The Devil's Garden

e view of the starlit sky and the lamplit town. He had got her to himself at last-here, high above the world, half-way to heaven. There seemed to him somethin

floor; and so one need not even trouble to avoid ma

ide as it would go, and he told her to look out.

dn't," and

id

, why did you let me drink that

And he chaffed her merrily. "Here's a tale-if it ever leaks out Rodchurch way. Have you heard how Mrs. Dale behaved up in Lon

cohol was troubling her brain. She looked like a child who has been overexercised at a children's

down on a chair by the chest of dr

hed Dale away, when he offer

y had heard at the theater. "But, my word, Will," and she stopped humming, and laughed foolish

it. I've got

hich he had not cared to smoke in the genteel socie

now, o

t, Will. Dear old

ack of it. Then with slow graceful movements she began to uncoil her hair, and as her smooth white arms went up and down, the candlelight sent gigantic wavering shadows across the wall-paper to the ceiling. Beneath one of her elbows he could s

ly; then he nodded, and then

himself. "I must 'a' dropped off

She did not turn when he spoke to her. While he dozed she had fetched the other candle, and in

across to the dressing-table, and with

given a little squeal, and she tried

from the ground, and carr

d to me, Will." The words came in feeble entreaty, between w

touch of her coldly trembling limbs, at the sight of her tears, all the sensual desire lessened its throb, and the purer side of his love began to subjugate him. That was the greatest of her powers-to tame the be

ed-dead-tired." And the tears flowed unchecked, blotting out emotion, reason, instinct, swamping her in floods

, it's o

hank God in Heaven, it

ice that she might have noticed, but did not. "Just so-

e. She sank down wearily upon the pillow, closed her eyes, and

uddenly. "Hold your

, and, with his hands upon her sh

ou go to chur

d you sa

n't you go to ch

ly didn't

u so fond of the Abbey C

es

s afternoon s

go. I rem

er-what d'yer call 'im-him that you

es

he name in

es

see it on the boards

N

as they stared up at him from the white face. "Will!" And she spoke fast and piteously; "don't look at me like this

my lass. I'm

they were, filling his head, multiplying, expanding, making his blood rattle

Get into the bed-and be sensible. I'll

I'll have the

wing heavier crushed her shoulders so that sh

you come up by

ine o'

t right across from North

ght it at Mann

s to tell you the nine o'clock

s. It does stop-it did

mornings. But a fat lot you know abou

was. Will-don't

beat upon her cold cheeks. "Now, give me the explanation of what you let slip abo

t I've been

o' four weeks. What was the mighty d

. I scarce knew what I was sa

et fall without a sc

ttering fiercely; his lips protruded as if grotesquely pouting to express scorn, and on each side

I meant not

re ly

to the chest of drawers. Her handbag was on the drawers; and when she saw

e a desperate gurgling laugh. "Why, Will, old man, it is you that's dr

the thought that she was preventing him from opening the bag and the action that got rid of her interference being all one process. His h

ore clinging, clutching, and impeding. He did not strike her again-merely shoo

n paper. These he laid on one side, while he carefully examined all the odds and ends that had been packed loose in the bag. Three or

; while he slowly pursued his investigations she kept qu

tly she knew that he had begun to unfold the pa

ed paper, proved to be an envelope-the envelope of one of the letters that he had sent to her at North Ride Cottage.

t was the return half of a railway ticket, from London to Rodchurch Ro

nd not Manninglea Cross. Issued at Rodchurch Roa

I won't pret

kneeling position. "I did come Friday. But don't be angry

k why you come, without my per

o deep and yet so harsh, and vibr

So I dared to do it myself-feeling certain as life that you were done for if

ing, an' I'm think

it-that Mr. Barradine knowing me so long, eve

t of choking. "Ah-so's I supposed. Then I got a bull's-eye

is ho

nto his house

es

Two was to be comp'ny at Mr. Barradine's. So in

u can't blame me. But for him, you were done for. All cou

out Friday, aren't we? Well, after yo

oped he'd

yer forgotten my address-or didn' 'aarpe

r being angry. I tho

he

at him, but

u've sold yourself to that

of foul words that, under a sufficient impetus, infallibly comes rolling from the peasant's

ling like an animal, he

or make an effort to escape. Brave and unflinching, though almost stunned, she raised her white

ake her punishment this way. Nevertheless she must confess the guilt herself. Even in his fury, he remembered to hold hi

