The Upas Tree: A Christmas Story for all the Year

had seemed so far away, must take place on the morrow. It

still called the studio, although Helen had gi

ashioned room, oak-p

upon the wall opposite door and fireplace, re

introduced three or four deep wicker chairs, comf

curtains were drawn in ample folds over the many windows, shutting out the dank b

lable, and glowered down, from the bad light to which they had been relegated, on the very modern young man whose uncomplimentary remarks had effect

y and very inaccurately strummed by ear; and on which Helen, with careful ski

extraordinarily, so unusually, beautiful; combined with an entire lack of metho

e from the depths of a chair in which he had been lying, talking wild and feverish nonsense; stumbled over to the piano, dropped heavily upon t

appeared to have forgotten all about it, turni

, the piano stood unheeded. They seemed

et it was Ronnie who made moan, and Helen who bravely comforted; turning as often as possible to earnest discussion o

, the evenings were chilly;

ight, and seated himself on the rug in the firel

sed her fingers

s thoughts from himself to her alone. "Helen," he said

ld not

ld Mademoiselle Victorine

for her. She and I lived alone together here during eighteen months, after Papa's

ll you do

le Victorine delights in playing what she calls 'des à quatre mains,' which consist in our both prancing vigorously upon the same piano; she steadily punish

you ride

e; not wit

lle Victorine drive you

hink I shall be able to bear to touc

," said Ronni

metimes you play quite wonderfully.

en I really play. But, excepting when the mood is on me, I don't care to think of those times. I never feel really myself when it happens. I seem to

e, you must promise me to take care of your health out in that c

test," he said. "But I shall be all right. I'm

u will get

, the more completely I leave all civilisation, the more correctly I shall get my 'cop

at lozenges," sugg

nique fruits and roots-all the things which correspond to locusts and wild honey. But, Helen, I am afraid there will be quite a long time during which I shall not be able either to send or to receive letters. We shall have

l with them. You must keep a perfectly free mind, all the time. For my part, I will try not to give w

and get ill, w

heek on the top of his h

you, I am sound in wind and limb

the lions and tigers, hippopotamuses, cockatrices and asps, sitting round my camp fire: 'You will hardly believe it, my heathen hearers, out in this well-ordered jungle, where the female is kept in her proper place-but

oat. He might have heard the beating

t my writer of romances, who is such a stickler for gramm

aughing. "And you really presume too much on that one shor

eld the mother look, in

g; a child in heart, full of youth's joyous joy in living. You must not mind if your wife occasionally treats you as though you were a dear big baby, requiring maternal care and pe

nd from about his neck,

readily to express his surface thoughts; but when words suddenly and unexpectedly failed,

here, and rocks on which might eventually be built a beacon-light for the souls of men. But, as yet, it

shining eyes, full of trustful love and innocent courage, absolutely unafraid-notwithstanding her rather peremptory manner, and apparently stern discipline-I felt that it must be the making

ling; we-

m away. Try to put in a good long visit there. And s

ill come if

e found. I have to remain erect, handing tea and bread-and-butter, while I mentally grovel. I almost pray that a hungry blackbird or a prying thrush may chance to come my way, and consider me j

y! I know Jane admire

quite unfit to tie

le or difficulty. She helped me through an awfully hard time, six months before I met you. She showed me

le I am away. I shall feel quite brave about her bei

e that you will get back soo

y' I have to firms there, and make arrangements for German and Dutch translations to appear as soon as possible after the English edition is out. I think I may as well do this,

ing music, and working on compositions of his own,

n, is to be out there in November, investigating one of their queer water-cures. I wish you kne

Treherne is not a good man. He

ellow because he puts you up for the nigh

good man," repe

are none o

sense I mean, or I shoul

e!" said Ronnie. "I

len's face was grave. Then a

w a little beauty the other day at Huntingford; a perfect tone, twelve stops, and quite easy to play. They had had it sent over from Leipzig. It cost only twenty-four pounds. In En

nstruments. But why economise over the organ? If my wi

Ronnie. You must

r. Buying things one can a

need demands, or than the circumstances justify. I considered you extravagant last winter when you paid five guine

ct estimate of values. I paid one pound, six shillings and three-pence for the two seats, and three pounds, eighteen and nine-pence for the pleasure of sitting

y did not require paté de foie gras and champagne, nor did they understand or really enjoy them. One old lady, in considerable distress, confided to me the fact that the champagne tasted to her 'like physic with a fizzle in it.' It made most of them ill, Ronnie, and cost at least ei

u work the thing-whether you blow into it, or pull it in and out, or tread upon it; nor what manner of surprising sound it emits, when you do any or all of these things. I love springing surprises on myself and on other people; and I know I do best the things which, if I c

orrow is so near. What shall I do when ther

it. Say: 'Chère Mademoiselle, s'il-vous-plait

ful, and sing very softly, as you did the other night; so that I

lump in my throat just now, and not a note could

s foot, and kicked

e log-fire, and the two seated near it, we

others, which I have always longed to play;

ument is th

el to hold it between my knees, press my fingers up and down the yielding strings, and draw the bow across them. Helen-if I had a 'cello here to-nigh

f deeper strength and of fuller manly vigour cam

sob, Helen stooped an

k struck

Ronnie! It is to-day, now! No

, took her hand, and

Helen,"

rt