PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 56

At this juncture I was sitting alone, one morning, going over in my mindthe strange vicissitudes of my love affair, when, in a far-distant partof the house, I heard a sound which thrilled me. I stopped allmotion and listened, my heart, however, trembling with the fear of adisappointment. The music, for it was sweet music to me, came nearer,and now I could not be mistaken. What joy filled my heart! Howimpossible to forget that voice! I sat still and let it come. Sheevidently knew where I was and was coming to find me, pouring forthher heart in the way she knew I adored. Where now were my fears that myheart was growing cold toward her? Could it be possible that I had everdoubted my affection for her since I first heard her sing? Nearer itcomes, filling my ears now with its familiar melody, a song withoutwords but full of meaning for one who hears aright. She is guided trueby the lamp of love and is now in the next room. I cannot wait, butinterrupt her song with this cry:

"Come to me, my love, come quickly. I know your voice and the meaning ofyour song, and my heart responds to yours."

The strain continues, and soon a form appears in the doorway. I springfrom my seat and start to meet it, but fall back almost immediately inconfusion.

"Oh, Avis," I exclaimed with vexation, "I thought you were Greg again. Isupposed you were on the other side of the world."

"I was, but I have come back to sing for you. I heard poor Greg had losther voice and I wanted to do what I could to fill her place. But I fearyou are not pleased with me."

"My dear friend," I replied, "I beg your pardon for the abrupt mannerin which I received you. I thought Greg had suddenly recovered her voiceand was coming in the fullness of her joy to tell me about it, and youcan imagine my disappointment when I discovered my mistake. But now Iassure you I am glad to have your sympathy and delighted to know thatyou are to be near me. Please go on with the song which I so rudelyinterrupted, and let me hear your voice as often as possible. It isexceedingly fortunate for me to have you here while Greg is recovering.Will you stay till she can sing again, or do you think it is too selfishin me to make such a request?"

Instead of answering me, Avis began to sing again, and in a twinklingI had forgotten my question and everything else in the enjoyment of themoment.

I now wanted little to make me supremely happy. There was Greg herself,with her exquisite beauty and friendly manner, and there was Greg'svoice in the mouth of one who liked me enough to go half around theworld to entertain me. And, if the truth must be told, my heart inclinedmore and more toward the voice. This was a startling truth indeed whenit first fell upon me, and I fully determined that no one else shouldknow it. Greg should never discover that I loved her less because shecould not sing, and Avis should never know that her marvelous song wasbeginning to make the singer dear to me.

Whenever I found myself alone I could think of nothing but thisperplexing subject. As I dwelt upon my situation, I told myself I mustbe careful, and avoid getting into trouble. Greg was becoming more andmore tender toward me every day, and now Avis had come, unconsciouslystorming the seat of my affections with Greg's own voice. I felt that Iwas in some danger of embarrassing myself before the rest of my friends,and it behooved me to simplify matters if possible.

First, I must find out to a certainty just how I stood with Greg.Notwithstanding the admission which I had been forced to make to myself,I felt that it must be right for me to continue to devote myself toGreg, even if my heart did not bound toward her as in the days of myexuberant love. I should indeed be unworthy of her to give her up now.When I considered my former depth of feeling, I fairly despised myselffor entertaining for a moment the possibility of her becoming less dearto me. But, for all that, I knew deep in my heart that the charm whichhad held me to her was gone, and I knew of no way to arrest and bringback my wandering affections.

Still, it could not be right for me to let her know I was changing. Whatwould she think of me, and what opinion would Lime and Denim have?I must own that the latter consideration had a good deal of force withme, for I did not want to lower myself and our whole race in their eyes.

So I prepared the form of speech with which to address Greg again on theold subject. It seemed strange that she should begin to grow fond of mejust as soon as my love began to cool, and I determined with all my willnever to let her know the state of my heart.

Not long after I had made this resolution, I was surprised to havethe doctor tell me he was sorry to see I was not so partial to Greg'ssociety since she had lost her voice. I do not remember what I said tohim in reply, but I know his remark set me thinking hard. Perhaps otherobservers had noticed the same thing and were too considerate of myfeelings to speak of it. Surely, I must have matters put upon a betterfooting at once.

As for Greg, she was never happier in her life, if we could judge fromher actions. She had now learned to talk so well in her mute languagethat we all found conversation with her comparatively easy. Herfascinating manners made her interesting always, and in spite of hergreat loss she was still an important part of the life of the house.I argued to myself that my heart must be hard indeed if I could notcontinue to love her. To me her behavior was characterized by such apeculiar sweetness that I knew she was ready, on a word from me, torecall some of the harsh things she had said and to own a love quitedifferent in kind from her regard for others

.

