The Adventures of a Modest Man

re. The municipal authorities decorated the grass with tulips and later with geraniums. Later

res and elms the truncated towers of St. George's brood heavily; along the short, leafy reach of Rutherford Place an old-time Quaker meeting-house keeps gentle vigil; northward, aged man

when night lends to it her mystery. For at night the trees loom gigantic; lights sparkle over lawn and fountain; the illuminated dial of St. George's hangs y

oftener, as the summer grew

ghbour from across the corridor came slowly into the square

tempted from his parched loneliness to speak to her; but before he could bring himself t

she has never been civil enough to look at me yet-a

t him often, when unafraid tha

e returned from business, the radiance from his studio lamp streaming through the transom had for her all the

erland, indistinct in the golden lamplight, where only a detail here and there half revealed a figured tapestry or carved foliation-perhaps some soft miracle of ancient Eastern weaving on the floor, perhaps a mysterious marbl

ther's death, her coming here to live-and love. That also had happened. But she did not call i

m the gusty corridor was wider than interstellar voids; she had not even a thought that a miracle might bridge the infinite from her tiny world to his, which seemed to her so bright

fittingly surrounded his artist's life. She saw him always amid the tints and hues of ancient textiles, sometimes dreaming, sometimes achieving with fiery inspiration-b

s through his transom on those nights when his friends were gathered there-laughter and song-the incense of tobacco drifting into her own white

. And for days and nights afterward its recollection made life easier and pleasanter, a

ate, lacy stuffs to very fine ladies, who usually drew a surprised breath at her beaut

ing dreams she had scarcely ventured any acquaintance with him; in dreamland they were as yet only just aware of one another. He had lately-oh, breathless and audacious imagination of her

her. Yet the pleasure of going was not unmixed; for, as the day of her release drew nearer, she realized how, within the year, he had, in her dreams, insensibly become to her a part of her real life, and that she would miss him sorel

d-quite wonderful-indeed, all that the most

other, she looked forward to the real

seated herself on the same bench with him

understand in real life? Would he think she had meant to give him a chance to speak-horror of crimson dismay! Would he think her absurd

sly behind the counter; at night the heated pavements a

ed in a thinner gown, but it, also, was in black, in memory of her mother, and seemed to sere her body. The room grew

unendurable; and she rose at last, pinned on her

ned the scant bits of lawn to them. Men, women, children, lay half-naked on the grass, fig

ying-in Hospital, past the painted Virgin, then crossed Second Avenue, entered the gates again, and tur

glancing at the motionless, recumbent figures near by, then ventured to seat herself on the grass and lean b

e did not know when again

eam and reality and smiled at him; then sat up, rigid

e very distinctly-not even his first words, though his vo

peaking to you?"

he said

sing one thin hand across his eyes. Then, with a slight movemen

ght perhaps I might dare to speak to you to-night. My na

fraid. A curious peace seemed to possess her at the sound

s of masonry and iron, all a-glitter with tiny, lighted windows. Overhead a tarnished moon looked down into the vast trap where five million souls lay caught, gasping for air-he among th

to ask you one or tw

he answered,

to business

es

e another question which may sound impe

hed voice, as though a cleare

lary. I do not suppo

you?" she asked, so inno

from you whether you might care to tak

what you mean," she

t me begin a little farther back. I am a sc

" She even found cou

nfusion and surprise; then perplexi

r for me"-he hesitated-"or

it harder?

know-different-fro

uca

yes

iously in her new

it you wi

. I've pledged everything in my studio. A chance has come to me. It's onl

ed what he meant by a model. And he

ish me to sit for my

shington," he explained, "and they are to be called 'Soul' and 'Body.' Six

mained

-he stammered under her direct gaze, then went on; "I scarcely dared dream

poor?" she asked

resen

t," she said. "I t

-if you would help me.... I could win with you; I know it. And if I do win-with your aid

her eyes, sitting there very silent at the foot

fair-" he began again, bu

of that," she said

or

you ar

w; I wish I could offer you

t so low that he heard on

grass. When again she lifted t

t I should be your model for the-this

for

I? I work

rday afternoons, and all day Sunday.

ly tired breath.

went on eagerly-so eagerly that he forgot the contingency on which hun

misunderstand her. If she thought at all of the amazing possibility of such a fortune as he offered, she knew that she would not accept it fro

I could real

l." His voi

sure? If you are-I w

p buoyant,

ome into the studio a moment? I'll show you the

repared to comprehend what he required of her; he forgot that she could know nothing of a sculptor's ways an

sculptors?" he asked, keepi

aid shyly. "She stopped me in the street once and asked p

dy." He plunged into it more frankly: "You know, of course, that to becom

e said, u

ptor to produce the beautiful marbles you have seen-er-

er breast; she looked up at him, but he wa

ould not exactly estimate how much she d

same with us; our inspiration and originality must be founded on a solid study of the huma

-" she stopped,

a sculptor, you are as perfect and as beautiful a model a

she faltered, thrilli

eath came faster as he unlocked his door a

e magic world

t dyes glowed in the soft rugs under foot; the mellow light glimmered

aughingly; but his unsteady voice betrayed the tension to w

hese things, never f

It is too cruel to tak

ne troubled moment. Then the selfishness of the artis

won't you?" he aske

-I w

a pro

e said, w

without a living model." He was off, lighting a match as he hastened. A tapestry fell back into place