TIIE nESPERIAN
vononi into our own veins that wo weaken
our world over there, that is so completely
cut off from this custom-ridden, priest-ridden,
king-ridden Europe, and is touched
only by ihe sea and sky, God's boundaries.
Don't think I mean to 'preach, but it seems
this way to me."'
Jfo-lUy own life must seotn very aim
less and futile to you. "Well, it docs to me.
You do not think'tho great American novol
will be written abroad ?"
She, firmly "No, I do not."
He "You arc right enough."
Sio. earnestly "I believe I am ; 1 be
lieve it with all my heart, and when I see
the old clilFs of mine own country next
month, I shall believe it still more."
He, starting visibly "What, you go so
soon? I did not know."
Enter servants with the next course-.
FOURTH COURSE.
Salade de JJomard. Salade do Joulet.
Charlotte Basse a la Chantilly.
He sits staring at his plate.
She, laughing "Does the news affect
you so deeply?"
lie, quietly "1 was wondering what there
would be loft in Tuscany after next month. ''
She, blushing "Ah, indeed! Thanks, but
that was too terribly forced."
lie, inexpressibly "No, I don't mean it
in that way, you know I don't, you must
know it, your very consciousness must tell
you. If it does not, then it is all useless,
and I am a mistake, was borne one, and will
die one. It is terrible of mo to speak here
in a crowd, but I have tried to tell you alone
and could not. Your presence, unrelieved
by that of others, always awes mo. I can
better bear to toll you when these others are
laughing around us, and, glancing at her
face, if the worst comes can bear it better."
lie, after a long silence "You won't
answer me?"
She, her face whiter "Don't ask me,
please. You see I have known it and felt it
and lived so that it seems so strange to just
say it now."
He, grasping a celery stalk with a hand
that trembles "Do you mean that, Nell."
She "It seems to me, Gerald, that' it is
about tho only thing I over really meant in
all my life, and as though no one else ever
meant anything quite so really."
He, drinks a glass of ice water slowly bo
fore he can trust himself to speak "There is
so much to toll you. Do you know the
first"
Sl0 "But you must not tell mo here,
dear. You may just toll that one, though,
if you will."
Je "It was about that first night I saw
you at tho Harrises. I had lived bore so long
that 1 had almost forgotten that I was an
American, and I was glad of it. Now and
then 1 met American women who drifted
into Home, but they were all one of two
kinds, either they had studied art in Paris
and were 'doing' Italy, talked incessantly of
art and impressionists and Corot and Bouguc
reau, and were so pedantic that they wero
unbearable, or they wore 'citizens of tho
world,' who spoko French altogether, bougnt
up old cameos, talked English polities, and
delight in having a rather doubtful past, and
present, for that matter. I had forgotten
that thero was any other typo of American
women. Then I met you that night, and
you brought it all back, nil that 1 had for
gotten. 1 remembered all tho things I used
to bo proud of when I was a boy, Bunker
Hill Monument, and tho Old North Church,
and tho historic elm, and tho College, and
someway, I was proud of thorn again. The
next day I kept wanting to write odes to
America and do other equally absurd things.
"Well, it went on and on until I met you that
night at Prince Masellini's. You wore all
in white, with those red maplo loaves sent you
from the Adirondacks in your hair. Your hair
and eyes are about the same color, you
know, and when ou are excited, they Hash
together, like the golden glory of a sunrise.
That night you gavo me three dances, and
as your eves, laughed up through their depths
and depths of sun-dawn into mine, it seemed
to me that you had all tho glorious wealth of
our Indian summer locked up in them, with
the mists floating about vou."
She, desperately "Oh, plcaso don't,
please. I am blushing frightfully, and mam
ma is looking so shocked. I don't want my
face to be red if my hair and eyes are."
He "Why, you' are blushing, . and for
mo! I must have you to myself u moment.
It's terrible that it all came about hero where
those people are.
She, laughing shyly I am hardly respon
sible for how it came about, yon know."
Enter servants for the last time.
FIFTH COURSE.
Gateaux Assortis. Confihires. Baisers de