a portrait"
There was, indeed hardly a
likeness at all. it was the setting
of the eyes-the line OF the cheek
bone-that Henrietta had seen as
the essential keynote of her con-
certion of Nausicaa. This was not
Doris Sanders; it vas a blind girl
about whom a poem could be
made. The lips we're parted as
Doris parted. but they wire
not Doris lips. They were the lips
that would speak another langu-
age and would Utter thoughts that
were not Doris thoughts
None of the features were clear
ly defined. It was Nausicaa re-
membered. not seen
We'll" said Miss Sanders
doubtfully, II suppose it'll look
better when you've got On with
i a bit and you really
mo, thank you," said Henri
eta. ("And thank God I don't!"
said her inner mind.) you've
been simply splendid. I'm CRATE
full"
She got rid. of Doris expertly
and returned to make herself
some black coffee. She was tiyed
she vas horribly tired. But
happy-happy and at peace.
Thank goodness" she thought,
now I can be a human being
again."
And at once her thoughts went
tc John.
John, she thought. Warmth
crept into her cheeks, a sudden
quick lifting of the heart made
her spirits soar.
Tomorrow, she thought, I'm
going to The Hollow. l shall
see John.
She sat quite still, sprawled
back on the divan, drinking down
the hot strong liquid. She drank
three cups OF it. She felt
vitality surging back.
It was nice, she thought, to be
a human being again-and not
that other thing. Nice to have
stopped telling restless and mis-
cradle and driven. Nice to be able
to stop walking about the streets
unhappily. looking for something,
and feeling irritable and i'm
patient because, really. you didn't
know what you were looking for!
Now, thank goodness, there would
be only work - and who minded
hard work?
She put down the empty cup
and got up and strolled back to
Nausicaa. She looked at the face
for some time, and slowly a little
frown crept between her brows.
1t wasn't-it wasn't quite
What was it that was wrong?
Bling eyes
Blind eyes mat were more
beautiful than n eyes that could
see. Blind eyes that tore at
your heart because they were
blind. Had she got that or
hadn't she?
She'd got it, yes-but she'd got
something else as well. Something
that she hadn't meant or thought
about. The structure was all
right-yes. surely. But where did
it come from that faint insidious
suggestion?
The suggestion, somewhere, of
a common, spiteful mind.
She hadn't been listening, not
really listening. Yet, somehow, in
through her ears and out at her
fingers, it had worked its way into
the clay.
And she wouldn't, she knew she
wouldn't, be able to get it out
again.
Henrietta turned away, sharply.
Perhaps it was fancy. Yes, surely
= was fancy. She would feel quite
differently about It in the morn
ing. She thought with dismay. how
vulnerable one is
She walked. trowining, up to the
end Of the studio. She stopped in
front Of her figure of The Wor-
shipper.
THAT was all right-a lovely
bit of pearwood. granting just
right. She'd saved it up for ages,
boarding it.
She looked at it critically. Yes,
1t was good, no doubt about that.
The best thing she had done for a
long time-it was for the Inter-
raional Group. Yes, quite a
worthy exhibit.
She'd got it all right; the hu-
mility, the strength in the nock
muscles. the boWed shoulders the