THE DAMSEL AND THE SAGE THE DAMSEL AND THE SAGE A WOMAN'S WHIMSIES BY ELINOR GLYN HARPER &BROTHERSPUBLISHERSNEW YORK& LONDONMDCCCCIII Copyright, 1903, by ELINOR GLYN. _All rights reserved. _ Published October, 1903. TO THE SUN'S RAYS _A tree stood alone surrounded by high and low hills. It could beobserved from all sides, and it appeared different from each elevation. _ _The tree was the same, only the point of view differed. _ _Everything depends upon the point of view. _ * * * * * "_And as to the meaning, it's what you please. _" _C. S. C. _ THE DAMSEL AND THE SAGE And the Damsel said to the Sage: "Now, what is life? And why does the fruit taste bitter in the mouth?" And the Sage answered, as he stepped from his cave: "My child, there was once a man who had two ears like other people. Theywere naturally necessary for his enjoyment of the day. But one of theseears offended his head. It behaved with stupidity, thinking thereby toenhance its value to him--it heard too much. Oh, it conducted itselfwith a gross stupidity. 'Out upon you, ' cried the man; 'since you haveoverstepped the limit of the functions of an ear, I shall cut you frommy head!' And so, without hesitation, he took a sword and accomplishedthe deed. The poor ear then lay upon the ground bleeding, and the manwent about with a mutilated head. " "And what was the good of all that?" said the Damsel. "There was no good in it, " replied the Sage. "But he was a man, and hehad punished the too-fond-and-foolish ear--also he hoped a new and moresuitable one would grow in its place. 'Change, ' he said, 'was a thing tobe welcomed. '" "And tell me, Sage, what became of the ear?" asked the Damsel. "The ear fared better. Another man of greater shrewdness came along, and, although he had two ears of his own, he said, 'A third will notcome amiss, ' and he picked up the ear and heard with three ears insteadof two. So he became knowing and clever because of the information heacquired in this way. The grafted ear grew and flourished, and, in spiteof its remaining abnormal, it obtained a certain enjoyment out ofexistence. " "But who _really_ benefited by all this?" inquired the Damsel. "No one, " said the Sage; "the first man went about with only one ear;the second man made himself remarkable with three--and the cut-off ear, although alive and successful, felt itself an excrescence. " "Then what _could_ be the pleasure of it all?" demanded the Damsel. "Out upon _you_!" exclaimed the Sage, in a passion. "You asked me whatwas life--and why the fruit tasted bitter in the mouth? I have answeredyou. " And he went back into his cave and barred the door. The Damsel sat down upon a stone outside. "It seems to me that men are fools, " she said, and she clapped her handsto her two ears. "When I am angry and offended with one of you, I willcut the ear from off the head of some one else. " And she picked up an apple and ate it. And it tasted sweet. * * * * * _A man will often fling away a woman who has wronged him although indoing so he is deeply hurting himself. A woman will forgive a man whohas wronged her because her own personal pleasure in him is greater thanher outraged pride. Hence women are more unconscious philosophers thanmen. _ * * * * * The Damsel returned again to the cave of the Sage. There were otherquestions she wished to ask about life. The door was hard to push ajar, but at last she obtained entrance. "What do you want now?" he demanded, with a voice of grumbling. "Wereyou not content with my last utterances?" "Yes--and no, " said the Damsel. "I came to quite other conclusionsmyself. I would have kept the ear on my head, since cutting one off, however it had angered me, would have upset my own comfort. " "We have finished with that matter now, " said the Sage, showing signs ofimpatience--he was still a man. "What next?" "I want to know, " said the Damsel, "why a woman who has Diamonds andPearls and Emeralds and Rubies in her possession should set such storeupon a Topaz--a yellow Topaz--the color she dislikes--and a Topaz ofuneven temper and peculiar properties. She never wears this stone thatit does not bruise her, now her neck, now her arm. It is restless andslips from its chain. It will not remain in the case with the otherjewels. And at last she has lost it--she fears for good and all. And sonow all the other stones, which seemed very well in their way, havegrown of even less value in her eyes, and she can only lament the lossof her Topaz. 'I am brilliant, ' cries the Diamond. 'I set off your eyes, and I love you. ' 'I am soft and caressing, ' whispers the Pearl. 'I lieclose to your white skin and keep it cool, and I love you. ' 'I amwitty, ' laughs the Emerald. 