The Argosy — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

Between the Songs. 333 It was the figure of a girl; it only required a single glance to discern that. A ray of light, glinting through a rent in the blind, played upon the back of a small golden head resting on the pillow. After the first start, Madame Albranzo turned to steal hastily away ; and then stood hesitating, in some way fascinated by the sight of the ‘ golden head on the pillow. Oh, how often fer head had rested _ there. She could remember once when her father and brothers had all gone to a concert in the music-hall, leaving her at home with a headache, of going to bed and falling asleep just like this; and of Oliver wakening her to tell her that they had eome home to find the servants out and the front door open. That was in the old happy time, before she had known Albranzo. Who was this girl on her bed? What like was she? Would it be, cou/d it be possible to have just one look? The face was turned the other way. Trresistibly fascinated, she crept into the room, gathering up her tustling train out of the way of the furniture. Oh, if the girl should waken ! Now she was at the other side of the fireplace ; now she had reached the end of the bed. She gasped, and then stood for an instant motionless as a plank creaked under her weight. Now at last she was coming within sight of her face ; another step and she would be able to see it. Before taking the step she paused, startled by some noise in the lobby. It was only the little mouse still scrap- ing. She put her hand softly on the wall and bent forward, peering. Yes, she was making out the lineaments of the face slowly in the gloom. Suddenly she started bolt upright with a great cry. She was looking on herself as she had been at seventeen. Madame Albranzo stood breathing heavily and holding her hand to her heart in the moon-lit dressing-room ; supporting herself by keeping fast hold of the arm-chair beside the window. The Mayor of Ayleshaven bowed obsequiously before her. “T am so sorry I startled you,” he was murmuring apologetically, “T had knocked several times without answer, and, concluding you were after all not here, I—I ventured to open the door. As I suppose it is just about time for your second song, allow me to say at once how infinitely —— ” She interrupted him briefly, but in a dazed sort of way—as one still half in a dream. “ Have I been sleeping ?” she said faintly. The mayor smiled. ‘ Why, yes, you have, Madame Albranzo,” he answered. ‘I hope you have been having pleasant dreams. They told me you had come here to rest ; but, the fact is, I had waited so long for you to come out, and your second song was so near, I really could not refrain from —— ” She interrupted again—coming nearer to him. ‘‘T have been sleeping—¢reaming—you are sure? I have never left this room at all; I have never been outside ?” VOL. XLIV. joy Ca Ogg comicbooks.com