Halcyone

he thought of the presence of a stranger caused. Mr. Carlyon had given her some simple books upon the Renaissance which she was devouring with joy. This period seemed to give some echo of the Gree

er intelligent mind. Thus they had many talks upon history and the natural sciences and poetry and painting. But to hear

er a message by his dark, silent servant. Would she not take tea with him that afternoon? So Halcyone c

f his long, lean limbs under the apple tree-her

the meeting with

r Tityus in these latter days is known by the name of John Derringham-of

ised himself a little and said "Good afternoon." He did not care fo

id. "Demetrius will bring it in a minute." And Halcyone sat down d

s words so that uneducated clods can grasp his meaning, he cannot advocate an idea with success unless it can appeal to the lower middle classes. It is this subservience to them which has brought us to where we are. No ideals-no lofty ends-just a means to each one's o

him, and she wondered if he would jump if t

as a principle of propaganda before the franchise was so low, but now the mediocrity

things. I could have agreed with the greatest Athenian democrats because their principle was one of sense. They had slaves to do the lowest offices who had no voice in public affairs, but here we let those who have no more

your constituency," Cheiron said with his kindly twinkle

s brought the tea and Halcy

ke Mr. Carlyon?" she ask

rance of her presence and

trong, only with cream an

steely gray hawk-like eyes and his fine, rather ascetic, clean-shaven face. He did not look at her specially. He may have taken in a small, pale visage and masses of mouse-colored hair and slender legs-but nothing struck him particularly except her feet. As his

Mr. Carlyon asked. "I have not seen you since Mond

n agreeable kind coming her way at La Sarthe Chase. She had been gardening with William-they had quite t

s guest should accompany him when he dined with them on the Saturday. It had become the cust

to the country to be dragged out to bucolic dinner parties. But upon some points he knew his old

ressed Cheiron, ignoring her. Their conversation now ran into philosophical questions, some of

pause and her fres

philosophy-is it only words

ered for a moment, and John Derri

here and I should pull each other's theories to pieces; that evidently was

said Halcyone. "To have to arg

complacently roused to look at her. "What are your rules of

g smile. So she thought a second and then said calmly, measuring her words: "Things are what we make them, they have no power in themselves; they are as inanimate as this wood-" and she to

ess," demanded John Derri

ark with their own frightening images and fear it because they th

clever child when writing to him first about the place, two months before. This was the creature, then, who was learning Greek. S

hout a candle. What a good little girl! But perhaps you tak

ked him through and through-and Cheiron leaned back in his ch

ff second best, for Halcyone can

nnoyed; but it was too contemptible to be annoyed by

pect she hates me already-" and he

one governess for a while-because she told lies and was mean and she had the power to keep me i

turned John Derringham, "but it is something t

arked, "it is all a level thing which does not matter. You ar

d John Derringham laughed, furious now w

her chair-"and I will tell my aunts that they may expect

o John Derringham with quiet dignity as he still lay on the ground

n said when they got to the gap in the hedge. "Tell

bounded lightly away laughing, and wa

eturned to his prostrate guest to f

rat while I am here," he exclaimed, "chattering aphorisms