1914-03-21 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

SHORT STORY.

REINCARNATION

THE STORY OF A PRIVATE HELL

[Below we give the conclu ling instalment of the Shut Story which commenced in our issue of last Saturday, The story is ono of a series of "Memoria of a Doctor", appearing in McClure's Magazine]

mouth was traight and tight, and her pale blus eyes looked at me over the dog's body, hostile and staring. Her whole faço seemed to have sharpened. I turned the maiter over in every possible way in my mind. What was in her head now? Was it jealousy? That was the natural sequence of hor worry about her age; one of

little Chopin, some Besthoven but mostly the mela noboly Echa raun-the Night Pieces the bright little fragments of the Carnival; but, more frequently than any one thing.

You know it probably-a haun-

arum.

thing, most melancholy, a course.

This wont on-I saw her several weeks. One night I was there in her rooms. An attack came. And she died-practical ly in my arms!

.!

It may seem strange to you a doctor; but I had never seen death before. All these tens of

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1914.

m2.

the

It was that room-rose and night, tense. She was swake, I gowns. Only bright, of course, bone with his feet Mywife was more about him, but he never

Good God! ie never by day. They are the pro- dull and excitable by turns. I appeared again. She had pro- gold exactly as it was when I know.

any place in the perty of the other woman, the tried to entertain ber...

bably told the truth about him, left it! The grand piano, the re- there "I never knew you, to be so She had really had him killed, olining chair by the lamp-every- world, I wonder, where so polours of a dark, tall woman. thing but the other woman's much hate is ever packed as They are absolutely fantastio livoly in my life, Perkins," she think now Asid, when we arrivad home. With the daylight very body Great God My hand within the four walls of a bed-upon the white blendecomplexion chamber? The thing grew; you of my wife. But every night in "You love me a lot, don't you? quickly reassured myself. The caught he wall to steady me.

My wife locked at me with could feel it growing, like a fog the same the sight of those dra You're so glad to see me!" She whole thing had been a trick of

péries trailed sorom the floor, took my arm, and rubbed my imagination. Aad that next that half smile-not the slightest from a swamp.

The next day, as night came passing through the open door of against me like a kitten, and night, I made up my mind, I turn of inflection or expression. laughed again and just as sud-would have some sleep. I had "You like it, don't you? I on, it seemed to me I could not the living-room, in that realming knew you would! She walked possibly go back into those rooms chair, the lower edge of it just fenly let go and drew away from been two nights without it.

I did sleep a little, early across the room. I followed her. There must be some outlet to showing through my, door. Bad But wait till you see the bed emotions. If speech is impossible, enough. But even then not quite You soo the condition in which Then the same thing happened i entered that night. The night again.

Early in the morning chamber. That's wonderful, violence lies not so very far sufficient. I could catch austohes behind with any que of as. Iof sleep, until that last invention before I had slept practically not smelled the scent of that The best of all!"

She threw open the door was afraid of myself. I simply three nights ago Warr at all. That night sleep was unusual perfume. Very distinot- farther away than ever. I lay ly now. There was no mistake turned on the electric light. 1 stayed away until late that night that Schumann thin

Gave no notice; merely stayed. piano,

I came home that night. She and tried to force myself to think about it.1 fought it for a looked, as I was directed.

while and got up. The thing She watched me with the same I had not done such a thing in Aad failed.

was playing it, dremming Of course, there was only one was too much for me. Besides, lack of expression, all but her years,

When came back, she had aimlessly across the keys,

And thing of consequence the reppta- I wanted to convince myself of eyes. I never say such a glint tion of that other woman. If my suspicions.

in human eyes. They were as apparently aroused the whole now when she gets up enddenl

place. The olerk at the desk, at night, puts on her draperie there had been anything between My wife lay, in a little haddle, hard as jade.

It was a beautiful room enough. with a curious glance, told me rose and gold, that last refine She didn't, ory, now. Hering, insistent, pleading little us, it would have been different. at one side of her bed. I leaned

Bat the woman was spotless, over her. The scent of the per Bat it had of course, none of my wife had been anxious for that same air, comes ver

the effect on me of the other. me. I found her almost in from the other" absolutely. And she was dead fume came from her. and beyond self-defence. If any

"Ob!" she said, starting up. Merely blind suger for this last hysterics, in the hands of her why, why?"-interminable, bro- harm came to her name, it would How you frightened me. What insult the thing that was in her confidante, the housekeeper. We ken: the insane permistance of be by my act. I myself was is it?"

eyes. It was the same suggestion, worked over her an hour before Schumann, rising and falling and never ending, over and over- "Nothing" I said, and went I understood now, that she made the quieted. solely and entirely responsible for

The slippery servant beckoned that morbid quality which drove it. 'I-lay and cursed myself. into the other room again, sat when she used the perfume

dead him to death. Sleap? My thoughts danced to and down, and thought. I had made never in the day time, never ex-me into the hall as she went.

