The Lamp of Fate

's voices, and when the accompanist opened the door it was to discover Magda completely engrossed in giving Coppertop a first dancing lesson, while Gillian sat stitching busily away at some small

d Magda for the "bar practice" which constitutes part of every dancer's daily work, while Magda, holding his other hand in hers, essayed to

one towards me-like that." She stooped and placed h

ed, greeting his accomplish

as he caught sight of Magda's laughing face bent above the fiery red head. There was somethin

like an eel, twisting his lithe young body round to see who the new a

to play for the Fairy Lady!" he excla

le and particular benefit a maturer edition of the dance she had evolved as a child-the dance with which she had so much

ed Coppertop disconsolately, as Davi

sewing materials. "Come along. We must leave the Fairy Lady to practise

oppertop, beseeching Magda wit

ht kiss on the to

You wouldn't want Fairy Lady to dan

as not to be ta

"You couldn't tum

nt me to dance to them! I can't keep it all for one little boy." He stared at her for a moment in silence.

a big sigh: "But one little boy won't be greedy." He turned to his mother. "Come along, mummi

and Magda smiled a

person, isn't

sician

permitted to childhood," he said quietly. Then, sti

swiftly. "Let's get to work, Antoine. I'll just change into my practice-kit a

urners, leaving only those which illumined the space in front of the great mirror. The r

f some white silken material, girdled at the waist

er, and something leaped into his eyes that was very different from mere admiration-something that, taken in

t, and, advancing till she faced the great mirror, she executed a few steps

she threw at him

nd went to the piano. A moment later the exquisite, smoothly rippling music w

en from an old legend which told of a bea

g the cruelty of fate, used to wander daily along the shores of the lake where the maiden was compelled to dwell in her guise of a swan, and eventually Ritmagar, apparently touched to a limited compassion, permitted the Swan-Maiden to resume her human form once a day during the hour im

ng, forget the flight of time, so that the unhappy maiden returns to the shore of the lake to find that the sun has already dipped below the horizon. She falls on her knees,

king the lover's part, and the whole tragic little drama was designed to terminate with a solo dance by Magda as the dying Swan-Maiden

ugh the slowing ripple of the accompaniment, and at last, as Magda sank to the ground in a piteous attitude that somehow suggested

pause. Then Davilof

exclaimed with the spontaneous appreci

reserved the pose on which the dance had ceased, and had hardly yet returned to t

n Davilof's excited tone

really good?" she as

said. "It w

s in them without thinking, allowing h

the close clasp of his hands on hers. Her lips were a little parted, her slight breast ro

vilof's gri

ng!" he exclaimed

verned movement, he caught her to h

. . . Le

red the words with his mouth on hers, kissing her breathless with a headlong passion that defied restraint-sl

of a man's desire while she was yet unstrung and quivering from the emotional strain of the Swan-Maide

ut only of getting away-anywhere-heedless of direction. An instant later she was standing with her back to the wall, leaning helplessly against the ancient tapest

go away!"

g could hold him now. The barriers o

aid. "No, I'm n

tched his coming with dilated eyes. Her hands, palms downwards, were pre

bent her head and flung up her arms, curving them to shield her face. Davilof could just see th

and gripped them in his strong, suppl

manded fiercely.

head, struggli

he gasp

nd, but he had her hemmed i

ed unsteadily. "You-

e forced the words t

he said hoarse

yed with. In the silence of the room Magda could hear his laboured breathing, feel

e words seemed to run into eac

let yo

y we

and kissed him. But the touch of her lips on hi

ed . . .

kisses overwhelming her, burning against her clo

u . . . wo

ly, struggling against him.

owly back, his arms falling

tered confusedly.

on the centre burners, flooding the room with a blaze of light, and i

s no more the man whose sudden passion had surged about her, threatening to break down all defences and overwhelm her. He was just Davilof, her accompanist, who, like h

rded him

mad?" she asked

eyes curiously brilliant

t send me away! Don't say you can't care for me! You don't love me now-but I could teach you." His voice deepe

drew

ef negative fell clear

dismiss with a word. It's all of me. I worship you! Haven't I been with you day after day, worked with you, followed your every mood-shared your very soul with

lmost perfect accompanist. Why should you have imagi

reas

me raging torrent. Magda could never afterwards recall the words he used. She only kn

man whose own emotions remain untouched. And now the thwarted passion of the lover and the savage anger of a man who felt himself deceived and duped broke over her in a resistless storm-an outbur

ed?" she asked i

mind it would have been useless pointing out to him that she had treated him no differently from ot

ned sullenly. "

h the b

d her spec

t mean nothing to you that a man has gi

d to reflec

ans much to me-and that is my art. And Lady Arabella," s

warmth. The slender fingers seemed almost transparent

then," he s

tly. Then, carelessly: "I shall wan

ung r

or you again. Did yo

ow, subtle smile of hers

ble to keep awa

ain," he repeated. "Never! I

her head

ible, D

ttle difference between love and hate

it must be n

I can't have you, I sw

t him, lifting h

f indifference to me which you do. But I don't propose to allow you to arrange my life for m

love right enough some day. And when you do it will be all or nothing wi

agda it seemed almost as if his quiet speech held

mes, then you'll come

up her head,

nd to pick up the pieces, then

he closing door answere