forehisveryeyes,shudderingashehopedit.

    PoorSibyl!Whataromahadallbeen!Shehadoftenmimickeddeathoage.Thehhimselfhadtouchedherandtakehhim.Howhadsheplayedthatdreadfullastse?Hadshecursedhim,asshedied?No;shehaddiedforloveofhim,andlovewouldalwaysbeasacramenttohimnow.Shehadatonedforeverythingbythesacrificeshehadmadeofherlife.Hewouldnotthinkanymoreofwhatshehadmadehimgh,onthathorriblenightatthetheatre.Whehoughtofher,itwouldbeasawonderfultragicfiguresentontotheworldsstagetoshowthesupremerealityoflove.Awonderfultragicfigure?Tearscametohiseyesasherememberedherchildlikelook,andwinsomefancifulways,andshytremulousgrace.Hebrushedthemawayhastilyandlookedagainatthepicture.

    Hefeltthatthetimehadreallyeformakinghischoice.Orhadhischoicealreadybeenmade?Yes,lifehaddecidedthatforhim--life,andhisowninfinitecuriosityaboutlife.Eternalyouth,infinitepassion,pleasuressubtlea,wildjoysandwildersins--hewastohaveallthesethings.Theportraitwastobeartheburdenofhisshame:thatwasall.

    Afeelingofpaioverhimashethoughtofthedesecrationthatwasinstoreforthefairfathevas.OnboyishmockeryofNarcissus,hehadkissed,okiss,thosepaintedlipsthatnowsmiledsocruellyathim.Maftermhehadsatbeforetheportraitwatitsbeauty,almostenamouredofit,asitseemedtohimattimes.Wasittoalternowwitheverymoodtowhichheyielded?Wasittobeonstrousandloathsomething,tobehiddenawayinalockedroom,tobeshutoutfromthesunlightthathadsooftentouchedthtergoldthewavingwonderofitshair?Thepityofit!thepityofit!

    Foramomehoughtofprayingthatthehorriblesympath