Exouse the liberty, sir," she man would rise and risk fram from one subject to another with an advance that took my breath; cept in the right.

What did she know ? I couldalt It is amazing how you are tied said." But I would advise you his grave! the unhealthy hurry of a feverish

You see? What's the uno P Possibly it was that creeping If I had been broken to life differ fortunate, I may say, that I was thing, the housekeeper. But she ently, say like a day-labourer, a there. And I had all I could do when I'm there You can get certainly had a tnost intimate meobenie, no doubt I should have to quiet her at times. You see, me away for & day, to say noth- As it was, all my she was not exactly responsible ing of a month, without an out- knowledge of that other woman, killed her. even to that most intimate thing energies went for the one thing for what she said. If it should burst. And that is inconceivable of all-that perfume, flow did had to do keep silence, Oatory happen again, sir, I fear she might can't do it-I won't she learn it, and how did she or violence would mean only one say things which would make thing I will not do is to smirch

trouble for you-and, for others, that other woman luas-gad duplicate it? I never found outthing-confession.

Do you think you could help "I see" I said finally, and sir. That's all, sir. Pardon my All that I understood was what I knew before the extraordinary wiped my dry tongue over my speaking, eir. I am very glad me? You know you can't. What's precision and fineness with which lips. I hadn't realized before that I could have been of assist-medicine, all the doctors in the ance. It was fortunate, indeed, world, against a woman with a a feminine mind like bora, can how firmly I was caught.. focus on a concrete thing it You wouldn't believe it, would that I was here to be with her, grievance ? She's simply got me, that's all, strapped tight to the desires.

you?-these women, little soft-sir. Night is the time, of course,

You see the cage I had run fleshed, long haired creatures I gave the creature a hill, and bottom of that woman's private when the real sense of death into, She knew everything, and things you could break in two wont back. What she said was hell of hers—that immemorial your own or another's decendson believed much more the worst, between your fingers! How many perfectly true. But, in effect, is bell built up and looked an by you. With me it is always the same the thing that wasn't so. And I of them you see on the street, do was notice served on me against the offended wife for the offend sousation a physical oppression, couldn't even speak in explans you suppose, are running their future attempts at escape. My ing husband. Lam not the only

senso of weight on my chest tion, without an explosion from private hella for the men who anger had disappeared-wilted. One, of course I know. ! and lungs, a strangling in my her, without a confession of walk beside them? You know I saw the thing perfectly. WhatBut, by God, something must throat, which, sooner or later, if what wasn't true. You ass. The better than I. But plenty of them I must have was eilence at any happen pretty soon, I must have it persists, drives me to my feet, situation wasn't the worst that with just such a cluich as she price and I must pay her price. sleep. I thought, at first, in a Heaven knew what she might do matter of endurance I would out- catching for..air. Memories of might happen, though. Silence bad on me. early periods in my own life, of was better than hysterics that It is absolute, I tell you. The or say if she were once launched last a woman that frail, soft, persons long dead, affect me the was clear. There was nothing to more I looked, the more i saw it into one of her hysterical fits of trivial thing, the woman I mat ried. But I didn't realize. It's Her eyes were sharp, and her same way in lesser degree any do, then, but keep my month shat couldn't disturb it the fraction weeping.

I surrendered abjectly. She too easy for her. It's a farce, face flushed. She seemed trem-thing at night that suggests the and, if possible, get some of an inch. Anything was better

than breaking silence any kind saw it in my eyes. The next screaming farce. The trouble bling with excitement. On any hopeless, impersonal enmity of sleep. or no excuse, she broke into the Time Machine, crashing, as Now that I understood, the of submission.

morning the fixed smile had

come 18, your so she sleeps daytime: carefully and methodically. I had begun only that night back to her face. AR sudden laughter; and then, just all as tolerantly and impartially physical suggestion of the scent se suddenly lapsed into silence as it kills the flies in autumn; was less effective against my to realize the possibilities of It was about a week ago I Every night she comes fresh to attack. I had debated about cor- again. She did frighten mo, as but worst of all, of course, the nerves. You can got used to the thing. She played with think, when I first came to you. my punishment. recting that misunderstaling, a matter of fact. I had never sense of strangling to sugh a de. anything, I think, I got some death with all the pleasure of a Yes, that was the time. I had on see farce a howling Nothing more had been sail, of seen her in exactly that state grea before.

snatches of sleep the next few cat. That chair in the centre of gode over and over the thing, farce-for her. God! ocurae. But I knew she still before. But I did my best to I had no idea how long I lay nights-forced a little by bro- the room, for example I could There was no escaps for me stopped, passed his hand thought me unmarried. Sooner keep my poise.

there in that wretched condition, mides, That was a gain, but I not look at it without remem either temporary or permanent over his face. Oh, she'll break or later, I understood; she would

not moving, with that sens tion felt then that it was only tempor bering, without living it all over It was simply a question of one he said, and waited agam

Beveral seconds more, What's know. But now I couldn't do

growing constantly heavier and ary. And I did all that I could again; I tell you, I could see durence between us. it! And I saw her oftener than

more oppressive. There was dowatched my wife as closely that woman's head fall forward knew I must have one thing- before."

something adding vaguely to it as she watched me.

as the attack came on her. And sleep. I hoped you might give Arevalsion of feeling came over him at onger. 'This iña that was the only place in the to me.

