THE PAGANS

By

Arlo Bates

The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together.

All's We ll That Ends We ll; iv—3

DEDICATION.

To those who would be Pagans, did any such organization exist, I take pleasure in offering this attempt to picture a phase of life which they know.

She answered,"cast thy rosary on the ground; bind on thy

shoulder the thread of paganism; throw stones at the glass of

piety; and quaff from a full goblet."

Persian Religious Hymn.

CONTENTS.

I. SOME SPEECH OF MARRIAGE II. THE HEAVY MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT III. THE SHOT OF ACCIDENT IV. AFTER SUCH A PAGAN CUT V. THE BITTER PAST VI. A BOND OF AIR VII. IN WAY OF TASTE VIII. THE INLY TOUCH OF LOVE IX. VOLUBLE AND SHARP DISCOURSE X. O, WICKED WIT AND GIFT XI. WHOM THE FATES HAVE MARKED XII. WHAT TIME SHE CHANTED XIII. THE ASSAY OF ART XIV. THIS IS NOT A BOON XV.'TWAS WONDROUS PITIFUL XVI. CRUEL PROOF OF THIS MAN'S STRENGTH XVII. THIS"WOULD"CHANGES XVIII. BEDECKING ORNAMENTS OF PRAISE XIX. NOW HE IS FOR THE NUMBERS XX. THE WORLD IS STILL DECEIVED XXI. HIS PURE HEART'S TRUTH XXII. UPON A CHURCH-BENCH XXIII. HEART-SICK WITH THOUGHT, XXIV. IN PLACE AND IN ACCOUNT NOTHING, XXV. THIS DEED UNSHAPES ME, XXVI. THERE BEGINS CONFUSION, XXVII. WEIGHING DELIGHT AND DOLE, XXVIII. LIKE COVERED FIRE, XXIX. A NECESSARY EVIL, XXX. HOW CHANCES MOCK, XXXI. HE SPEAKS THE MERE CONTRARY, XXXII. A SYMPATHY OF WOE, XXXIII. A MINT OF PHRASES IN HIS BRAIN, XXXIV. HEART-BURNING HEAT OF DUTY, XXXV. PARTED OUR FELLOWSHIP, XXXVI. AS FALSE AS STAIRS OF SAND, XXXVII. FAREWELL AT ONCE, FOR ONCE, FOR ALL AND EVER.

PAGANS

I.

SOME SPEECH OF MARRIAGE.

Measure for Measure, v—i.

A fine, drizzling rain was striking against the windows of a cosy third floor sitting-room, obscuring what in pleasant weather was a fine distant view of the Charles river. The apartment was evidently that of a woman, as numerous details of arrangement and articles of feminine use suggested; and quite as evidently it was the home of a person of taste and refinement, and of one, too, who had traveled.

Arthur Fenton, a slender young artist, with elegant figure and deep set eyes, was lounging in an easy chair in an Attitude well calculated to show to advantage his graceful outlines. For occupation he was turning over a portfolio of sketches, whose authorship was indicated by the attitude of the lady seated near by.

She was a woman of commanding presence, with full lips, whose expression was contradicted by the almost haughty carriage of her fine head and the keen glance of her eye, which indicated too much character for the mere pleasure-seeker. Her hair was of a rich chestnut, and she wore a dress of steel gray cashmere, relieved at the throat by a knot of pale orange, which harmonized admirably with her clear complexion. She watched her companion as if secretly anxious for his good opinion of her drawings, yet too proud to betray any feeling in the matter. He, for his part, turned them over with seeming listlessness, breaking out now and then with some abrupt remark.

"Yes,"he said suddenly, after a ten minutes'silence,"I'm going to be married at once. It will be'a marriage in the bush,'as the Suabians call an impecunious match, since neither of us has any money; and I, at least, haven't so great a superfluity of brains that in this intelligent age of the world I am ever likely to make much by selling myself; and that is the only way any body gets any money nowadays."

"I hardly think you'd be willing to sell,"his companion answered,"no matter how good the market."

"The re's where you are wrong,"he answered, looking up with a sudden frown,"the worst thing about me is that with sufficient inducement—or even merely from the temptation of an especially good opportunity—I should sell myself body and soul to the Philistines."

"One would hardly fancy it, from the way you talk of Peter Calvin and his followers."

"Oh, as to that,"retorted the artist,"don't you see that judicious opposition increases my market value when I am ready to sell? If I could only be sufficiently prominent in my antagonism, I might absolutely fix my own price."

The lady made no answer, but regarded him more intently than ever.

"That's a good thing,"he broke out again, holding up a drawing."Why don't you do that in marble, or better still, in bronze?"

"I am putting it up in clay,"she answered."I thought I had shown it to you. It is to be fired as my first experiment in a big piece of terra-cotta. That is the first sketch; I think I have improved upon it."

