Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/561

 to the police, and her husband and Herr M—are now in custody on the grave charge indicated.

"Yesterday in Heuberg-bei-Dornbach, were discovered in a thicket, in the woods, the bodies of two young men, who beyond any doubt had committed suicide together, not a great many hours earlier. One suicide was identified as Adolf Slawiczek, of this city (Margarethen Bezirk) thirty-five years old, unmarried, and employed in a furniture-factory; and his companion was presently known as Karl Koller, twenty-eight years old, married and the father of several children, but divorced—a locksmith, in Brigittenau. Apparently the tragedy had been arranged thus: Koller had shot Slawiczek through the heart, and had then put the weapon to his own breast. Some circumstances coming to knowledge dismissed all question of there having been any quarrel between the two friends, whose close intimacy has been often spoken of by their acquaintance. They were sober and industrious, and Koller leaves a small estate … The motive of the act appears to be the fact that the divorced wife of Koller has recently threatened him with a criminal charge of a particular sort, involving his friend Slawiczek, whom she greatly disliked, and who in some degree was concerned in the divorce mentioned. Probably fear of this proceeding decided the two friends on their melancholy step."

Society often smiles at the reluctance, and even resentment, with which a young bachelor surrenders to marriage some special friend; his Jonathan—his David. Much deeper can be his regret than their circle guesses. Often a lively girl, either in a touch of real sympathy or of merry irony, says to the "bereaved" friend "—Yes, yes, of course we all know that X—'s engagement, his marriage must be hard for you. You will be a regular widower after it!" Damon smiles, and caps the jest. But there is no jest when he and his Pythias are alone. This situation occurs, as the reader can suppose, chiefly when Pythias has been a Dionian-Uranian from the outset; or has become more and more dionistic, until a decisive sexual passion for some woman has conquered his heart. Here comes also the special chance of future disappointment to an Uranian who loves some dionistic youth