The Argosy — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

210 A Free-Will Offering. mirth or German talk could drown that low, echoing refrain which continually rang in his ears. Wherever he went, whether he slept, eat, drank or played, it sounded, sometimes quite near, sometimes very far away: ‘‘O! wenn es doch immer so bliebe!” Major Brown turned in his walk sharply and muttered a low imprecation. He would leave Homburg immediately. The place was a dead take-in. He was rather worse than better since he had come there. He would start to-morrow for Switzerland and wait about somewhere for warmer weather and the stream of English visitors which was sure to bring some old friends with it. He had been a great fool to take Compton’s advice: the man was always talking about what he did not understand. He believed he was poisoning his system with those confounded waters. Yes, to-morrow he would go. He would find out at once when the express left. ‘Roger, do put on Sara’s shawl for her! It is so chilly and she will certainly catch cold in that thin gown.” The low, peevish tones struck suddenly on Major Brown’s ear through the din of foreign voices. In a moment there rushed on him an overpowering darkness and then a flood of bright light. He was once more in the crowded drawing-room of Sea View Villa. Standing in his corner he watched the Bournemouth ladies smile and talk ; and on his ear there crept Rubinstein’s subtle melody and Sara Levison’s voice rang out again. He passed his hand over his eyes and looked round in a dazed manner. Quite near him on his right hand was a little group of three people. He recognised them all again in a moment. Mrs. Wilson was languidly fanning herself, although, as she had said, the evening was decidedly chilly. Her son bending over his cousin’s chair was wrapping round her a soft white shawl. Miss Levison’s face, slightly turned towards him, was pale and still and beautiful as on that far-away December evening. Major Brown, quite unconsciously, stood still so long gazing at the group that at last Mrs. Wilson, who sat facing him, was attracted by the stationary watcher. She recognised him immediately as an Englishman and put up her glasses to make a more thorough in- vestigation of him. ‘Then some shadowy recollection of his face came to her and she cried with a little scream of relief, which betrayed a whole history of previous ennui: ‘‘Is it possible that I know you? Surely I am not mistaken!” In another moment the Major, hat in hand, was introducing him- self, and was being welcomed to their circle by the Wilsons and by Sara Levison. LY. Major Brown did not leave Homburg the next day. He began suddenly to feel the benefit of the Kur. His spirits re- turned, his appetite improved, and really when once one got used to CORNICE OO Sn eorna