The King in Yellow

Excerpt: ...ton sein, Et de ton coeur endormi Chasse a jamais tout dessein." "Je chante la nature, Les etoiles du soir, les larmes du matin, Les couchers de soleil a l'horizon lointain, Le ciel qui parle au coeur d'existence future!" I The animal paused on the threshold, interrogative alert, ready for flight if necessary. Severn laid down his palette, and held out a hand of welcome. The cat remained motionless, her yellow eyes fastened upon Severn. "Puss," he said, in his low, pleasant voice, "come in." The tip of her thin tail twitched uncertainly. "Come in," he said again. Apparently she found his voice reassuring, for she slowly settled upon all fours, her eyes still fastened upon him, her tail tucked under her gaunt flanks. He rose from his easel smiling. She eyed him quietly, and when he walked toward her she watched him bend above her without a wince; her eyes followed his hand until it touched her head. Then she uttered a ragged mew. It had long been Severn's custom to converse with animals, probably because he lived so much alone; and now he said, "What's the matter, puss?" Her timid eyes sought his. "I understand," he said gently, "you shall have it at once." Then moving quietly about he busied himself with the duties of a host, rinsed a saucer, filled it with the rest of the milk from the bottle on the window-sill, and kneeling down, crumbled a roll into the hollow of his hand. The creature rose and crept toward the saucer. With the handle of a palette-knife he stirred the crumbs and milk together and stepped back as she thrust her nose into the mess. He watched her in silence. From time to time the saucer clinked upon the tiled floor as she reached for a morsel on the rim; and at last the bread was all gone, and her purple tongue travelled over every unlicked spot until the saucer shone like polished marble. Then she sat up, and coolly turning her back to him, began her ablutions. "Keep it up," said Severn, much interested, ...