Now, I don't say that my wife mistake, shouldn't have talked room where I could read. I sat there, finally. I had to do some worked out all this thing in at all, he said, seized his hat,

and bolted ent thailoostr by piece, as the situation develop.

the commonest diseases of the thousands who died around me | oight-avoiding the more difficult be certain. Nor how she knew.up by your life, your training not to do so again. It was very what can you do? I can't sleep

popolation of the apartment hotel, always raging there, epidemic.

I wondered, going home, whet her it could be true that she had bean in town. Was her confi- dante, that old sorvant, watching me? I ran across the creature continually, lurking about the balle. If so, she was undoubted- ly putting the worst construction on my actions. They do, quite naturally, in those places.

There was nothing, absolutely nothing, between us. In that early time-before I had met my wife at all-it might have been. Yes; if it had not been for an accident-very likely. But then, nothing. As a matter of fact, the woman was not merely sick; she was facing death.

I hadn't realized this entirely before. But I bad scarcely returned from my visit with my wife when I met the Scotchwoman in the hall, and she told me.

"She isn't so well," she said bluntly. She can't live very long. I think you ought to know

.it.

It was heart disease, likely to

culminate sometime in a sharp

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It was my fduit entirely. That's what I want you to under! Bland.

but never one in my sight! places, drawn always along the was horrible, horrible-I can't path of least resistance. And very say how horrible this woman soon I'lay, as I had all the night who died with her eyes in mine. before, thinking of that woman's Ioan never entirely forget them death, oppressed by the physical the shock of it. My mind did horror of it, and the sense of per- not clear until that lean Sentoh-tonal regret. I had not analyzed woman, as competent with death oo closely the reintion in which as life, was putting me out of the the dead woman had come to me.

I refused to do 8o. room,

But I could not refuse to acknowledge that intolerabla ohoking sensof regret thick burdened me that night and the night before.

"

"You'd better go now, I heard her say. "She's dead.

That was ten o'clock at night, The next afternoon my wife came home. When I entered the room that evening, I found her there Involuntarily Istood still on the threshold. What was she doing there?

Her actions did not réassure

me. For a moment we looked at each other, Then, all at once she burst into a shrill laugh.

"How

funny you look Perkins! she said, "Did I SUBre you?"

+2

"You're back early, aren't you?" I said as quietly as could.

I

"Not too early, Perkins," she answered and laughed again.

One thing I noticed at once

her Pomeranian was gone..

She was an extraordinary wo- man intelligeat, widely travell her.

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My mind moved back and forth, She acted very much as usual recalling the past few weeks in the day-time. That perfume, colour and sound the room of rose with which she must hayo saturat.

I

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And

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"Where's the dog?" I asked and gold, the music, her dressed her night clothing, was gone. thing; 1 had to read. My fish advance. It came to her; pieceHe never came back again. I

her perfume. Suddenly it came There were some minor changes crawled. But it was better, after ed, and, more, than that, an in-killed him," she said to me. That was it that per in her dress. She no longer wore all, than sitting there, watching ed. And finally she completed don't know I suppose he thought dividuality very highly developed calmly. Her face was absolutely fume! It seemed to meil smelled her elaborate diamond ringe, the thing empty and remember it. She didn't do so, I think, until he'd talked too much, saw him that time, a week ago, when I first instance, more, a few days after. in this crowd of dressmakers' expressionless.

And this and all the changes that inge it again, in that room,

by that time my wife saw you. Yo Bokep Green duren ward, on the street. There was marionettes. That was the chief Nonsense!" I said, "Where I lay still by main will power he made were suggestive of the And

You helped me. I had some small blonderwoman with him ; attraction berself. But, besides is he?"

and argued it through, until at

othe

woman her tastes and refused absolutely to go out

in the evenings,

sleep then. And you have no they walked alongy looking this, her situation her illness, "Don't you believe it?" last i convinced myself that the habits. her loneliness! She had no the answered. "I did. I had thing was impossible. It was There was one other change, You enjoy it so much more idea what it meant to me. But straight ahead, without talkin relation, she told me she was bim chloroformed. Nothing the faintest conceivable sugges though, still more trying that here," she said, with her catlike then, as when I had started to a 80 many married couples do.

