Man and Maid

I asked her to play to me at last, I was growing so apprehensive, and

she went from one divine thing to another for quite an hour, and then at

ten o'clock stopped and said a dignified and casual "good-night" leaving

me sitting in my chair.

I heard twelve and one strike after I too went to bed, no sleep would

come, I was reviewing things, and strengthening my courage. Then I got

up and hobbled into the salon to get the "Last Poems," the door was

open, why I don't know, nor do I know what impelled me to go out into

the passage and towards Alathea's room, some powerful magnet seemed to

draw me. The carpets are very deep and soft, no noise of footfalls can

be heard. I crept near the door and stopped. What was that faint sound?

I listened, yes it was a sob. I crept nearer.

Alathea was crying.

A soft continued moaning as of one in resigned distress. I could hardly

bear it. I could hardly prevent myself from opening the door and going

to her to comfort her.

My darling, darling little girl!

Flight was my only resource. So I left her to her tears, and returned to

my bed, and when I was safely there and could think, a wild sense of

triumph and power and satisfaction filled me! The weight, which all the

evening her marvelous self-control had been able to make me feel, lifted

from my heart, and I rejoiced!

Is it possible that the primitive instinct of the joy of conquest could

make of me such a brute!

It gave me pleasure to know that my little love suffered!

The sooner would she belong to me--quite!