CHAPTER V.

he?Whyhaveyounottoldmeabouthim?Hemeansyounogood.” “Stop,Jim!”sheexclaimed.“Youmustnotsayanythingagainsthim.Ilovehim.” “Why,youdon’tevenknowhisname,”answeredthelad.“Whoishe?Ihavearighttoknow.” “HeiscalledPrinceCharming.Don’tyoulikethename.Oh!yousillyboy!youshouldneverforgetit.Ifyouonlysawhim,youwouldthinkhimthemostwonderfulpersonintheworld.Somedayyouwillmeethim—whenyoucomebackfromAustralia.Youwilllikehimsomuch.Everybodylikeshim,andI...lovehim.Iwishyoucouldcometothetheatreto-night.Heisgoingtobethere,andIamtoplayJuliet.Oh!howIshallplayit!Fancy,Jim,tobeinloveandplayJuliet!Tohavehimsittingthere!Toplayforhisdelight!IamafraidImayfrightenthecompany,frightenorenthrallthem.Tobeinloveistosurpassone’sself.PoordreadfulMr.Isaacswillbeshouting‘genius’tohisloafersatthebar.Hehaspreachedmeasadogmato-nighthewillannouncemeasarevelation.Ifeelit.Anditisallhis,hisonly,PrinceCharming,mywonderfullover,mygodofgraces.ButIampoorbesidehim.Poor?Whatdoesthatmatter?Whenpovertycreepsinatthedoor,lovefliesinthroughthewindow.Ourproverbswantrewriting.Theyweremadeinwinter,anditissummernowspring-timeforme,Ithink,averydanceofblossomsinblueskies.” “Heisagentleman,”saidtheladsullenly. “Aprince!”shecriedmusically.“Whatmoredoyouwant?” “Hewantstoenslaveyou.” “Ishudderatthethoughtofbeingfree.” “Iwantyoutobewareofhim.” “Toseehimistoworshiphimtoknowhimistotrusthim.” “Sibyl,youaremadabouthim.” Shelaughedandtookhisarm.“YoudearoldJim,youtalkasifyouwereahundred.Somedayyouwillbeinloveyourself.Thenyouwillknowwhatitis.Don’tlooksosulky.Surelyyoushouldbegladtothinkthat,thoughyouaregoingaway,youleavemehappierthanIhaveeverbeenbefore.Lifehasbeenhardforusboth,terriblyhardanddifficult.Butitwillbedifferentnow.Youaregoingtoanewworld,andIhavefoundone.Herearetwochairsletussitdownandseethesmartpeoplegoby.” Theytooktheirseatsamidstacrowdofwatchers.Thetulip-bedsacrosstheroadflamedlikethrobbingringsoffire.Awhitedust—tremulouscloudoforris-rootitseemed—hunginthepantingair.Thebrightlycolouredparasolsdancedanddippedlikemonstrousbutterflies. Shemadeherbrothertalkofhimself,hishopes,hisprospects.Hespokeslowlyandwitheffort.Theypassedwordstoeachotherasplayersatagamepasscounters.Sibylfeltoppressed.Shecouldnotcommunicateherjoy.Afaintsmilecurvingthatsullenmouthwasalltheechoshecouldwin.Aftersometimeshebecamesilent.Suddenlyshecaughtaglimpseofgoldenhairandlaughinglips,andinanopencarriagewithtwoladiesDorianGraydrovepast. Shestartedtoherfeet.“Thereheis!”shecried. “Who?”saidJimVane. “PrinceCharming,”sheanswered,lookingafterthevictoria. Hejumpedupandseizedherroughlybythearm.“Showhimtome.Whichishe?Pointhimout.Imustseehim!”heexclaimedbutatthatmomenttheDukeofBerwick’sfour-in-handcamebetween,andwhenithadleftthespaceclear,thecarriagehadsweptoutofthepark. “Heisgone,”murmuredSibylsadly.“Iwishyouhadseenhim.” “IwishIhad,forassureasthereisaGodinheaven,ifheeverdoesyouanywrong,Ishallkillhim.” Shelookedathiminhorror.Herepeatedhiswords.Theycuttheairlikeadagger.Thepeopleroundbegantogape.Aladystandingclosetohertittered. “Comeaway,Jimcomeaway,”shewhispered.Hefollowedherdoggedlyasshepassedthroughthecrowd.Hefeltgladatwhathehadsaid. WhentheyreachedtheAchillesStatue,sheturnedround.Therewaspityinhereyesthatbecamelaughteronherlips.Sheshookherheadathim.“Youarefoolish,Jim,utterlyfoolishabad-temperedboy,thatisall.Howcanyousaysuchhorriblethings?Youdon’tknowwhatyouaretalkingabout.Youaresimplyjealousandunkind.Ah!Iwishyouwouldfallinlove.Lovemakespeoplegood,andwhatyousaidwaswicked.” “Iamsixteen,”heanswered,“andIknowwhatIamabout.Motherisnohelptoyou.Shedoesn’tunderstandhowtolookafteryou.IwishnowthatIwasnotgoingtoAustraliaatall.Ihaveagreatmindtochuckthewholethingup.Iwould,ifmyarticleshadn’tbeensigned.” “Oh,don’tbesoserious,Jim.YouarelikeoneoftheheroesofthosesillymelodramasMotherusedtobesofondofactingin.Iamnotgoingtoquarrelwithyou.Ihaveseenhim,andoh!toseehimi