Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-70.djvu/95

Rh from the windows and lit up the formal walks and box-hedged alleys of the garden, and as they got beyond and walked into the walled fruit-garden there were bright-colored lanterns throwing a rosy tint upon the walks, then later, when they reached the border of the lawn, there was the moon.

"It isn't safe for me to be round loose in all this," said the young man as they entered the English garden with its high wall, the fruit trained against it. "I shall lose my head and bay like a dog. Flowers and lights and the night-time are what I like best in the world and what I never see. My usual evening surroundings are my dusty, over-crowded study or somebody's sick-room, with the light low and voices hushed."

She looked at him steadily, with less indifference, he thought; perhaps it was the lanterns that deceived him. He went on: "If one wants to succeed, one must choose in this life; you can't put your strength into many things. I am ambitious. Well, then, I can't expect to gratify my senses as well. They must be bullied and put in irons if they mutiny. It works very well and it rather amuses one to know one could make a fool of oneself over more than one thing if one liked, and then not to like. I have chosen my work; into that I put my capability for passion. Some day I shall allow myself a wife, and I shall love her most unconscionably."

He was getting there, there was no doubt of it this time; those firmly closing lips were parted a little. Had he thought her tired-looking? It was the absence of the spirit; it had now come. He was silent, looking down at her, making her out. It was Miss Bagehot who spoke.

"So there are people in the world like that, are there?" she said slowly. "I suspected it, but I don't think I ever knew one before."

Hilliard laughed. "We aren't generally loose," he responded; "most of us are shut up." Then added, "You must forgive me for breaking out like this; I don't often do it; I don't know when I have unloaded such personalities on anyone, but as I said before, it's the lights, the flowers, and"—he made her a deep bow—"and your ladyship's eyes." The last words had a note of pure friendliness in them that did what nothing else had done, invaded her white cheek with a faint color.

"You are nice," she said suddenly; "I like you."

He bowed again, and brought his laughing glance to bear on her face. "The compliment is returned."

"Tell me some more things," said the girl. "Let us walk on, and I will give you a picture of such a pretty life: my own. And it's killing me. However, that's only incidental; we all have to go sometime. But to begin with, look once carefully at the garden. I designed the