METROPOLIS and drink might agree with them, in order to be able to sleep well and digest easily. The tables, at which they had all eaten, were laid, as belore-hand, with untouched disbes. Win~, golden and purple, embedded in ice or warmth. was there, proffering itself, like the loving little women. Now the music was playing again. It had been silenced when the girlish voice spoke the five soft words: "Look, these are your brothers'" And once more, with her eyes resting on Freder: "Look, these are your brothers'" As one suffocating, Freder sprang up. The masked women stared at him. He ,dashed to the door. He ran along passages and down steps. He came to the enb'ance. "Who was that girl?" Perplexed shrugs. Apologies. The occurrence was inexcusable, the servants knew it. Dismissals. in plenty, would be distributed. The Major Domo was pale with anger. "I do not wish,» said Freder, gazing into space, "that anyone should suffer lor what has happened. Nobo<;ly is to be dismissed .... I do not wish it ...." The Major Domo bowed in silence. He was accustomed to whims in the "Club 01 the Sons." "Who is the girl. ... can nobody tell meP" No. Nobody. But if an inquiry is to be made .... ? Freder remained silent. He thought 01 Slim. He shook his head. First slowly, then violently. ~'NoOne does not set a bloodhound on the track of a sacred, white hind. "Nobody is to inquire about her," he said, tonelessly. He felt the soulless glance of the strange, hired person upon his face. He felt himself poor and besmirched. In an ill-temper which rendered him as wretched as though he had poison in his veins, he left the club. He walked home as though going into exile. He shut himself up in his workroom and worked. At nights he clung to his instrument and forced the monstrous solitude of Jupiter and Saturn down to
him.
15