It was the study for a bas-relief representing the months, twelve characteristic figures running forward with the utmost speed. Gifts dropped from their hands as they ran; from the fingers of June fell flowers, from those of August and September ripened fruits, upon which November and December trampled ruthlessly. January, in his haste, overturned an Altar against which February stumbles.

"It is melancholy enough,"Fenton observed, regarding it closely."How melancholy every thing is now-a-days?"

"To a man about to be married?"she asked, with a fine smile.

"Oh, always to me. The fact that I am going to be married does not prevent my still being myself."

"Unfortunately not,"she returned, with a faint suspicion of sarcasm in her tone."You pique yourself upon being somber."

"I dare say,"answered he, a trifle petulantly."Pain has become a habit with me; discontent is about the only luxury I can afford, heaven knows!"

"Unless it is gorgeous cravats."

"Oh, that,"Fenton said, putting his hand to the blue and gold tie at his throat."I'm trying to furbish up my old body and decrepit heart against my nuptials, so I invested fifty cents in this tie."

"You couldn't have done it cheaper,"remarked she;"though, perhaps,"she added dryly,"it is all the rejuvenation is worth."

Fenton smiled grimly and again applied himself to the examination of the drawings, while the other looked out at the rain.

"Boston has more climate, and that far worse,"she remarked,"than any other known locality."

"Does that mean that you are going to Her man's this afternoon?"asked

Fenton.

"I should have gone this morning if you had not insisted upon my wasting my time simply because you had determined to waste yours."

Fenton laughed.

"You are frank to a guest,"he said."I wished to be congratulated on my marriage."

"I shall not congratulate you,"she answered."You are spoiled. The women have petted you too much."

"According to the old fairy tale all goes well with the man of whom the women are fond."

"I remember,"she said."I always pitied their wives."

"I shall treat Edith well."

"You are too good-natured not to, I suppose; especially when you look forward to your marriage with such rapture."

"But, Helen, have I ever pretended to believe in marriage? Marriage is a crime! Think of the wretched folly of those who talk of the holiness of love's being protected by the sanctities of marriage. If love is holy, let it have way; if it is not, all the sacraments priests can devise cannot sanctify it."

"Then why, Arthur, do you marry at all?"

"Because marriage is a necessary evil as society is at present constituted."

"But,"Helen said slowly,"you who pretend to have so little regard for society—"

"Ah, there it is,"he interrupted."Man is gregarious by instinct; he must do as his fellows do. He must submit to the most absurd

convenances of his fellowmen, as one sheep jumps where another did though the bar be taken away. If he were strong enough to stand alone he might take conventions by the throat and be a god!"

His outburst was too vehement and sudden not to come from some underlying current of deep feeling, rather than from the present conversation. He had risen while speaking, his head thrown back, his eyes sparkling. His companion regarded him with admiration, not unmixed, however, with amusement.

"And you,"she said,"choose to call yourself a man without enthusiasms."

"Yes,"replied he, smiling and regaining his seat,"I am a man without enthusiasms."

"That is the cleverest thing you ever said,"Helen continued, musingly."And so we understand you intend to be ruled by conventionality and marry?"

"Precisely; it would be unjust to Edith to even talk to her of my views."

"I should hope so!"exclaimed his hostess."But you will at least have her to yourself, and that pays for every thing."

"Oh, peutêtre!"Fenton returned dubiously, perfectly well aware that the remark had been made to elicit comment, yet too fond of talking to resist temptation and leave it unanswered,"peutêtre, though I never believed in the desert-island theory. It is more in your line; you still have faith in it."

"Oh, I do,"she rejoined quickly;"and so would you if you were in love. You'd be content to be on a rock in the mid ocean if she were there."

"Love on a desert island,"returned the young man, smiling significantly;"Oh, le premier jour, c'est bon; le deuxième jour, ce n'est pas si bon; le troisième jour—mon Dieu, mais comment on s'ennuie!"

"No, no, no,"Helen broke in impetuously."Good, always! Always, always, or never!"

Fenton threw back his head and burst into a shout of laughter.

"'Twere errant folly to presume,

Love's flame could burn and not consume,"

he sang, going off again into peals of laughter."Good by, mon amie; oh, mais comment on s'en—"

"Stop,"interrupted she."I'll have no more blasphemy."

"Good-by, then,"he said, picking up his hat.

"You may as well stay to lunch,"his hostess said rising.

"No,"returned he."I must go and write to Edith."

And off he went, humming:

"'Twere errant folly to presume

Love's flame could burn and not consume."

II.

THE HEAVY MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

Measure for Measure; iv—i.

As many of the Boston clocks as ever permitted themselves so far to break through their constitutional reserve as to speak above a whisper, had announced in varying tones that it was midnight, yet the group of men seated in easy attitudes before the fire in one of the sitting-rooms of the St. Filipe Club showed no signs of breaking up. Indeed, the room was so pleasant and warm, with its artistically combined colors, its good pictures and glowing grates, and the storm outside raged so savagely, beating its wind and sleet against the windows, that a reluctance to issue from the clubhouse door was only natural, and there would be little room for surprise should the men conclude to remain where they were until daylight.