'I make your thoughts flash, and I loveyou. ' 'I am the color of blood, and I would die for you, ' chants theRuby, 'and I love you. ' And all these things the stones say all the dayto her, and yet the woman only listens with half an ear, and their wordshave no effect upon her because of the charm of this tiresome Topaz. What does it all mean, Sage?" "It means, first of all, " said the Sage, "that the woman is a fool, aswhat is the value of a Topaz in comparison with a Diamond or a Ruby? Itmeans, secondly, that the Topaz is a greater fool, because it would bemore agreeable surely to lie close to the woman's soft neck than to bepicked up by any stranger or lie neglected in the dust. But, above andbeyond everything, it means that cherries are ripest when out of reach, and that the whole world is full of fools of either opinion, who do notknow when they are well off. " Upon which the Sage, with his usual lack of manners, retired into hiscave and slammed his door. The Damsel sat down upon the rock and came again to her own conclusions. The stone that apparently was a Topaz was in reality a yellow Diamond ofgreat rarity and worth, and that was why the woman valued it so highly. Her instincts were stronger than her reason. But if she had not madeherself so cheap by adoring the stone, it would not have become restlessand she would not have lost it. Even stones cannot stand too much honey. If ever the woman should find this yellow Diamond again she must be toldto keep it in a cool box and not caress it or place it above the others. The Damsel thought aloud and the Sage heard her--he strode forth in arage. "Why do you come here demanding my advice if you moralize yourself? Outupon you again!" he thundered. "The woman will not find her Topaz, whichis now revelling in the sun of freedom and will soon go down intonothingness and be forgotten. And after lamenting until her eyes lookgaunt, the woman will begin to see some beauty in a Sapphire and becomeconsoled, and so all will be well. " "I do not care what you say, " said the Damsel. "_It is better to havewhat one wants one's self than to try and learn to like anything elsethat other people think better. _" And she refastened a bracelet with great care--which contained twocat's-eyes of no value--as she went on her way. * * * * * Seize the occasion lest it pass thee by and fall into the lap ofanother. * * * * * No man likes shooting tame rabbits. * * * * * Most men like the hunt more than the quarry--therefore the wise woman iselusive. * * * * * It is a good hostess who never inclines her guests unconsciously to lookat the clock. * * * * * Some things cause pride, some pleasure. There is only one thing whichcauses infinite bliss and oblivion of time, and this one thing, unlessbound with chains, is called immoral. * * * * * It is a wise man who knows when he is happy and can appreciate thedivine bliss of the tangible _now_. Most of us retrospect or anticipateand so lose the present. * * * * * Seize Love at whatever age he comes to you--if you can avoid beingridiculous. * * * * * "More questions?" exclaimed the Sage, as the Damsel tapped gently uponthe door of his cave. "Women are never satisfied; they are as restless as the sea, and whenthey have received all the best advice they invariably follow their owninclinations. " "It was not to discuss women, " replied the Damsel, timidly; "this timeit is of a man I wish to ask. " "Begin, then, and have done quickly, " growled the Sage, averting hishead. The Damsel had an outline against the sky which caused ideas nottranquillizing for Hermits. "I wish to know why a man who possessed the most beautiful and nobleBird of Paradise--a bird of rare plumage and wonderful qualities--shouldsuddenly see more beauty in an ordinary Cockatoo, whose only attractionwas its yellow feathers--a Cockatoo that screamed monotonously as itswung backward and forward on its perch, and would eat sugar out of thehand of any stranger while it cried 'Pretty Poll. ' The man could notafford to buy this creature also, so he deliberately sold his exquisiteBird of Paradise to a person called Circumstance and with the moneybecame the possessor of the Cockatoo, who pierced the drums of his earswith its eternal 'Pretty Poll' and wearied his sight with its yellowfeathers. Why did the man do this?" The Sage laughed at so simple a question. "Because he was a man, and even a screaming Cockatoo belonging to someone else has more charm at times than the most divine Bird of Paradisebelonging to himself. " "But was it worth while to sell this rare thing for a very ordinaryone?" demanded the Damsel. "Certainly not, " said the Sage, impatiently. "What childish questionsyou ask! The thing was a folly on the face of it; but, as I said before, he was a man--and the Cockatoo belonged to some one else!" "Then what will happen now?" asked the Damsel, placing herself in thedirection in which the Sage had turned his head. "The Bird of Paradise will still