aleep before, I saw the reaction must come between

you tion of the scent, if any peculiar little smile with which smile. and me now, mustit, thing. Unquestionably it was she had come to watch me. But She didn't say much. She was upon my wife. I was escaping You sign your terms of life Perkins?" she went on and gave my imagination. But the thing this mood itself, I noticed, shifted too wise for that. Merely sat from her. She began to sit think absolutely. And one of them is, another of those andden langhs was too much for me at last very soon afterward to another there, ehnding her eyes with her ing, with that little scowl between Famous premieres danceuses, are once married, no human being I'm home now, Perkins. And It was physically impossible for Her face dropped it, after a day hands, occasionally glancing over her eyes, her month straight se e arranging for Lestimonial o

I know just how to please you me to lie there any longer. I got or two for a little col.If at me. The colour, the rest of the knife blade. And it was then the Vile Adeline Genga ba her We're going to have the time of up and went into the living-room, seemed to gather more and more splendid room all that the offer thing took final form in her tirement from the stage arten Ter our lives together!

and sat there and read the remain as I managed to gain a little woman was, and she never could mind. Lam quite sure of that epason at the London Colisan was thoroughly frightened der of the night.

sleep. Possibly that was my be! And silence; no more vorbal as certain as if she had told me this month.

It's this; werkt i bio mlent: Dimary

absolutely alone in the world,

Oh, it was wrong; Iknow that

must be alone with any one of

the opposite sex. One half of

the race is barred at once. 1 violated my terms of life. I know that. But what I want to insist

Testimonial to Genes.

hag 8375

lions of plants, many of botanis

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tow. That was an ugly joke "What are you prowling imagination. But she certainly suggestions-merely silence,

uggestions or I am to be kept awake-in that Lady Gift to Kew on is that I did it not abs. about, the dog. I didn't believe around for?" my wife called to appeared to be continually brood-

She had furnished her quarters then, of course, that it was true, me as I passed lier besida. !** ing. Then her mood changed could see, the phamber, that bed-obamber. That's all. It's Times, informed the

potor of for herself a very beautiful But the whole style of her banter, I can't sleep, Tsaid. once again,

and the other look interested her most. Her oyes simple, isn't it? But effective. Kew Gardens that living-room in rose and gold, the tones of her voice, were so Oh," she said, and nothing came back..

shone when she saw me pass into What! Just one more private accordance with the desire the colours of her dresses, suited hard and tigly. She was very more!

About two weeks ago. I should it. She lay still ended in her hall operated by a woman, os pressed in alig will of her

At first herimethod was rather husband, Sir Trevor Lawrence especially to her type and clearly under great excitement The next morning, for the first say, she approached me one bed an attitude which, I had complexion. She had that gift Why? I didn't think I didn't time, I saw that expression she morning, and told me, she was come to understand, meant that crude. Simply sleeplessness on present many of the famous of successful women, of creating dare to,, apa ollen

has worn sy often mice that getting tired of car rooms and she was wide awake and listening, her part, My prowling around An atmosphere of their own which "What are you going to do to fourious small smile. It was an intended, to find new ones. The smell at the perfeme filled by night, she said, had brought surrounds them. She sat most amuse me to-night ? slie asked pleasant, even then; but a relief made, no objection, it" was the sleeping-room, a gagal, her to a point where she could often, toward the last, in a long, me duddenly,

from the laughter

her varying

But she was entirely wrong in not aleep. She was up and down mor of the night frequent, reaalf of yellow-covered reclining-chair, by at once proposed the theatre before, anyway. There was no moods. That evening she met her imagination of my feelinge. continually Butcher added the main lamp in the room-anything to divert her mind more of that bareli fanter of the me downstairs upore took the snow that damned,She insists, for one thing upon Great Oaseniltreet, WO

before I took gor was the thing that suffocat overal refinements very soon century, houses Nos slander electrolion with eroge We went. It was another vaude first night. Ta fact, there never leve colored shade. Occasionally she ville show, an interminable hodge was again. She seemed

crooked lie she, was toling, cut, a light in the room a dim light, torner of which Use played her piano, with a

a some podge of vulgarity. At 9 o'clock quieter, and ano

hile I lay speechless, The very which burna all night. She her Dr. Johnson's logra Forl What limited range. She licked that was the hour of the funeral f The absence of the dog

floor, very so of denial would itself self has now taken the colour of and which are threatened the fire and forge for the more services was watching on seamed queerex

How defile the name of a dead woman, the other woman-rose and gold demolition, should. robust forms of emiộtion. Some ormless man operating a from else to me. She said nothing do you like it

I lay awake a good, part of sist for Her kimonos and houses

mugh moral

her

anonything

A garprise for you,

off at Bw.open

Bha saked:

A

interest, to the gardens.

Saving Boswell's House, Arecommendation made that the