The opportunity soon came to speak to her, and I embraced it. "Greg," Isaid, "I want to make a little speech to you. First, let me ask you ifI can introduce a subject on which you have more than once stopped mymouth. Perhaps you know what I mean."

"Oh, yes," she replied, "I remember it very well, and you may talk allyou please about it now. You must forgive me if I was unkind before andused my voice to vex you. But I am surprised to have you bring up thistopic."

"Why?"

"Because I thought from your manner that you did not love me as you usedto."

By this time the speech that I had prepared was all out of my head,and I was wondering if it were possible that I had lost so much of myaffection for Greg that she had discovered it by a change in my manner.In reply to her remark I said:

"But such a thought has not made you unhappy, Greg, if I may judge fromyour behavior. I have never seen you more cheerful and full of life."

"No," she responded, "I think it has had the contrary effect. I wasrather relieved to find you were recovering from your foolishness, and Ithought we would now be able to live in peace, treating each other in akind and sensible manner. I am disappointed to find that you are stillclinging to the old idea, but I will not object to your saying all youplease on the subject, for I have my own reasons now for being graciousto you."

"That's the very thing I want to ask you about, Greg. I have noticedyour great kindness of late, and have supposed it came from the factthat you were learning to love me in my way; that is, somewhat to theexclusion of others. Isn't it that?"

"I think you will not be pained when I say you have had a wrongimpression."

"Why do you think such a discovery will not pain me?"

"Because I am sure you do not care for me now in the same way as before.It was my voice that inthralled you. In all this interview you have notonce said you love me, and you know at one time you could say nothingelse. But let me tell you why I have shown an extra tenderness towardyou recently. It was because I feared you would think I blamed youfor my misfortune. I wanted to let you know I had not the least unkindfeeling and that, in spite of the loss of my voice, I was as happy andcontented as ever."

"Well, after all, you do love me a little, do you not, Greg?"

"Why, of course I do, just as much as ever. And now let us go rightalong and be nice to each other. We will love each other and loveeverybody else just the same, and you must promise not to look disturbedany more when I am talking with Foedric; but you have been very goodabout that of late."

"I will promise," I answered; "but what will you do if you find I amloving another person more than you?"

"Oh, I cannot understand what you mean by loving more and loving less.It is a strange idea to me, and I hope I shall never get accustomed toit. My way is to love everybody with all my heart, and that's an end ofit. Don't you see in that way I escape all the worry and vexation whichyou seem to have in the matter? As to your loving another, you willpardon me if I say it will be a great relief to me for you to do so.I have not been used to being the sole recipient of any person'saffection, and I shall rejoice to be freed from the responsibility. Ifyou have thought me happy heretofore, you will now be astonished at mysprightliness. I suppose you refer to Antonia. She is a lovely girl,and--"

"Allow me," I interrupted; but before I could go on with my denial thatvoice again fell on my ears--so distant and low that I held my breath tolisten. At first Greg did not hear it, but it soon increased in volume;and now, as the sweet sounds came pouring upon us, my companion saw howI was affected, and said in her sign language:

"Oh, I was mistaken. Antonia is not the one."

My heart was now all aflame, and, with Greg by my side and gazing intomy glowing face, I almost forgot her presence in the approach of onewhose song had such power. Was she old? Music like that is never old.Why should not my heart go out to her? She was still beautiful and notso old as I had supposed. And then, of course, people in that advancedcondition, did not wear out in a few years as they did on the earth. Asfor her size, she was rather small for a Martian, and I, living undernew conditions, would certainly take a start before many days, and nodoubt become as large as Foedric, almost.

These ingenuous sentiments came to me with the sweet accents of thatmelodious song, and when Avis appeared I had great difficulty to keepfrom making some foolish exhibition of my feelings.

At my next sober moment, that is, when I was by myself, and out ofhearing of that intoxicating music, it was very easy for me to realizemy ridiculous situation, but not so easy to tell how I was to escapefrom it. As to my relations with Greg herself, I was greatly relieved byour last conversation. I certainly need no longer feel obliged to tiemy vagrant heart to her. She would not miss it if it never once showeditself again, but how could I hope to preserve any sort of character inthe eyes of my other friends? What sport the doctor would make of meif he knew how I felt toward Avis. He little thought that this was thedaughter of Mars most likely to bring me to my knees.