THE MAILS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8068, 27 March 1906, Page 4

THE MAILS

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The Hindoo's Word.

One woman, one small, lovely woman, in her apartments at the Galbraith, wrote two brief notes.

Frailie Temple, theatrical manager, received his tirst.

" My dear Mr. Temple," the note read, " cancel at once all niv engagements. I cannot appeal 1 again—not even to-night. No one knows how I regret the anxiety this will cause you for a few days, but my decision is inviolate.—Yonrs faithfully, KATHEBINE VAIL TRUE."

Frailie Temple was a small, excitable man, who could tear and lacerate feminine emotions in five languages. There was some art in what he uttered, raving tongued, over Miss True's note, but not enough to redeem the whole.

In the workroom of the young playwright, Duffield Ducharme, the scene was different when the second note was torn open. "My dearest Duflield : If you could see me here writing this you would pity 'poor Kate.' Things that I cannot explain, that I can scarcely understand, have taken possession of the life which I promised (ah, so happily) to give to you. To forfeit my career has cost me not a tithe of the pain o{ this writing, because I was yours before the drama's. And my dearest hope for the next season—to play into victory your new ' Men and Mammon*—Alasi that is gone, too I ' " * I pray you upon the sacred all that has been so dear to us, not to ask further, not to come for me, but just to forget." After many moments of dangerous stillnei I Ducharme seized his hat and strode out and up to the hotel. He was told that Miss Trui had departed some time before, and had left no word.

He called on Frailie Temple. In the hallway ' of the theatre the two stricken onm faced each'other in entire understanding.

"It has been a hard day, Frailie," til# playwright said at last. The other said : "It is religion. Shi I* an apostle of the divine Diva." " Talk sense, man. Who is Diva ? "

" A Brahmin who has the city by t'n Horns—that is Diva—Ham Chunder Diva : He conies from the starved breasts of Indif ■ihd he knows all things. He has brought his religion and the robes and sayings thereof. He is a missionary from the pagac. heart of the world, and his law is as ancient is the mother of men. He is beautiful. Each feature of his face is ideal; each detail a delight, and the whole an animated symphony. Because he is beautiful, we men liate the superb pagan; and because hi in beautiful women tarry long in the spell of his teachings " " Frailie ! " Ducharme uttered the v ord narshly. "If I could only manage liiui and hie ■nission work I could make a fortune 1 But ilas, Bam Chunder works alone! " '■ But, Katherine " " You know as well as I," Frailie resiimen in a low tone, "the heritage cf much si ,uly An inclination apart from the unquestioning faith of one's fathers. Miss True isabril:iant woman. At first her doubts weri as -failed by the culture of every procee-lin;; Her imagination was enchanted by mysticism. In satisfying at length an it born yenning toward the occult, the religi >n ol Ram Chunder became irresistible. Miss' True found »o-day that her fad hud (;rown into a fact. The revelation resulted i i the two missives of which we each received one." Ducharme arose. His face was whit<. "thanks, Frailie," he said. "li?lieve I understand, liy the way, Frailie, what policy had"l better adopt in the presence of the Diva gentleman ? " " Work it out as you would a pla;i, my friend. If it were me, I should try lirst ol :ii| the policy of courtesy. * * * Am I to understand that you are seekin:; him uow? * * ' Here's lo sunshine 1 ' *

• Good-night, my friend.' 1 Ducharme half expected that the Brahmin would be housed amid uncan.iy environment. On the contrary, he \vf s ushered into a library elegant to the liial de tail, but quite within the scope of a i artistic " white man." The caller had scarcely a moment in which to note a soft odor of drying herbs, old silks and fresh flowers •.vhich brought back kindly memories of r apan, before Diva came forward, his hand •.•agerly outstretched. " I "received your card with exceeding pleasure, Mr. Ducharme," lie said, "and .vitii greater pleasure your hand. A few jvenings ago I witnessed an exquisite little Iraina of your workmanship. For that, if lothing more, I am yours to serve." The playwright was slow to answer. It #&8 not the gi' tuiic figure in evening diess -hatabsoibe! faculties'for the instant, lor the dark, massive face, mature, yet without a trace of years; but .the Brahmin's j -yes—the, largest, darkest, deepest eyes he I nad ever seen iti man or woman 1

