The Argosy — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

The Missing Rubies. 253 half-carrying her upstairs to her chamber. ‘There was the sound of footsteps moving overhead ; a window was closed, a door shut. He stayed quietly in his lonely room, listening for voices ; but none came. This evening he longed especially for peace and solitude. But who does not know that such a longing is often the precursor of an invasion? Who has not settled himself for a quiet hour of work or thought, when— ‘‘ Suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, Rapping at the chamber door.”’ The unwelcome tap came to Vordenberg, and wrung from him an angry murmur of impatience. ‘There was no pause after the knock ; no waiting for leave to enter ; the door was flung open, and a wild figure rushed in. There could be no mistaking the fierce bright eyes, the shaggy hair and beard, the tall gaunt form of Michael Stavieski. Why had he come this evening of all evenings in the year? Never had Vordenberg felt so inclined to hate the sight of this unfortunate friend of his youth as he did at that moment. As usual he would begin to harp on the old string, to recapitulate old wrongs, to lash himself into a state of impotent fury, until his listener’s patience gave way. ‘Their interview would end, as such interviews always did, with stern words from the one man, and eager apologies and self-reproaches from the other. Vordenberg was sick of it all— sick of this mad rage of patriotism that would stick at nothing in the pursuit of its impossible ends—sick of the long list of bygone injuries. Was there never to be a spell of forgetfulness and peace? “Casimir,” said the hollow voice, in a tone that would have made the flesh of an unaccustomed hearer creep. ‘Casimir, what a sight [ have just seen! I have seen her with my own eyes; she was coming out of this house, this very house that shelters you, my friend !” “Why should she not be coming out of it?” demanded Vorden- berg, a little fretfully. “Do not make any noise, Michael; there is someone ill uptairs. Be as calm as you can.” “Calm!” repeated Stavieski, flinging up his arms. “Do you know what memories her face has recalled? Have you forgotten the fate of Wouriski’s father, and of my own brother Paul? Do you not remember who came to old Wouriski’s house, and won the confidence of the poor, blind women folk? Do you not ——” “For heaven’s sake, Michael, let us have no more of these old miseries to-night!” cried Vordenberg, in downright anger. “ Are we to be eternally living in the past?” “It would seem so, since faces from the past are eternally haunting us,” said Stavieski. ‘You are not yourself to-night, Casimir. You do not give your heart to my words ; you listen with your ears only.” comicoookKks (GO)