Go on with

ting me, and I

oised it, and she sei

e-only to help you. I couldn't get the hel

ense of something refreshing, the momentary appeasement of his agony. For in truth the torture that he himself suffered was almost unendurable. Yet up to now his pain, though so tr

an and his belief in man's creator; and for a few moments one thought grew a little clearer than the rest. The end of all this must be

med to whisper to him, to beg to him, and to command him. Yes, that way wou

o her knees. "I've loved you faithful

stretching toward him, he dragged her upward, seiz

he held her with both his hands about her throat. "Now"-and the sudden pr

ean to mu

ruth-and I'll 'aarve it to the last w

ll me if I

s yer road-head first-i

o be one of his many mistresses for several years; then he grew tired of her, and, his attentions gradually ceasing, he had left her quite free to do what she pleas

I done it. It was as much a sacrifice for you as if

ourself in the beginning, be

tie's fault, not mine. I to

that gait with him h

don't

came over me. I on'y guessed, but you knew. Answer me;" and

suppo

he one he paid for

ppose

were furnished and set out for y

or other women-

other

from

ile the descending curves went lower and lower, through sorrow into shame, and still down, to fathomless depths of despair. He had heard all that it was necessary to hear. His life that he had thought marvelous and sp

t on quest

. Barradine had desired that she should understand with what affection he always regarded her, and he invited her to meet him; and it was the knowledge that he had come to covet her again that made her sure she could get him to

husband; and the reply-the letter that she tore up-was in these words: "I will do what

im at all costs. When he refused to act on Ridgett's advice, when he showed himself so firm,

at that moment. To see you there so brave and strong and good-and yet certain sure

dow. The space seemed to have contracted and darkened, so that it looked black and small as a square grave cut out for a child. But if not by t

aking to her, unconsc

is, I cared for my jo

now. And I loved you, Wi

er again; and went on talking, as if to himself or the far-o

ht you were-whether I broke my back or burst my heart in working for you? Besides, t'wouldn't

andished them. The rhythmic beat of his rage came stron

y? How does that match? He gave

t to take it. He

ve your bargain-nothing to do with me-you-you.

resent. The price he paid was his help t

and more questions, s

e. She sent a letter inviting him to do so. There was no answer for four days. Then Mr. Barradine wrote to her from London; and she went up o

t ho

nd Hotel-Alde

o

d in the

mean one roo

e four rooms-a

o

idn't come on Saturday-I stopped indoors all day, afraid to go out f

long did

. Will, let me be-I'm do

inning. It's Sunday afternoon we're talking of-ever sin

er he made

d'you

hings in his lugg

dres

is travels. He made me act that I was his page-and b

o

as crying now. "Oh, God ha

o

. I don't care-I'm tired out. What I've gone thro

ot kill her. She lay weeping, moaning, at intervals, repeati

looding, filling the whole earth in the first faint glimmer of dawn. He sat on the edge of the bed, l

almost nude sprawling form seemed to symbolize the unspeakable shame of his sex. This was the disgusting female, round and smooth, white and weak, with tumbling hair and lying lips, the lewd parasi

every moment was becoming more definite, more logical, more full of excruciating pain.

t her. As he thought of the maddening reality, his imagination made pictures that printed themselves, deep and indelible, on the soft recording surfaces of his brain. Henceforth, so long as bloo

to it of nature's grand instinct. It had not the inexorable brutality of primitive passion. Here was an old, or an elderly man, not driven by the force of normal, full-blooded de

aky, infirm, and yet strong enough to consummate the final act of his infinite wickedness. And Dale saw those yellow-white hands, with their nausea

umsily, blew out one of the candles and carried the other to the fireplace. There he lighted the corners of the three bank-notes and watc

you goin

n't k

t grass, feathery branches of trees, and the water of a river or lake flashing and sparkling; and as he stared stupidly about him, he thought for a moment that he was experienc

w-in the present time, in a public pleasure-ground. London stretched about the park, and beyond that there was the vast round globe; beyon

bedroom table. She had contrived to wash away nearly all the marks of violence: one noticed only the swollen

u decided what

N

ke his fortnight's leave, as arranged, and carefully consider matters. "And then, at the en

ir to her knees, and clung round him just as s

and wicked, and go

ink there's vaarlu

ray, haggard, terrible, his clothes all

or mercy

f, and began to

it back later to the right quarter-alon

that he would settle with the lodging-hou

gh to get yo

d up his bag