The Equinox (Volume I, Number III)

THE EYES OF ST. LJUBOV of being a great hysterical Countess Tarnowska; she had many lovers who went mad over her body, and whom she could drive to drink—or to murder, but she had not done so; she had only driven some of them to suicide, and some even to the loss of their self-respect. The Man who stole Eyes was one of these. Without going into their respective or joint history let it be simply recorded that the proud collector of ocular jewels made present to the Lady of a pair of magnificent ear-rings— which were none other than the eyes of little Ljubov set in gold. When the Lady came to stay at the country house on the outskirts of the village, she wore her jewels. The simple peasants fell to gossip. The eyes they took for two weird precious stones resembling lapis lazuli. One of them spoke of his meeting with the Lady before poor blind little Piotr, who listened intently. I will now, my friends, give you—nay, lend you—a piece of information of the utmost importance. It’s a fine bit of psychology, too. 4 man is not a wee bit interesting when he speaks of others, but let the beggar ride his own horse, expound his own experiences, and (you can bet your shirt upon it) Ze will be worth listening to. Thus the peasant-who-had-met-the-lady. He was usually very dull. But the poor fellow had not had any interesting experience in his life, until he met Her. She was walking in the garden, cutting flowers for the table, and, seeing a moujick digging the soil, summoned him. “When thou hast done digging this hole, cut me some flowers,” she said. And he fell to work with all his might, his body seeming 303