Part 48 (2/2)

”'What matter,' I returned, 'so long as she flirts most with you?'

”'But does she like me best?' he mused. 'There is this fellow in the Government railways who comes as often as he can to see her. He has the advantage of being a connection by marriage, and is very handsome.

Really too handsome for a man. I am glad he does not live here all the time.'

”'You have the advantage of living next door,' I encouraged. 'The one thing that might interfere is this idea of yours about being one of the _comitajia_.'

”'Still,' he protested, shaking his head doubtfully, 'a man's first duty is not to the woman he loves, but to the race he loves, because both she and he belong to it. You know our old song?' And he sang there in the woods:

”'Doucho, _my soul, I love thee second best;_ _Thou art the dearest part of Serbia to me;_ _But after all thou art but a part, even as I am a part;_ _And it is Serbia, always Serbia, that together we love most!_'

”Though not altogether satisfied with our conversation, I felt that in appealing to the boy's love for Mara I had struck the right note, and I hoped that as time went on he would think more about her than about the _comitajia_. For, though one may be heartily in sympathy with revolutionary ideas, especially in the case of an oppressed race, one does not like to see a youth of whom one is really fond, heading toward disaster, even in such a cause. Moreover, as I have said, Gavrilo was not as solidly built as the average Serb, and I had the feeling that the burning spirit in him-and I a.s.sure you it was more like a living flame than anything I have seen in the nature of man or woman-must either be kept under control or else destroy his body.

”Consequently I was much relieved to see, as I returned from time to time, that the boy-and-girl romance between Gavrilo and Mara was naturally and charmingly developing into something more mature. This led me to hope the more that, as he turned from a youth into a man, Gavrilo would shed some of the violence of his revolutionary aspirations, and from the indications I judged that such a thing was indeed coming to pa.s.s. In order more fully to rea.s.sure myself, I more than once took occasion to lead conversations with him into such channels that, should he desire to do so, he could speak to me of the _comitajia_; but he always let the openings pa.s.s, seeming eager, now, to speak only of the lovely Mara.

”When, in the summer of 1913, I arrived for one of my periodical visits, Gavrilo came rus.h.i.+ng to my room, and seizing both my hands told me that he and Mara were now betrothed. He was then eighteen and she seventeen-for you understand, of course, that these dark South Europeans develop younger than our people do. Both families were pleased, and I felt that the dangers I had feared for Gavrilo were past, and was duly thankful. I went out and bought a necklace for Mara, and when I gave it to her, she and Gavrilo made me clasp it around her neck, and he said to her, very seriously: 'Yes, and our dear friend shall be the G.o.dfather of our first child. Is it not so, Maro _doucho_?' And Mara, taking me by the hand, told me it was quite true, and that she was going to love me as much as Gavrilo loved me, and that, moreover, they were going to have hundreds of children, and that every one of the children should love me too. It was all indescribably nave and pretty until Gavrilo unfortunately added: 'Yes, our children will love you, and they will love us, but most of all they will love the idea of a free Serb race.'

”At that a cloud pa.s.sed over Mara's face.

”'Oh, Gavrilo!' she cried impatiently, 'shall we never hear of anything but the Serb race? Is there nothing else in the world? Must that come before your thought of your friend, here'-indicating me-'before your thought of me, of the children we hope to have, of everything? Must you have Serbian freedom on your bread in place of cheese, and in your gla.s.s in place of wine? Sometimes I think your eyes s.h.i.+ne more brightly when you speak of our race than when you call me _doucho_-my soul. I ask myself, is it indeed the soul of Mara that he loves, or is it the soul of the race?'

”'Mara, my dear child,' I put in, 'I believe you are jealous.'

”'Of whom, pray?' she demanded, turning upon me and flinging her head back proudly.

”'Not of an individual,' I answered, 'but of a people.'

”'Perhaps it is true,' she returned with a shrug. 'Well, what of it?'

”'Only this: that a woman with nothing more concrete than a whole race to be jealous of is in no very sad plight.'

”'But I tell you I demand to be loved for myself!' Mara flashed back.

”Gavrilo sighed deeply, as though at the hopelessness of making her understand his point of view. Then, mournfully, he hummed:

”'_Thou art the dearest part of Serbia to me;_ _But after all thou art but a part, even as I am a part;_ _And it is Serbia, always Serbia-_'

”But Mara would not let him finish.

”'Enough!' she cried. 'I detest that song! You know how I detest it!'

”Gavrilo looked at me and shook his head. 'Oh, these women!' he exclaimed. 'What they do to one!'

”Then, gazing reflectively at Mara, he added in the tone of one attempting to be philosophical: 'Well, when a little female looks as angelic as my Mara, naturally we expect her to think like an angel too.'

”At this Mara's anger departed as quickly as it had come. 'There!' she exclaimed, flinging her arms about his neck and kissing him upon both cheeks, 'there spoke my own dear Gavrilo! Poor Gavrilo! What have I been saying? You know I love the Serbs no less than you do! You do know it, don't you? Well, then, say so!'

”'G.o.d forbid that I should believe otherwise!' answered Gavrilo, kissing her in return.

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