The Street of Seven Stars

e the fire, while in the dining-room the little chambermaid cut butter and divided it sparingly among a dozen breakfast trays-on each tray two hard rolls, a butter pat, a plate,

came to

announced. "And the coffee a

J

ce from her underling, and one of Olga's Sunday morning's indulgences to oversleep and avoid the mass. Olga took the acc

lt have no butter this morning. There, the He

ed slowly in

raulein is

J

rugged her

e said resignedly. "The Americans use muc

great copper kettle and stood wit

iful," she continued aloud. "Th

ed Katrina. "Go, and be less foolish. See, it is no

was frigid and Harmony, at the window in her nightgown, was closing the outer ca

in has not slept w

, was wrapping herself in the blue silk kimono with the faded butterf

id, "it is full of mists and illne

tes, after I

the stove went back to th

d to latrine. "And if to be lovely one mus

e lodge of Maria Theresa the only masculine presence had been that of the Portier, carrying up coals at ninety Hellers a bucket, or of the accompanist who each alternate day had played for the Big Soprano to pr

American whom she had met but once, and, having done so, slept like a baby. Not, of course, that she realized her dependence. She had felt very old and experienced and exceeding

s of butter-shades of the sleeping mistress and Katrina the thrifty-an

with me this afternoon? I would come in person to ask you, but am spending th

.

nd her pen from her t

y kind to me

.

er violin. The idea of work obsessed her. To-morrow there would be the hunt for something to do to supplement her resources

le table in bathrobe and slippers, absently filed the little note with the others-where he came across it months later-next to a lecture on McBurney's Point, and spent a sad hour or so ov

ause she was working with curved surgeon's scissors, borrowed from Peter, the cut edges were strangely scalloped. Her method as well as her tools was unique. Clearly she was intent on a body garment, for now and then she picked u

l viciously and flung it into a corner, and proceeded to her Sunday morning occupation

that she put on her stays, and rather sheepishly picked up the bundle from the corner. She hunted about for a thimble, being certain she h

ou?" she asked. "I'll not stir. I wan

will make me very happy, if only m

me in and cl

sturbing element," she s

e or not, but because she knew a thimble was a part of the game-and settled herself in a corner, her ragged pieces in her lap. For an hour she

d, and Harmony was suddenly aware that sh

ed. "I hate to sew. That's the trouble. Or perhaps

if you hat

s place, and I hate fleas and German cooking and clinics, and I hate being forty years old

But the next moment Dr. Gates had wiped her eyes with a sc

nday dinner! The food's bad and I can't afford to live anywhere else. I'd take a room and do my own cooking,

coat, is

tend it as a

n account of

cut pink edges and from them to Harmony. Then

my dear, if you'd seen me cutting '

ing to have his hair cut, Peter's encounter with a major of the guards, and the duel Peter almost fought. It developed that Peter, as the challenged, had had the choice of weapons, and had chosen fists, and that the major had been carried away. Dr. Gates gr

the crooked edges she told the doctor about the wedding dress, and about the mother who had called her Harmony because of the hope in her

rather

u cannot find a

st,"

rrible city for

ly alone. I k

spinster! Much

e is Pete

r is poorer than I am, if there i

tiffened

e said. "There are such things as e

tes sagely. "And friendliness between you and a

e he is v

ut men, but you can trust Peter. Only don't fall in love with him. It will be yea

eter Byrne, regretting that a headache kept her from taking the afternoon walk as she had promised. Also, to avoi

for the sophistry of forty to remember and cherish the innocence of twenty. For illusions it is apt to substitute facts, the material for

ankness she approache

ief, Peter. I been talk

t me, Doctor. Out o

esentative member of

y pressed suit and his best tie, and was loo

wh

she thinks you are everything you shouldn't be, because I said you wer

ter slowly, "the reason for

Perhaps you were our one subject in common. Then she irritated me by her calm confidence. Th

er against me,"

d that she was attractive. Sh

, smiling in spite of hims

looked u

she said gratefully. "Perhaps it is