be the most beautiful and glorious anddesirable bird in the world; and when the man realizes he has lost itforever he will begin to value its every feather, and will spend hisdays in comparing all its remembered perfections and advantages with thescreams and the yellow feathers of the Cockatoo. " "And what will the Cockatoo do?" inquired the Damsel. "It will probably continue to shriek 'Pretty Poll, ' and eat sugar out ofthe hand of any stranger, " replied the Sage, plucking his heard. "And the man?" "The man will go on telling every one he has bought the most divine birdin the world, in the hope that some one will offer him a large sum ofmoney for it. The only person who gains in the affair is the Bird ofParadise, who, instead of being caged as when in the possession of theman, is absolutely free to fly with its new master, Circumstance, whoonly seeks to please and soothe this glorious bird and make life fairfor it. " "But what will be the very end?" persisted the Damsel. The Sage turned and looked full at her. He was angry with herimportunity and would have answered sternly. Then he saw that the ripples of her hair were golden and his voicesoftened. "That will depend--upon Circumstance, " he replied, and he closed hisdoor softly in her face. * * * * * _A man wishes and a woman wishes, but Circumstance frequently wins thegame. _ * * * * * Life is short--avoid causing yawns. * * * * * It is possible for a woman to retain the amorous affection of a man formany years--if he only sees her for the two best hours out of eachtwenty-four. * * * * * "Please open the door, Sage, " entreated the Damsel, "and I will tell youa story. " The Sage pushed it ajar with his foot, but he did not come out. "There was once upon a time a man, " she said, "who unexpectedly and forno apparent reason became the possessor of a Tiger. It had been covetedby numbers of people and was of a certain value and beauty. It had aninfinite variety of tricks. It was learned in caresses. It was fierce, and gentle, and it could love passionately. Altogether a large pricewould have been offered the man for it by many others if he had wishedto sell it. In the beginning he had greatly valued the possession ofthis strange beast, and had fed it with his own hand. The little anxietyas to whether it would eat him or not, or rush away, had kept himinterested. But gradually, as he became certain the Tiger adored him, and would show none but velvet claws and make only purring sounds, hiskeenness waned. He still loved it, but certainty is monotonous, and hiseyes wandered to other objects. 'The Tiger is nothing but a domesticcat, ' he said; 'I will pet and caress it when the mood takes me, and forthe rest of the time it can purr to itself by the fire. ' At last oneday, after the Tiger was especially gracious and had purred with allessence of love, the man yawned. 'It is really a charming beast, ' hesaid, 'but it is always the same; and then he went away and forgot evento feed it. The Tiger felt hungry and restless. Its quietness andgentleness became less apparent. The man on his travels chanced to thinkof it and sent it a biscuit. So the Tiger waited, and when the manreturned and expected the usual docile caresses, it bit his hand. 'Vilebeast!' said the man. 'Have I not fed and kept you for weeks, and nowyou bite my hand!' Now tell me, Sage, which was right--the man or theTiger?" "Both, and neither, " said the Sage, decidedly. "The man was only obeyingthe eternal law in finding what he was sure of monotonous; but hemistook the nature of the beast he had to deal with. Tigers are not ofthe species that can ever be really monotonous, if he had known. TheTiger was foolish to allow its true nature to be so disguised by itslove for the man that he was deceived into looking upon it as a domesticcat. It thought to please him thereby and so lost its hold. " "And what will be the end?" asked the Damsel. "The man's hand will smart to the end of his life, and he will neversecure another Tiger. And the Tiger will go elsewhere and console itselfby letting its natural instincts have full play. It will not be foolisha second time. " But the Damsel's conclusion was different. "No, " she said. "The man's hand will heal up, and the Tiger will caresshim and make him forget the bite, and they will love each other toeternity because they have both realized their own stupidity. " And without speaking further she allowed the Sage to close the door. * * * * * _It is wiser to know the species one is playing with: do not offerTigers hay--or Antelopes joints of meat. _ * * * * * Next day, in a pouring shower of rain, the Damsel knocked at the Sage'sdoor. It was for shelter, she said, this time, until the storm shouldpass. The Sage was fairly gracious, and to while away the time the Damselbegan a story. "A man once owned a