The Equinox (Volume I, Number IV)

THE EQUINOX DELHOMME. I would not brush the bloom from off the lily—and yet—— EUPHEMIA. My God !—Monsieur Delhomme, I am going to shock you. Oh! Oh! [She buries her face in her hands. He starts back, sur- prised at the turn things ave taking, and at the violence of her emotion and of its expression. DELHOMME. What is it? Are you ill? Have I EUPHEMIA. [Steady and straight before him.] 1 am another man’s—his—his mistress. There! [He reels, catches a chair and saves himself. Her breast heaves ; swallowing a sob, she runs out of the room. DELHOMME [Utterly dazed]. I—I—oh, my God! My father! My God! I thought her—oh, I dare not say it—I will not think it. [Ox his knees, clutching at the chair] My God, what shall I do? She was my life, my hope, my flower, my star, my sun! What shall I do? Help me! help me! Who shall console me? [He continues in silent prayer, sobbing]. [The door opens ; MR. TODD steals into the room on tiptoe, bends over him and whispers in hisear. The expres- ston of anguish fails from his face; a calm steals over him, he smiles in beatitude and his lips move in vapture. Hevises, shakes tovp by the hand; they go out together. [GRANDFATHER wheeled into the room by THOMAS, CHARLEY walking by him. The servant leaves them. GRANDFATHER. Bitter cold, Charley, for us old people! 226