Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/353

 all the softer for the champagne and sleepiness. "Come here—help me, big brother, to get out of this—I am simply choking …"

Reutler stood there, motionless, letting fall the hatchet.

"Oh, my soul! Oh, my Beloved!" he answered very softly. "I shall try not to go back—to retreat—"

Then he fled the room, locking the doors behind him, not daring to look back; as if pursued by ironical phantoms—the diver, with enormous glaring eyes, and the Punch, in his costume of rose and yellow ….."

The final episode brings not only the confession—rather to be called surrender—of Reutler, and Paul-Eric's reversion to homosexual conformity to meet it, but also the inevitable tragedy. Reutler here has quite crossed the bounds of sanity. His servants in terror have mutinied, and he is to be sent to a madhouse. The chateau is set on fire. Reutler flies to his lonely astronomical observatory and study, far up in a tower; where Paul-Eric is sleeping—towards dawn, unconscious of the revolt of the domestics and of the fire. Reutler bars out all aid, and with Paul-Eric in his arms, half-cynical, half passional in his consent to their death, they meet it. But even to the last, Reutler's homosexuality is restrained to a passion more psychical than physical.

"The night-wind was storming into the building, blowing the flames after the very heels of the lost Reutler. The pack was finding the track! Reutler tore away the coat which still was smouldering on his shoulder; and halted, to listen and to look. "They are following me—we shall not go over this road again! Eric—up there—what if he be lying dead, overcome with his despairing terror not waiting for me! …What if I am not to find him?"

He was at the last landing; above him were glittering the tranquil stars. He made himself certain that the flames down below were checking themselves somewhat—to devour poor Jorgon. He reached the trap-door; the bolt had been adjusted as he had ordered. He entered the observatory, …

Paul-Eric was sleeping; half-naked in his draperies of a flowery Japanese silk; despoiled of all his virile ornaments, of all manly