The Sacrificial Altar

“For your sake. For hers—to marry a genius whose vampire mistress is his art—ah, well, it is the fate of woman to be sacrificed when they do not sacrifice us. And Berthe’s would be no mean destiny. I feel convinced that she alone could make you fall madly in love—”

“I shall never see her again. I have lost my old longing for Paris. What difference where a failure exists and plods? Besides, I dreamed once of returning to Paris a master, not a mere formalist who had won the approval of antiquarians.”

“You shall meet her here.”

“Here?”

“She arrives to-morrow.”

“You have planned this, then, deliberately?”

“It is only a dream promising to come true. Not until now has my brother relented and given his consent to Berthe’s taking the long journey. But friends were coming It is fate, my son. Try to fall in love with her—but madly! I, who have loved many times, assure you that the intoxication which tempts lesser men to rhyme should stimulate your great gift to its final expression.”

“But marry!” Louis was quite cold. “A wife in my house! Oh no, M. Cesar; I should hate it and her.”

“Not if you loved her. And Berthe has subtlety and variety.”

“And is far too good for me. I should make a detestable husband.”

“Let her make the husband.”

Once more Louis turned cold. “You desire that I shall meet her, talk to her, cultivate her? Oh, God!”

“I mean that you shall go to my tailor to-morrow. My mother will introduce Berthe to the Colony on Friday night. Its most distinguished members will be present—bankers, journalists, merchants, professional men of all sorts; young people will come in for a dance after the dinner of twenty-four. You may run away from the dance, but at the dinner you will sit beside Berthe.”

This time Louis was petrified. “But no! No!”

M. Cesar rose and laid his hand solemnly on his young friend’s shoulder. “For your art, my son, for your divine gift. For both you would lay down your life. Is it not? Another year of this unnatural existence and you will go sterile. And what substitute for you in the long years ahead? Your mind needs a powerful stimulant and at once. The cup approaches your lip. Will you drink or will you turn it upside down?”

“I’ll drink if I can,” said Louis, through his set teeth, “for what you say is true. But I’d rather drink hemlock.”