Man and Maid

I was staring into the fire. I had not had the lights lit on purpose. I

wanted the soft shadows to soothe me. Burton had gone down again to the

concierge.

A bitterness and a melancholy I cannot describe was holding me. Of what

good my leg and my eye if I am to suffer torment once more? A sense of

forsakenness held me. Perhaps I dozed, because I was worn out, when

suddenly I was conscious of a closing door, and opening my eye, I saw

that Alathea stood before me.

A log fell and blazed brightly, and I could see that her face was

greatly moved.

"I am so sorry if you have been anxious.--Burton says you have. I would

have been back earlier but I was caught in the crowd."

I reached out and turned on the lamp near me, and when she saw my eye

and leg, she fell upon her knees at my side.

"Oh! Nicholas," she cried brokenly, and I put out my hand and took her

hand.

* * * * *

What a thing is joy!

My heart beat madly, the blood rushed in my veins. What was that noise I

heard in my ear beyond the shouting in the street?

Was it the cooing which used to haunt my dreams?

Yes it was. And Alathea's voice was murmuring in French: "Pardon, pardon, j' etais si bien ingrate--Pardonnez moi--Hein?"

I wanted to whisper: "Darling you have returned,--nothing matters any more," but I controlled

myself. She must finally surrender first!

Then she sprang to her feet and stood back to look at me. I rose too and

there towered above her.

"Oh, I am so glad, so glad," she said tremulously. "How wonderful,--how

miraculous!--It is for this great day!"

"I thought that you had left me altogether." I was a little breathless,

"I was so very sad."

Now she looked down.

"Nicholas," (how I loved to hear her pronounce my name) "Nicholas, I

have heard from my mother of your great generosity. You had helped us

without ever telling me, and then paid again to stop my mother's

anxiety, and again to stop mine. Oh! I am ashamed,--humbled, that I have

been as I have been to you, forgive me, forgive me, I ask you to from my

heart."

"I have nothing to forgive child. Come let us sit down and talk

everything over," and I sank into the sofa and she came beside me.

She would not look at me, however, but her little face was gentle and

shy. "I cannot understand though why you did all that. I cannot

understand anything about it all.--You do not love me.--You only wanted

me for your secretary, and yet you paid over a hundred thousand francs!

The generosity is great."