"Forgive me," Ducharme UMirmured, •'for staring so rudely, but I wa? t truck at first glance with a memory of having seen von before. Of course, I kinw differently •iow." "" •' That is highly interesting. Let us be iSa'ed. Who knows but dhat* we may have bilked away some aeon long afternoon in mother world? " The Brahmin spoke with ttmost cordiality. Ducharme smled, and after a moment's •bought said : ' - You can readily underhand •hat I would .lot have called at this hour vithout, a vre.ssing errand. I'nin in great rouble, iou have a disciple; I have a iar.cee.. She is a woman, not a girl; lam . mail grown. Yesterday we toiled each in nir r<vn way, each happy in the approbation >f .he other, toward h future as one. We tfere tisalure; we understood each other and enough of the world to rob it of tinsel and .uti.oo much to lo?e ov.r faith. I believe, s most men do, that mine was a romance f exceptional beauty. We loved. Underlain! me, I say it not rashly, and not, ! itaven forbid as a fool tells of a conquest. 1 was the fairest truth in all the world to •ie! ' * * This morning I received n ■tter telling me that the fruition was not to •e. A:» hour ago I learned that you were .iighl;er than my creation of years." Ducharme paused. Diva raised his eyes mm the ivory paper «knifc in'his hand, and aid' softly: "Your words have extraordimry interest. May I ask you to continue?" " The letter gave me no reason, no hope," he caller resumed, "but begged me to rerain from inquiry and Jo cause my love to ie. To obey is beyond my province. She lust have known. There stands between arth and the remotest sun one single conition that would make me refrain from "ipe and striving and to suffer my defeat in

" Lest I may err, tell me, Mr. •II 1110 that condition'" As the Brahmin ■tike, his eves found the other's and held ir-m. his head bending slowly forward. The color left Ducharme's face. The tone this voice rose and became hard. " If I annul, that another man had surpassed my wn image in the heart-—in the heart of the voiuan—l would wit!.draw in becoming nnility-in becoming humility—but region—could not—do battle—oppressively >t I'm falling—" Dacharme dropped back into his chair un•mscious. The Brahmin bent over the inert . in, and under his eyes the stony set of the r-per's face relaxed. f f \ new kind," Diva imitterof. with a . .1 smile, as he let down the back of the !<' i ,i.nd loosened the other's collar. " Al- •»«! vnou persuadeat me \o be a Christian.

It -vas broad day when Ducharme awokt lo find the Brahmin smiling above him.

• ,s You have a habit, Mr. Ducharme, of !'.u)!: : ny into the eyes of the person you address. For reasons that you bhall presently heM 1 , I caused you to sleep when you looked into my eyes last evening. A bath is now ready (or you, and then, after yon have honored me at breakfast, we will continue ■ihy conversation."

An hour later, once more in the library, Diva spoke: "I have passed through the strangeßt night of my existence. If appears, my dear Mr. Ducharme, that I have imbibed something that may be called an occidental conscience. Last evening you came to me in great trouble. As man to man you told mn your story. I should have laughed had you raved at me; had you groveled and prayed I fihould have despised you. At the point when you fell asleep I knew what your next words would be. You had stated your position. You were ready to declare yourselt at war were I standing in the attitude of a priest; and if I proved to you that I was a more effectual lover than yourself you were prepared to silently withdraw. It was, indeed, fortunate that I had a night in which to frame a reply, for I might have answered unjustly. " Now, let us say that Bam Chunder Diva came to this country to make a fortune. All but the tew will say this when I am gone, and the daily press has so hinted, I am told, already. Now, lot us suppose that in making this fortune I encounter among a host of shoddy products one labor of love—a woman. (I try to ipeak of thia woman, my dear Ducharme, in the Bame delicate and admirable spirit that yon did last evening.) She ii brilliant. The art of my teachings, the zea! I impart, the secrets of the old, old East., where we number decades as you number days, impel her to follow me. As for myself, were I a woman or a basilisk, it would make no difference! And this woman surpasses my other disciples as the mind of man mounts above the understanding of babes. I find my strongest, strangest powers thrilled to the uttermost in handling this single adherent. In a word she is the creature for whom I have sought through all civilised lands.

