Part 3 (1/2)
”This,” thought Lionel, as he waited for her return, ”is a queer business, a very queer business indeed Here we have the indispensable ingredients for an adventure--night, a pretty actress, and an i man who has played the noble 'Ero What happens? The lady sweeps the 'Ero off in a chariot, takes hi propriety (quite like an ordinary mortal, in fact), and proceeds to tell him a tale worthy of a writer of feuilletons What does it eneral scheme?
The tale e of the vulgar It is too h, let me seeGeraria and Rue--I suppose that's bound to cohtful charmer, this really is a little bit too hts have led you astray”
But he shook his head, dissatisfied The si lies was too si The remembrance of her delicious personality sent incredulity to the right-about Her gracious presence, dignified, co with purity, sympathy and truth; her force of character that revealed itself in every tone and gesture; her pretty handsthese and a hundred other witnesses battled in her favor ”Besides,” he thought, striving to weigh all evidence i to me--to me of all people? She knows I am poor and useless for purposes of blackue--of that I a No; the bare hard facts go to prove that she is telling the truth Again, why should she lie to the 'Ero who has saved her life? Surely the 'Ero uilty,the fair defendant with a convinced enthusiaslad to believe the new Goddess a Goddess indeed Then for a irl--the whole adventure is so fantastic, the tale so unlikely, that I can hardlyLionel, enough! It may be true, and the evidence is in her favor Be content to wait on events At least, it is a variation froreeable break in the monotony of Mrs
Barker and the world Let me seize the moment, enjoy my brief hour, and allow the future to take care of itself At worst, I can be no loser at the gamenounless I fall in love with her But that must not happenit _must_ not happen Still, I could wish she had no husband!”
The wish being vain, if not ihed wryly at hi on the ht verse, and it whiled away the time until his hostess reappeared This was about half an hour after her exit She entered, radiant with triu back the curtain and drawing out a chair
”An eternity,” he answered s the door
”And now the rest of your wonderful story, if you are not too tired”
”Not at all,” she said; ”but it sounds odd to hear you call it 'wonderful' To me, who lived it, it seemed inevitable and ordinary: even now it hardly seems wonderful But this is waste of time I must try to hurry the crisis Let me see, where did I stop? Ah! I remember now
”Well, I lived two years a prisoner, and time dulled my pain Escape was hopeless, and I tried to be as cheerful as I could No news reached me of the outer world--I did not even knohether my father and sister were alive That was hard, but I, too, learned hardness fro Lukos came to my room as usual, but not in his usual spirits I rallied hiood friends, in spite of the ano feature of the story!), but he did not respond When at last he walked toward theand had stood, glooaze, for several minutes, I felt alarmed He had never been in such a ently, 'what is theforth a torrent of words 'Heart of my heart!' he cried in tones that would have racked a devil; 'can you ask! You know that I love you, for ht you as merchandise, with little care; I have learned to love you as a wo, the force of my spirit, the frenzy of a madman that rejoices in his --I would tear the sultan from his throne--I would seize every ion, the worshi+p of yourself! I am your master, and yet the meanest of your slaves! You can stir me with a quiver of your eyelashes--'
”'Yet you will not set , but justly reproachful
”'No,' he groaned 'I love you so hts of renunciation I love you enough to respect your defenselessness, but I _can not_ let you go to be, perhaps, another's Oh, lady of my soul, can you not be merciful? Can you not unbend from your divinity and love me? Star of the West, can you not illumine an eastern desert, for I love you--I love you!'”
”Mountebank!” said Lionel with a fine contempt He disliked Lukos
”He had a poetic nature,” pouted the lady ”Besides, we Occidentals, colder in spirit, less iinative, must make allowances for exotic passion I confess that his words moved me But I took his hand and said, 'It is i fresh courage and a cigarette
”My words,” she continued, ”seemed to carry conviction I felt a hot tear fall on my hand, and there was silence The next ravely 'Lady of my dreaoat a price!'
”'What is the price?' I asked fearfully He looked like a ive you up, but I can not live without you You are free, but I must die'”
”damned actor!” burst out Lionel, in the depths of despair, for he foresaw the end ”I beg your pardon--I beg your pardon--but----”
”He really _meant_ it,” said the lady with some petulance ”Please control yourself while I finish Of course I could not think of allowing him to kill himself, so I reasoned with him It was useless, for he was resolved I even offered, at last, to resign ain he refused 'No,' he said; 'it can not be, Dispenser of Delight I have suffered too ood-by to Turkey'”
”So you otten all his earlier doubts
”Yes I could not bear to think of his suicide, for I liked hi my two years of 'life,' and believed I should find more happiness in such a union than in many that are supposed to be made for 'love' But I must admit that romance found, and still finds, a corner in e by capture is even now iure of Lukos, passionate, brave, reckless, fiery, ready to kill himself----”
”Oh, say he was a demiGod,” interrupted Lionel with bitterness, ”and let us pass on”
”All these Byronic attributes,” said the lady cal into a passable reseo--as far as the door As he was opening it Ilike a lea the flash of his jeweled sword-hilt With a bound----”