Man and Maid

"Now drink whatever toast you like," I told her. "I am going to drink

one to the time when you don't hate me so much and we can have a little

quiet friendship and peace."

She sipped her glass, and her eyes became inscrutable. What she was

thinking of I do not know.

I find myself watching those eyes all the time. Every reflection passes

through them, they are as expressive of all shades of emotion as the

eyes of a cat, though the beautiful Madonna tenderness I have never seen

again since the day when she held the child in her arms, and I was rude

to her.

When we went back into the salon I knew that I was passionately in love

with her. Her restiveness is absolutely alluring, and excites all my

hunting instinct. She looks quite lovely, and the subtle magnetism which

drew me the first days, even when she appeared poor and shabby, and red

of hand, is stronger than ever--I felt that I wanted to crush her in my

arms and devour her, the blood thumped in my temples, I had to use every

atom of my will with myself, and lay back in my chair and closed my eye.

She went straight to the piano and began to play. It seemed as though

she were talking, telling me of the passion in her soul. She played

weird Russian dances and crashed agonizing chords, then she played

laments, and finally a soft and soothing thing of McDowell's, and every

note had found an echo in me, and I had followed, it almost seemed, all

her pain.

"You play divinely, child," I said, when she had finished. "I am going

to rest now, will you give me some tea later on?"

"Yes," and her voice was quite meek, while she helped me with my

crutch, and I went to the door of my room.

"I would like you to wear nice soft teagowns. My eye gets so wearied

with everything bright after a while. I hope--you have got all you want,

and that your room is comfortable?"

"Yes, thanks."

I bowed and went on into my room and shut the door. Burton was waiting

to help me to lie down.

"It has been a very tiring day for you, Sir Nicholas," he said, "and for

her Ladyship also."

"Go and have a rest yourself, Burton, you have been up since cock crow,

the new man Antoine can call me at five." And soon I was in a land of

blissful dreams.