"And now, fortune hunter or not, Mr. Ducharme, I must have you know that the supreme achievement of Earn Chunder Diva lies in finding a soul in which to perpetuate his powers 1" The Brahmin spoke the words with exceeding solemnity. He lit a cigarette, ani then added, in the same impressive tone: " In this woman I have found such a soulaye, a worthier one than the Brahmin administrator before you, seeking the heir 1 '■ Diva arose and paced the floor. " Last night you came," he resumed, in a low, swift way. "I listened. You fel' asleep. I called you a hinderer because you were young and brave. I said: ' Diva must not allow this gentleman to destroy his achievement. Diva must cause him to go his own way and forget!" .But you came to me as man to man 1 I walked the floor before you, even as now, and, sleeping, you overwhelmed me with your cause. I fought my way into a compromise. I wrote two letters—the first retaining my achievement without reservation; the second directing the lover to the lady. I meant that you should choose between two envelopes this morning. Then I laughed, for I could have caused you to choose the wrong or the right with my eyes 1" " You had said that I, in a moment, detroyed your creation of years. Believe me, Mr. Duehanne, 1 say without merriment I could not deceive myself into the right of an equal chance with you. I tossed the envelopes into the fireplace yonder, and they i lit me on the way to my bath, for the day y»s scarcely broken. And now, if you will honor me further to-day, I would h»ve you meet me in one hour and twenty minutes. My carriage is at the door. Direct the man to drive you to your rooms, for you are still in eveningwear. Good-bye for the momentl" The condition of Ducharme's mind no

tiffin can tell. He was not unhappy. He obeyed exactly. The Brahmin and he later boarded a train and 'journeyed for several hours, In the afternoon, at 4 small village Bet in fore»i environment, Dira announced the end of the ride, "I have fished here in the summer and shot ducks at other limes." Ducharme said dully. "I remember that large house. It belongs to her dearest friend. No one stays here in the winter but the keeper and his family. It cannot be that she is there alone now?"

"if that is Orchardine she is there," Diva answered coldly, " alone, if you will, but in communion with what the Brahmin conceives to be the noblest spheres in the totality oi existing things. But I am forgetting our mission. Let jis hasten to destroy her altars."

* Do not be alarmed, Mr. Ducharme, if Bhe dt>es not speak or appear to know us. For the time she is obeying my will. They ascended the broad verandah of the island" house; -The caretaker answered the bell.

" I have a message for Miss True that must be delivered at once," Diva said. "If I mistake not the lady is ready to receive us. e " Even as the Brahmin spoke a door opened and Ducharme saw, carved in the firelight from behind, the slender figure and thrilling profile of his life's quest. And then, as if from afar of! he heard: "In a few minutes. Miss True, you will awake—you will awake to find that my teachings jiave become light as impressions upon a brain that has dreamed—not unpleasant -impressions, but intangible and quickly to-be forgotten—like dreams that awake'no fear—too harmless for regret, too fancifuUor ponderings—each one to form a smile and (lee away—each one of Diva's lessons to form a smile atid-pass away !" The Brahmin, offering his arm, led Miss True to a chair before the fireplace, and then turned swiftly to Ducharme, holding out his hand. "It will' be as 'I have said," he whimpered. "Now I will go away. Goodbye, my dear Mr. Ducharme 1" The front door was opened and softly closed again. Miss True sat motionless, her eyes directed unwearyingly upon the flaming logs. At length Ducharme brushed his . eyes vaguely, tiptoed to the window, and raised the curtain through an impulse un known. . . . The clock above the fireplace chimed the hour of five. Miss True's eyelids fluttered and she sighed softly. "" Ah, Duflield," she whispered, it Was sc —so good of you to come for me 1"