The Wheel of Life

seat of the almost empty stage. Beyond him was the humming city, where the lights bloomed like white flowers out of the enveloping dusk, and when he turned his prof

closely in her life, and at first she had told herself that his nervous activity-the ardent vitality in his appearance-was too aggressive to be who

ses, and full, too, of a broad and tolerant humanity, yet there was something within her-some finer spiritual discernment-which rose to battle against the attraction he appeared to possess. He was not mental, he was not eve

of herself that she had been so openly inhospitable. After all there was no reason that one should turn a man from one's door simply because his personality didn't please one's fancy. For a moment she dragged her mind for some word, some look in which she might have found a shadow of excuse for the dislike she felt. "No, he said nothing foolish," she confessed at last, "he was only kind and friendly and it is I who have offended-I who have allowed myself to feel an unreasonable aversion." All at once an irritation against hers

seen a man whom I do not like-once, for an hour-and he has so troubled my quiet that I cannot put my mind upon my work. What does it matter, and why should a stranger who displease

l, and as she thought of the thronging city around her it seemed to her that she herself and the people in the street and the revolving stars were held securely in the hand of God. The belief awoke in her that she was shielded and set apart for a predestined good, an exalted purpose, and she wondered if the purpose were already moving toward her out of the city and if its end would be only the fulfillin

g sunlight, her smeared face with its brilliant artificial smile revealed a pathos which was rendered more acute by its effect of playful grotesqueness. She was like a faded and decrepit actress who, fired by the unconquerable spirit of

able by the window, and at Laura's entrance s

icularly," she explained. "There is some

nd Laura, after regarding her uncertainly for a moment, imp

e old lady in her most conciliatory tones,

effect of jerking her up so hurriedly that the

n aggrieved contortion of her features, "but as I was just telli

Laura, curiously, "and what, aft

r chair, and, picking up a bit of Angela's toast

me but the one thing?" she demanded. "

into a laugh of unaffected merri

ard her, stretching out her fr

; "don't-don't marry. There is only

ch, "and as far as a husband goes I have never observed that there was any disadvantage to be found in age. My

nd then clasping her hands togeth

Rosa," she answered, "for I wouldn't

ayne returned her gaze with

violent," she observed at last, "parti

eclared Angela, "it is her ma

roachful look for a momen

marked, "especially when we feel that our cross is for another's good. Is there any r

hook he

replied, "I simply decline to b

e heard you say so mu

me say I liked hi

ent argument for a marriage which would be so suitable in every way. And as to the romantic nonsense-well it all comes very much to the same thing in the long run, and

Uncle Percival put his bland, chi

one and I've already had my turn." Then, holding his coat closely over a small bundle which he car

yed him with an

raising her voice until it sounded harsh and cracked; then she became a prey t

h a frightened droop, and he took instantly

replied. "I thought it might interest her, bu

ted Mrs. Payne in he

t with a timid yet triumphant gesture, he displayed b

" he repeated, seeking in vain for

its neck, he cuddled it again beneath his coat. "A woman was selling them in the street,

everely, "for you will have to carry the cre

ould like it," he said

es as if shutting ou

uld I do with a white

sisted Untie Percival. "I should

m his coat and held it a

arked carelessly, and added, "why not

er the light of anima

y, and hurried out before Mrs. Payne, with her Solomonic power

regard to men," she observed as a partin

the senility of Uncle Percival or the sorrows of Angela. As she looked at Mrs. Payne she was struck as if for the first time by her

ssed herself for her morning walk. The house had grown close and oppressive to her and she wanted the January c

which seemed to lend itself like a softening light to his beautiful pallid features. He was a man who having fought bitterly against resignation for many years comes to it peacefully at last only to find that he has reaped from it a portion of the "enchantment

he said, holding his hand for

urned in the midst of his blanched and withered face like

ed with a smile, "and at first it seemed to me that there remained only emptiness and disappointment for the future, but presently I learned wisdom in t

e wondered, not so much the courage which turned the events that came to happiness as the greater power which created light where there was nothing. Only age had lear

e said, "but I shall be c

ing, and she must put it from her because she waited in absolute ignorance-for what? For love it might be, and yet her woman's instinct taught her that the only love which endures is the love of age that has never been young for youth so elastic that it can never grow old. Then swift as the fl

en with the words she knew that she had all her life wished for a d

fell like dew on the smouldering fire in his eyes. "I