brown Sparrow. It had no attractions, and it made acontinuous and wearying noise as it chattered under the eaves. It didthe same thing every day, and had monotonous domestic habits that oftengreatly irritated the man, but--he was accustomed to it, and did notcomplain. After several years a travelling Showman came along; he had alarge aviary of birds of all sorts, some for sale, some not. Among themwas a glorious Humming Bird of wonderful brilliancy and plumage, acreature full of beauty and grace and charm and elegance. The man becamepassionately attached to it; he was ready to perpetrate any folly forthe sake of obtaining possession of it, and indeed he did commit numbersof regrettable actions, and at last stole the bird from the Showman andcarried it away. Then, in a foreign palace, for a short while herevelled in its beauty and the joy of owning it. The Humming Bird didits best to be continually charming, but it felt its false position. Andthe worry and annoyance of concealing the theft from the Showman, andthe different food the Humming Bird required, and the care that had tobe taken of it, at last began to weary the man. He chafed and was oftendisagreeable to it, although he realized its glory and beauty and thefeather it was in his cap. Finally, one day, in a fit of desperation, the man let the Humming Bird fly, and crept back home to the homelybrown Sparrow, with its irritating noises and utter want of beauty. Whywas this, Sage?" The Sage had not to think long. "Custom, my child, " he said. "Custom forges stronger chains than thefinest plumage of a Humming Bird. The man had to put himself out andexert himself to retain the Humming Bird in a way that was not agreeableto his self-love, whereas the brown Sparrow lived on always the same, causing him no trouble, and custom had deadened the sense of its want ofcharm. " "Then it seems to me it was rather hard upon the poor Humming Bird!"said the Damsel. "It is always hard upon the Humming Birds, " replied the Sage, and hisvoice was quite sad. * * * * * The rain did not cease for a long time. It was more than an hour beforethe Damsel left the cave. * * * * * _If you are a Humming Bird it is wiser for you to remain in thepossession of the Travelling Showman. _ * * * * * A long period elapsed after this before the Damsel again tapped at theSage's door. He looked out morning and evening, and attributed his lackof enthusiasm for his devotions to an attack of rheumatism from the dampof his cave. At last, one morning he spied her sauntering slowly up thehill, and he retired into the back of his cell, and the Damsel had toknock twice before he opened the window shutter. She was in a gay mood, and demanded a story, so the Sage began: "There was once upon a time a Fish with glittering scales who swam aboutin a deep river. It had been tempted by the flies of many Fishermen, but had laughed at them all and swam away, just under the surface of thewater, so that the sun might shine on its glittering scales to pleasethe eyes of the Fishermen and to excite their desire to secure it. Itwas a Fish who laughed a good deal at life. But one fine day a newAngler came along; he was young and beautiful, and seemed lazy andhappy, and not particularly anxious to throw the line. The Fish peepedat him from the sheltering shadow of a rock. 'This is the most perfectspecimen of a Fisherman I have ever seen, ' it said to itself. 'I couldalmost believe it would be agreeable to swallow the fly and let him landme and put me in his basket. ' The young Fisherman threw the line, andthe sun caught the glittering scales of the Fish at that moment. Thelaziness vanished from the Fisherman, and he began to have a strongdesire to secure the Fish. "He fished for some time, and the Fish swam backward and forward, makingup its mind. It saw the hook under the fly, but the attraction of theAngler growing stronger and stronger, at last it deliberately decided tocome up and bite. 'I know all the emotions of swimming on the surfaceand letting my scales shine in the sun, ' it mused, 'but I know nothingabout the bank and the basket, and perhaps the tales that are drilledinto the heads of us Fish from infancy about suffocation and exhaustionare not true. ' And it mused again: 'He is a perfectly beautifulFisherman and looks kind, and I want to be closer to him and let himtouch my glittering scales. After all, one ought to know everythingbefore one dies. ' "So, its heart beating and its eyes melting, the Fish deliberately roseto the surface and swallowed the fly. The hook caught in a gristly placeand did not hurt much, and the novel experience of being pulled onto thegreen meadow delighted the Fish. It saw the Fisherman close, and felthis hands as he tenderly disengaged the hook. He was full of joy andpride at securing the difficult Fish and admired its