Ainslee's Magazine, February 1913 — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE POINT OF VIEW answered, while his eyes melted upon her with passionate love. ‘There is an hour yet to wait. I had hoped you would not have been forced to leave your aunt’s care until then.” “Oh, I am delighted to have come away!” Stella answered, regaining some of her composure. “J was shut into my room and watched by a serv- ant—it was awful! But do—you know what has happened now—since I left? Are they tearing about after me, or what ?” Count Roumovski still held onto the back of the chair, and his voice was still deep as he said: . “I believe they have gone to your embassy in a band—and much good may they get there! You are of age, you see. Besides, I have taken care that no one at the Grand Hotel knows where we have gone, and it will take them quite an hour or two to telephone about and find out, and by that time my sister will have arrived, and we can defy them.” “Yes,” said Stella; and then nerv- ously: “Won’t you have some tea?” He sat down, still constrainedly, and clasped his hands; and, womanlike, when she saw his agitation, her own lessened, and she assumed command, while she asked almost archly if he took cream and sugar. He liked neither, he said; and, with the air of a little hostess, she handed him the cup. Then she smiled softly, and stood quite near him. He drew himself together, and his face looked almost stern as he took the tea, and over Stella there crept a chill, and the gay little speech that had been bubbling to her lips died there, and a silence fell upon them for a few mo- ments. Then he put down his cup and crossed to the stiff sofa where she was, and sat down beside her. “Sweetheart,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes, “it is a colossal tempta- tion, you know, to me to make love to you. But [ am not going to permit myself that happiness yet. I want to tell. you all about what we shall do presently, and see if it pleases you.” He did not even take her hand, and 35 Stella felt rather aggrieved and wound- ed. “I propose that as soon as the for- malities can be got. through, and the wedding can take place, that we go straight to Paris, because you will want to get all kinds of clothes. And it will be such a delight to me to give you everything you wish for.” Stella smiled shyly. It seemed sud- denly to bring the realities of things before her with keen force. He would have the right to give her everything in the world—this man whom she did not yet really know, but whom she felt she loved very much. She clasped her hands, and a thrill ran through her. What—what did it all mean? The idea of her marriage with Eustace Medlicott had always appeared as an ugly vision, an end to everything, a curtain which was yet drawn over a view which could only be all dusk and gray shadows, and which she would rather not contem- plate. But now the thought of going away and beginning a new existence with Sasha Roumovski was something so glorious and delicious that she quiv- ered with joy at any reference to it. Her little movement and the clasping of her hands affected him profoundly ; he, too, quivered, but with the stern effort to control himself. It was part of his code of honor. Not the slightest advantage must be taken of the situa- tion while Stella was alone and unchap- eroned, although the very fact of their propinquity and the knowledge of their solitude was extremely exciting to him, who knew the meaning of every emo- tion. He drew a little away from her, and said in a voice that sounded cold: “T have seen the consul this after- noon. It will take three weeks, I am afraid, before we can be legally mar- ried here in Rome. It seems an eter- nity to me.” “Yes,” agreed Stella, and suddenly looked down. She wished intensely that he would caress her a little—al- though she was unaware of the desire. She wondered vaguely—was it, then, very wicked to make love, since Sasha, too, like Eustace, seemed as if he were resisting something with all his strength —and unconsciously she pouted her red com G IOOk (E@)