The conversation, carried on amid clouds of fragrant tobacco smoke and with potations, not excessive but comfortably frequent, was quiet and unflagging, possessing, for the most part, that mellow quality which is seldom attained before the small hours and the third cigar.

"Yes, virtue has to be its own reward,"Tom Bently was saying lightly,"for, don't you see, the people who practice it are too narrow-minded to appreciate any thing else."

"And that makes it the most poorly paid of all the professions,"was the retort of Fred Rangely, who was lounging in a big easy chair;"except literature, that is. Even sin is said to get death for its wage, and that is something."

"Virtue may be an inestimable prize for any thing you newspaper men can tell. It is not a commodity you are used to handling."

"Literature has little to do with virtue, it is true,"was the response."Who would read a novel about virtuous people, for instance? I'd as soon study the catechism."

"How art has to occupy itself with iniquity,"Fenton observed with a philosophical puff of his cigar."Or what people call iniquity; though a truer definition would be nature."

"Painting occupies itself with iniquity in its models,"Rangely said lazily."I heard to-day—"

"No scandals,"interrupted Grant Her man, good humoredly."You are going to tell the story about Flackerman, I know."

The speaker was the most noticeable man in the group. Tom Bently, an Artist, was a tall, swarthy fellow with thin black beard, stubble-like hair, and a gypsyish look. Next came Fred Rangely, an Author of some reputation, of whom his friends expected great things, rather short in stature, thick-set, and with a good-tempered, intelligent face. Fenton's appearance has already been touched upon; he was of elegant figure, with a face intellectual, high-bred, but marred by a suspicion of superciliousness. Amid these friends, Her man gained something by contrast with each and naturally became the center of the group. This prominence was partly due to his figure, of large mold, finely formed and firmly knit, carrying always an Air of restful strength and composure which made itself felt in whatever company he found himself. His head, although not out of proportion with his fine shoulders and trunk, was somewhat massive, a fact which was emphasized a little by the profusion of his locks, now plentifully sprinkled with gray. His face was indicative of much character, the lips firm and full, the eyes large and dark, now serious under their heavy brows and now twinkling with contagious merriment.

"It isn't every model you can talk scandal about,"chuckled Bently, in reply to Her man's remark."We had a devilishly pretty fuss in Nick Featherstone's studio the other day. Nick found his match in the new model."

"What new model?"inquired Fenton, arranging himself into an effective pose before the fire.

"Do you remember the picture of an It alian girl that Tom Demming sent to the Academy exhibition two years ago? A homely face with lots of character in it, and a splendid pose?"

"You mean the one he called Marietta? It was well done, if I remember."

"Oh, stunningly. That's the girl. She's just landed, and Demming gave her letters to me. She's a staving good model!"

"But she isn't pretty."

"No; but she is suggestive. She has one of those faces that you can make all sorts of things out of. Rollins made a sketch of her head that is stunning; a lovely thing; and it looked like her too. Then her figure is perfect, and what is more, she knows how to pose. She meets an idea half way, you know, and hits the expression wonderfully. She has given me points for my picture every time she has been at the studio."

"Is her name Ninitta?"Grant Her man asked.

"Yes; do you know any thing about her?"

"I think I've seen her in Rome. But what is she doing on this side of the water?"

To Arthur Fenton's keen perception there seemed more feeling in the tone than an inquiry into the affairs of a stranger would be likely to evoke, but he gave the matter no especial thought.

"Yes,"he echoed lightly,"what is she here for? The re is no art in this country. New York is the home of barbarism and Boston of Philistinism; while Cincinnati is a chromo imitation of both. She'd better have staid abroad."

"Your remark is true, Arthur,"Bently laughed,"if it isn't very relevant. What people in this country want isn't art at all, but what some Great Panjandrum or other abroad has labeled art. They don't know what is good."

"That is so true,"was the retort,"that I almost wonder they don't buy your pictures, Tom."

"But why does the girl come to America?"persisted Her man, with a faint trace of irritation in his tone."She could do far better at home."

"Oh, Demming wrote that she was bound to come. You can never tell what ails a woman anyhow. Probably she has a lover over here somewhere."

Her man made no reply save by an involuntary lowering of his heavy brows, and Rangely brought the conversation back to its starting-point by asking:

"But what about Nick Featherstone?"

"Oh, Nick? We ll, Nick tried to kiss her yesterday, and she offered to stab him with some sort of a devilish dagger arrangement she carries about like an opera heroine."

"Featherstone is always a strong temptation to an honest man's boot,"growled Her man out of his beard, as he sat with his head sunk upon his breast, staring into the fire.