scales. He talkedaloud and told it how bright he found it, and he was altogether charmingand delightful, and the Fish adored him and was glad it had been caught. "Then after some time of this admiration and dalliance, the Fishermanput it in the basket among the cool rushes. The Fish lay quiet, stillcontent. It had not yet begun to pant. For an hour almost the Fishermangloried in his catch. He opened the lid frequently and smiled at theFish. "Then he lay down on the bank beside the basket and let his rod floatidly in the stream. The sun was warm and pleasant. "'I wish, ' he said to himself, 'after all, I had not secured the Fishyet; the throwing of the fly and the excitement of trying to catch thecreature are better fun than having it safely landed and lying in thebasket, ' and he yawned, and his eyes gradually closed and he slept. "Now the Fish heard very plainly what he had said. Tell me, Damsel--youwho ask questions and answer them finally yourself--tell me, What didthe Fish do?" The Damsel mused a moment. She stirred with her white fingers the waterin the basin of the fountain that sprang from the rock close by. Thenshe looked at the Sage from under the shadow of her brows and answered, thoughtfully: "The Fish was stunned at first by this truth being uttered so near it. It suddenly realized what it had done and what it had lost. 'I, who swamabout freely and showed my glittering scales in the sun, am now caughtand in a basket, with no prospect but suffocation and death in front ofme, ' it said to itself. 'I could have even supported that, and theknowledge that my scales will become dull and unattractive in the nearfuture, if the Fisherman had only continued to lift the lid and admireme a little longer. ' And it sighed and began to feel the sense ofsuffocation. But it was a Fish of great determination and resources. 'Ihave learned my lesson, ' it gasped; 'the Fisherman has taught it to mehimself. Now I will make a great jump and try to get out of the basket. ' "So it jumped and opened the lid. The Fisherman stirred in his sleep andput out his hand vaguely to close it again, but he was too sleepy tofasten the catch, and with less noise the Fish bounced up again andsucceeded in floundering upon the grass. It lay panting and in greatdistress, but it looked at the beautiful Angler with regret. He was sobeautiful and so desirable. 'I could almost stay now, ' the Fish sighed. Then it braced itself up and gave one more bound, and this time reachedthe rock at the edge of the stream. "Again the Fisherman awoke, and now casually, with his eyes stillclosed, fastened up the basket before he slept again; but the Fish withits third bound reached the river, and darted out into the middle of thestream. "'Good-bye, Beautiful Angler!' it said, sadly. 'You were sweet, but youhave taught me a lesson, and freedom is sweeter. ' "The splash of its reaching the water fully awakened the Fisherman, buthe saw the basket with the lid shut, and had no anxieties until his eyecaught the pink of the water where the Fish sheltered under the rock. Its gill was still bleeding from the hook wound, and colored a circleround it. Then he opened the lid and found the basket empty. "'Good-bye, ' said the Fish. 'Your wish has been granted, and yourpleasure can begin all over again!' "But the Fisherman suddenly realized that his rod, while he slept, hadfallen into the river, and was floating away down the stream. "'Good-bye again, ' said the Fish; 'I have suffered, but I have nowexperience, and I am grateful to you, and my gill will heal up, and Iwill smile at you sometimes from just under the surface of the water, and so all is well!' And it flashed its glittering scales in the sunbefore it darted away out of sight in the strong current. " And the Damsel folded her hands and looked into distance. "Thank you, Damsel, " said the Sage, gently for him; "but the Fishermancould procure another rod--rods are not rarities. What then?" "That would be for another day, " said the Damsel; "and--for anotherFish!" And she tripped away down the hill, and was deaf to the Sage, whogruffly called after her. * * * * * _When you have caught your Fish, it may be wiser to cook it and eatit. _ * * * * * The sun was setting when the Damsel next came to the Cave. She had a petfalcon with her, and kept caressing it as she propounded her question. "There lived a woman in a Castle who had three Knights devoted to her. She loved one, and her vanity was pleased with the other two. While shecontinued to play with them all, they all loved her to distraction; butpresently her preference for the one Knight became evident, and the twoothers, after doing their utmost to supplant the third without success, at last left the Castle and rode away. They were no sooner gone, andthings had become quiet, and no combats occurred to