“could love part thus? was it not well to speak,

to have spoken once? it could not but be well.”

tennyson.

alone in the darkness outside the cave of pluto, the words of agne kept ringing in persephone’s ears:—“live first! a mother will present the truths more vividly than one who has never known the joys and pangs of motherhood.” was this longing which filled her being, love for the man who had just left her, or was it merely an indefinable desire to fulfill the requirements of nature in regard to her sex?

a short distance away the massive temple stood in dim relief against a starry sky. an occasional group of celebrants passing between it and the silent figure of the girl, revealed the sacred edifice and its precincts in the fluctuating lights of their torches. life to persephone had not been unlike that solid masonry, which had stood since it was built, unaffected by storms without, but now the flickering lights revealed it in a new aspect; showed it by the wavering illumination to contain secret nooks and crannies which had before been invisible. so had this new emotion lighted persephone’s soul till it brought into evidence secret chambers of her being of which she had been heretofore unconscious.

143

once before this yearning had taken possession of her being—she blushed with shame to think of it, but it was when the persian officer had kissed her, after they had witnessed together the great battle. of course it was wicked, she thought to herself, to think of that brute who had dared contemptuously to push aside the first civilities of their acquaintance, and behave in such a rude manner, for ephialtes who was a greek had never dared——

“anyway,” she said half aloud, “he was probably killed at platæa and it serves him right—only—of course—death is a pretty severe penalty just for kissing a girl, even if one has no right to do it—no, i hope he isn’t dead. he wasn’t as handsome as ephialtes, but there was something more courageous and masterful about him, and his eyes didn’t shrink from looking right into mine—”

with her hand upon her breast, her eyes wide and bright, she said aloud:—“live first! a mother will present the truths more vividly than one who has never known the joys and pangs of motherhood.”

the sudden consciousness of someone standing near, caused her to start violently and stammer in confusion, as she realized her last thoughts had been audible. a young man had appeared out of the shadows.

he came a few steps nearer and said humbly: “i beg your pardon for this intrusion. i came from the temple to explore the grotto, then i saw you standing here, truly a vision to satisfactorily complete this impressive scene. i stood and watched you. i had no idea you would think aloud!”

144

even in the faint light persephone had recognized her rescuer of the acropolis, and though her heart quickened its beat and her cheeks flushed, she resented his having heard her words, and said somewhat haughtily: “i thought all the persians had left greece by this time.”

“all the persians have,” he replied. “i am a greek.”

a contemptuous smile curled her lips. “it must be convenient to be able to change one’s nationality at will!”

her words stung him, but he did not swerve from his purpose. he took a step closer to her and said evenly: “i have been searching for you ever since the persians were defeated at platæa and now i have found you. who are you persephone?”

she did not shrink from him at his approach, but with lips slightly parted and eyes wide with wonder, gazed steadfastly into his face. as their eyes met, his features relaxed from their severity, and once again he felt the same impulse to hold and kiss her as he had after the miracle of salamis. all disdain had vanished from her attitude, and the words he had heard her speak and the vague yearning which they expressed, might not he—? his arms were stretched forth to take her, his lips eager to meet hers, when the vision of another face came between; the face of one to whom he had made a sacred promise of love! was he weak, that he could change his nationality and his sweethearts to accommodate his moods? he backed away, covering his face with an uplifted arm, and uttered a sob, “it is too late, little girl! forget that i sought you after the mysteries, forget that i love you.”

145

persephone’s lips quivered as she asked faintly: “why is it too late?”

he did not answer, so deep was his emotion. suddenly a new thought occurred to him and he asked roughly, “that fellow who played pluto with you, does he—love you?”

she lowered her eyes in embarrassment as she answered, “he has said so—but—”

“that is enough,” zopyrus interrupted rudely, “had you any—thought of accepting his attentions? this may seem rude to you,” he added apologetically, “but believe me, my motives are pure in asking you this.”

persephone looked shyly into the eyes of the man whom she now knew she loved more dearly than any other, and desiring to entice him into an avowed declaration of his adoration of her, she said demurely: “circumstances might favor my acceptance of the young man who played with me as pluto.”

zopyrus ground his teeth in secret dismay. he knew she was innocent of the fact that her would-be-lover was a traitor, but how could he, zopyrus, who was in honor bound to renounce her, reveal her lover’s identity, and bring disappointment to the maiden’s heart whose longings he had heard in her own words but a short time ago. he could not, he felt, be like the dog in the manger of which aesop had written. if he could not have her, he could not deny her happiness with another—but a traitor! perhaps it was best that she should know before it was too late. he looked again into her eyes and opened his mouth to speak, then with a shrug of despair he turned and left her.

146

he was gone, and so were all the celebrants bearing torches. the temple was now an indistinct black blot against the sky. no cracks and crannies were revealed by wavering lights! someone touched her arm. it was agne!

“did you take my advice, dear persephone?” whispered the woman. “did you decide to live? did you accept him?”

“did i accept whom?” asked persephone dazedly. “oh, yes—no—, i—that is he is going to take me to celebrate the festivities at naxos on the second night of the full moon. will you, dear agne, go with us as chaperone?”

agne consented and said, “i know he loves you. he seemed loath to leave you just now. do not allow his role as hades to prejudice you against him.”

persephone felt relieved, for by agne’s last remark, she knew that in the dark agne had mistaken the stranger for ephialtes.

“you are right, agne, i will live while i am young. when ephialtes asks me for an answer at naxos, i will accept him.” persephone’s voice faltered, and agne misunderstood the cause of the quavering tones.

“i wish you, dear girl, all the happiness that might have been mine, had i chosen differently when i stood at the forks.”