interrupt thelovers' intercourse, when the chosen Knight began to weary, and he, too, at last rode away, although before he had been the most ardent of all. Why was this, Sage? And what should the woman do?" "It was because the Knight had won the prize and the woman gave him notrouble to keep it, " replied the Sage. "He was bound to weary. When aman's profession is fighting and he has fought hard and succeeded, aftersufficient rest he wishes to fight again. So if the woman wants herlover back, she had better first summon the other two. " For once the Damsel had nothing to say, and had no excuse to remainlonger in the cave. The Sage, however, was not in the mind to let her go so soon, so hebegan a question: "Why do you caress that bird so much? It appears completely indifferentto you. Surely that is waste of time?" "It is agreeable to waste time, " replied the Damsel. "Upon an insensible object?" "Yes. " "More so than if it returned your caresses?" "Probably--there is the speculation. It might one day respond, whilecertainly if it repaid warmly my love now, one day it would not. Nothinglasts in this world. You have told me so yourself. " The Sage was nettled. "Yes, there is one thing that lasts, that is friendship, " he said. "Friendship!" exclaimed the Damsel; "but that is not made up ofcaresses. It does not make the heart beat. " "We were not talking of beating hearts, " said the Sage, sententiously. "Very well. Good-bye, then, Sage, " laughed the Damsel. "You must thinkof more stories for me before I come again. " And, continuing to caress the falcon, she walked away, stately and fair, into the setting sun. When she had gone the Sage wondered why there was no twilight thatevening, and why it had suddenly become night. * * * * * _Most men prefer to possess something that the other men want. _ * * * * * It would be a peaceful world if we could only realize that the fever oflove is like other fevers. It comes to a crisis, and the patient eitherdies or is cured. It cannot last at the same point forever. * * * * * The Damsel came back again next day. She had remarked, the day she spentwith him in the rain, that the Sage was not so old or so uncomely as shehad at first supposed. "If he were to shave off his beard and wear avelvet doublet, he would look as well as many a cavalier of the Court, "she mused. And she called out before she reached the door: "Sage, I have come back because I want to ask you just another question. Will you not come out and sit in the sun while you answer?" So the Sage advanced in a recalcitrant manner, but he would not sitdown beside her. Then the Damsel began: "A woman once possessed a ball of silk. It was of so fine and rare akind that, although of many thousand yards, it took up no space, and sheunwound it daily for her pleasure without any appreciable difference inthe size of the ball. At last she suddenly fancied she perceived somealteration. It came upon her as a shock, but still she continued to usethe silk with the casual idea that a thing she had employed so long_must_ go on forever. Then again, in about a week, there came anothershock. The ball was certainly smaller, and felt cold and hard and firm. The thought came to her, 'What if it should not be silk all through andI have come to the end of matters? What shall I do?' Now tell me, Sage, should the woman go on to the end and find perhaps a stone? Or shouldshe try to rewind the silk? Which is the best course?" The Damsel took up the Sage's staff, which he had dropped for themoment, and with its point she drew geometrical figures in the sand. Butthe sun made shadows with her eyelashes, and the Sage felt his voicetremble, so he answered, tartly: "That would depend upon the nature of the woman. If she continues tounwind the silk she will certainly find a piece of adamant, which hasbeen cunningly covered with this rare, soft substance. If she tries torewind, she will discover the thread has become tangled, and the ballcan never again look smooth and even as before. She must choose whichshe would prefer, a clean piece of adamant or an uneven ball of silk. " "But that is no answer to my question, " said the Damsel, pouting. "Iasked which must she do for the best. " "Neither is better nor worse!" replied the Sage with asperity. "Andthere is no best. " "You are quite wrong, Sage, " returned the Damsel. "There is a thirdcourse. She can cut the thread and leave the ball as it is, a coating ofsmooth silk still--and an undiscovered possibility inside. " "You are too much for me!" exclaimed the Sage in a fury. "Answer yourown questions, to begin with, in future! I will have no more of you!"and he went into his cave and ostentatiously fastened the door. The Damsel smiled to herself and continued to draw geometrical figureswith the point of the Sage's staff in the sand. * * * * * _There are always three courses in life: the good, the bad, andthe--indifferent. The good gives you calm, and makes you sleep; the badgives you emotions, and makes you weep; and the indifferent gives you nosatisfaction, and makes you yawn, so--choose wisely. _ * * * * * One can swear to be faithful eternally, but how can one swear to loveeternally? The one is a question of will, the other a sentiment beyondall human control. One might as sensibly swear to keep the wind in thesouth, or the sun from setting! * * * * * And yet we swear both vows--and break both vows. * * * * * A woman is always hardest upon her own sins, committed by others. A man is sometimes lenient to them. A fool can win the love of a man, but it requires a woman of resourcesto keep it. * * * * * The Damsel did not go away from the cave, as was her custom. Shecontinued to draw geometrical figures in the sand. Presently she calledto the Sage once more. "Come out again, dear Sage! Listen, I have something more to say. " He unfastened the window and stood leaning on the sill. "Well?" he said, sternly. "Well?" "A Ring Dove once was owned by a man. It was the sweetest and mostgentle of birds, besides being extremely beautiful. It adored the manand lived contentedly in its cage. The perches, which the man had hadprepared especially for it, were endeared to it from association withthe happy hours when it had been caressed by the man. Altogether to itthe cage appeared a palace, and it lived content. "The man was a brutal creature, more or less, and at last he cruellyill-treated the Ring Dove, and exalted a Cuckoo in its place. Thisconduct greatly saddened the sweet Dove, but it over and over againforgave its tormentor, so great was its love, and even saw the Cuckooadvanced to the highest honors without anger, only a bleeding heart. Howlong things would have continued in this way no one knows; but the mansuddenly gave the Cuckoo the Ring Dove's cage, and let the Cuckoo sleepon the perches which the Dove was accustomed to consider its very own. This overcame the gentle Dove. Its broken heart mended, and it flewaway. Tell me, Sage, why did this action cure the Dove of its great lovefor the man, when it had borne all the blows and cruelty withoutresentment?" "That is an easy question to answer, " replied the Sage. "The Dove wasreally growing tired and seized this as a good opportunity to be off. " "Oh, how little you know of the female sex, even of Doves!" laughed theDamsel. "I can give you the true reason myself. It was the bad taste ofthe man in giving the Cuckoo the cage and perches of the Ring Dove, which he had consecrated to her. That cured her, and enabled her to flyaway. " And the Damsel curtsied to the Sage and sauntered off, laughing andlooking back over her shoulder. * * * * * _An action committed in bad taste is more curing and disillusionizing toLove than the cruelest blows of rage and hate. _ * * * * * A man would often be the lover of his wife--if he were married to someone else. * * * * * There come moments in life when we regret the old gods. * * * * * Time and place--temperature and temperament--and after the sunset thenight--and then to-morrow. * * * * * All the winter passed and the Damsel remained at the Court and the Sagein his cave. Both found the days long and their occupation insufficient. At last, when spring came, the Damsel again mounted the hill one morningbefore dawn and tapped at the Sage's door. His heart gave a bound, and he flew to open it without more ado. "So you have come back?" he said; and his voice was eager, though it wasa gray light and he could not see her plainly. "Yes, " said she; "I want you to tell me one more story of life before Igo on a long voyage. " So the Sage began: "There was once upon a time a man of half-measures, whose brain wasfilled with dreams for his own glory, and he possessed a woman of fleshand blood, who loved him, and would have turned the dreams intorealities. But _because_ he was happy with her, and because her hair wasblack and her eyes were green, and her flesh like alabaster, he said tohimself, 'This is a fiend and a vampire. Nothing human can be sodelectable. ' So he ran a stake through her body, and buried her at thecross-roads. Then he found life an emptiness, and went down intonothingness and was forgotten--" "Oh, hush, Sage!" said the Damsel, trembling; "I wish to hear no more. Come, shave off your beard, and put on a velvet doublet, and returnwith me to the Court. See, life is short, and I am fair. " And the Sage suddenly felt he had found the philosopher's stone, andknew the secret he had come into the wilds to find. So he went back to his cave, and shaved his beard, and donned a velvetdoublet, long since lain by in lavender. And he took the Damsel by thehand, and they gladly ran down the hill. And the zephyrs whispered, and the day dawned, and all the world smiledyoung--and gay. * * * * * _Remember the tangible now. _ "_Sic transit gloria mundi!_" * * * * * BY MRS. HUMPHRY WARD LADY ROSE'S DAUGHTER. Illustrated by HOWARD CHANDLER CHRISTY. Post 8vo, Ornamented Cloth, $1. 50. This is Mrs. Humphry Ward's latest novel. It has been hailed asundoubtedly her best, while Julie Le Breton, the heroine, has beencalled "the most appealing type of heroine in English fiction. " "A story that must be read. "--_New York Sun. _ "Vividly alive from the first line. "--_Chicago Record-Herald. _ "The most marvellous work of its wonderful author. "--_New York World. _ "Absolutely different from anything else that has ever appeared infiction. "--_Brooklyn Eagle. _ "Love is not here the sentimental emotion of the ordinary novel or play, but the power that purges the weaknesses and vivifies the dormantnobilities of men and women. "--_The Academy_, London, England. "Quite sure to be the most widely and most highly considered book of theyear. "--_Chicago Evening Post. _ "The story is the combat between two powers of a brilliant woman'snature. Sometimes you are sure the lawless, the vagabond, and theintriguing side will win. But it doesn't. .. . "--_Boston Transcript. _ * * * * * HARPER & BROTHERS, PublishersNEW YORK AND LONDON [symbol: pointing hand] _The above work will be sent by mail, postageprepaid, to any part of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, on receiptof the price. _ * * * * * BY HENRY SETON MERRIMAN THE VULTURES. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Ornamented Cloth, $1. 50. A new novel by Henry Seton Merriman is always eagerly welcomed by everyreader of fiction. This is a story of intrigue, conspiracy, and excitingadventure among the political factions of the great European nations. One of the scenes is in Russia at the time of the assassination of theCzar. The _attachés_ of the various Foreign Offices play an importantpart. It is full of exciting, dramatic situations, most of which centrearound the love interest of the story--the love of a young Englishdiplomatist for the beautiful Countess Wanda of Warsaw. * * * * * HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERSNEW YORK AND LONDON [symbol: pointing hand] _The above work will be sent by mail, postageprepaid, to any part of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, on receiptof the price. _ BY ROBERT W. CHAMBERS THE MAID-AT-ARMS. Illustrated by Howard Chandler Christy. Post 8vo, Ornamented Cloth, $1. 50. Mr. Chambers has long since won a most enviable position amongcontemporary novelists. The great popular success of "Cardigan" makesthis present novel of unusual interest to all readers of fiction. It isa stirring novel of American life in days just after the Revolution. Itdeals with the conspiracy of the great New York land-owners and thesubjugation of New York Province to the British. It is a story with afascinating love interest, and is alive with exciting incident andadventure. Some of the characters of "Cardigan" reappear in this newnovel. * * * * * HARPER & BROTHERS, PublishersNEW YORK AND LONDON [symbol: pointing hand] _The above work will be sent by mail, postageprepaid, to any part of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, on receiptof the price. _ BY JOHN FOX, JR. A MOUNTAIN EUROPA. With Portrait. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1. 25. The story is well worth careful reading for its literary art and itstruth to a phase of little-known American life. --_Omaha Bee. _ THE KENTUCKIANS. A Novel. Illustrated by W. T. SMEDLEY. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1. 25. This, Mr. Fox's first long story, sets him well in view, anddistinguishes him as at once original and sound. He takes the right viewof the story-writer's function and the wholesale view of what the art offiction can rightfully attempt. --_Independent_, N. Y. "HELL FER SARTAIN, " and Other Stories. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1. 00. Mr. Fox has made a great success of his pictures of the rude life andprimitive passions of the people of the mountains of West Virginia andKentucky. His sketches are short but graphic; he paints his scenes andhis hill people in terse and simple phrases and makes them genuinelypicturesque, giving us glimpses of life that are distinctivelyAmerican. --_Detroit Free Press. _ A CUMBERLAND VENDETTA, and Other Stories. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1. 25. These stories are tempestuously alive, and sweep the heart-strings witha master-hand. --_Watchman_, Boston. * * * * * HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERSNEW YORK AND LONDON [symbol: pointing hand] _Any of the above works will be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, onreceipt of the price. _