CHAPTER III
PHILIP OBJECTS
The place became crowded. The two rooms occupied by the guests weresmall, and the party was a large one. Though not greatly attracted bythe unusual sights and strange people, Patty was interested andcurious. She wanted to see the affair in its entirety, and was gladwhen Sam Blaney came over to where she sat by Philip on the divan.
"I've come to carry you off," Blaney said to her; "you must mingle withthe crowd, if you want to become one of us."
"I'd like to mingle a little," Patty replied, "but I can't hope tobecome one of such a talented bunch as this."
"They're not all so talented," Blaney assured her, as he led her away,leaving Philip a bit moody and disapproving.
"It's their clothes that astound me," said Patty. "Why do they wearsuch queer rigs? Almost like a masquerade or fancy-dress ball. You,for instance; why do you wear this Oriental robe and turban?"
"Now that you ask me, I don't believe I know! But it's habit, I think.Yes, that's it, it's just habit. We who possess higher intellect thanour fellows must differentiate ourselves in some way from them, and howelse but by a difference of raiment?"
"Well, that does explain it, but why such queer raiment? Why notbeautiful garments instead of eccentric ones?"
"Ah, that's just it! They are beautiful, only you're not of sufficientintelligence to appreciate their beauty."
"What!" cried Patty, scarcely able to believe she had heard aright,"I'm not intelligent enough----"
"Oh, don't get miffed. Your natural intelligence is all right, you'veplenty of it. But it needs education,--bending in the right direction,you know. And I'm going to educate you. You're the most promisingsubject I've ever seen. I'll make a priestess of you,--a shininglight,--a prophetess----"
Patty giggled. "If I'm a priestess I may as well be a prophetess, Isuppose. When do these lessons begin?"
"Now. They have begun. You are unconsciously absorbing thisatmosphere. You are involuntarily becoming more and more of ourcult,--of our inspirations. You are evolving,--you don't realise it,but you are evolving----"
"I shall be revolving, if I don't get some fresh air! Why must youhave these incense things smoking, not to mention some of the guestssmoking also, and, incidentally, that Moorish lamp is smoking badly! I_am_ absorbing your atmosphere, and it is choking me!"
Patty was in earnest, though she spoke lightly. The unpleasant airfilled her lungs, and she wanted pure oxygen.
"Oh, all right," and Blaney laughed, indulgently. "You can't expect toachieve all at once. Come, we'll step out on the veranda for a whiffof outdoors, and then come back for the program."
"There's to be a program?"
"Oh, yes. Most wonderful work, by genius itself. Now, please, MissFairfield, don't resist the influence."
They were out on the tiny veranda that graced the Blaney's dwelling.The stars shone down through the pure winter air, and Patty felt as ifshe had been rescued from a malarial swamp. But Blaney was impressive.His deep, soft voice persuaded her against her will that she waspettish and crude to rebel at the unwholesome atmosphere inside. "Youdon't understand," he said gently. "Give us a fair trial. That's allI ask. I know your inner nature will respond, if you give it itsfreedom. Ah, freedom! That's all we aim for,--all we desire."
Through the window, Patty heard the sound of weird strains of music.
"Come on," she cried, "I do want to see this thing through. If that'sthe program beginning, take me in. I want to hear it."
They returned to the Studio, and Blaney found two seats which commandeda view of the platform. The seats were uncomfortable, being smallwooden stools, and the air was still clouded with smoke of varioussorts. But, determinedly, Patty prepared to listen to the revelationsthat awaited her. She had long had a curiosity to know what "Bohemia"meant, and now she expected to find out. They were nowhere near theirown crowd. In fact, she couldn't see Elise or Mona, though Philip wasvisible between some rickety armour and a tattered curtain. Veryhandsome he looked, too, his dark, and just now gloomy, face throwninto relief by the "artistic" background.
"Apparently, Mr. Van Reypen is not enjoying himself," Blaney commented,with a quiet chuckle. "He's not our sort."
This remark jarred upon Patty, and she was about to make a spiritedretort, when the music began.
A girl was at the piano. Her gown, of burlaps, made Patty think it hadbeen made from an old coffee sack. But it had a marvelous sash offlaming vermilion velvet, edged with gold fringe, and in her black hairwas stuck a long, bright red quill feather, that gave her an Indianeffect.
"I think her gown is out of key," Patty whispered, "and I am sure hermusic is!"
Blaney smiled. "She is a law unto herself," he replied, "that is anarbitrary minor scale, played in sixths and with a contrary motion."
Patty stared. This was a new departure in music and was interesting.
"Note the cynicism in the discords," Blaney urged, and Patty began towonder if she could be losing her mind or just finding it.
The performance concluded and a rapt silence followed. It seemedapplause was undesired by these geniuses.
Philip stirred, restlessly, and looked over at Patty. She looked away,fearing he would silently express to her his desire to go home, and shewanted to stay to see more.
The girl who had played glided to a side seat, and her place was takenby another young woman, who presented an even more astonishingappearance. This time, the costume was of a sort of tapestry, heavilyembroidered in brilliant hued silks. It was not unbeautiful, but itseemed to Patty more appropriate for upholstery purposes than for adress.
The lady recited what may have been poems, and were, according toBlaney's whispered information, but as they were in some queer foreignlanguage, they were utterly unintelligible.
"What was it all about?" Patty asked, as the recitations were at lastover.
"My dear child, couldn't you gather it all,--all, from the marvellousattitudinising,--the wonderful intoning----"
"'Deed I couldn't! I've no idea what she was getting at, and I don'tbelieve you have, either."
"Oh, yes, it was the glory of a soul on fire,--an immolation of geniuson the altar of victory----"
"That sounds to me like rubbish," and Patty smiled frankly into theeyes of the man addressing her.
"Not rubbish, Miss Fairfield. Oh, what a pleasure it will be toenlighten your ignorance! To teach the eyes of your soul to see, theheart of your soul to beat----"
Again, it was the voice of the man that commanded her attention. Thetones of Sam Blaney's speaking voice were of such a luring, persuasivequality that Patty felt herself agreeing and assenting to what she knewwas nonsense.
But now Van Reypen was striding toward them. Patty saw at a glancethat Phil was at the end of his rope. No more of this nonsense for him.
She was right. As Blaney's attention was diverted for a moment, Philsaid, "Patty, you're going right straight out of this. It's no placefor you! I'm ashamed to have you here. Get your wraps, and we'll go,whether the Farringtons are ready or not. We can walk over to PineLaurel,--it isn't far. Come."
"I won't do it!" Patty returned, crisply. "The idea, Phil, of yourordering me around like that! I want to stay, and I'm going to stay.You can go, if you like; I'll come home with Roger and the girls."
"But I don't like it, Patty, and I don't like to have you here.It's--it's----"
"Well, what is it? I think it's great fun, and I'm going to see itout."
"Even if I ask you not to? Even if I beg you to go----"
"Even if you beg me on your bended knees! You're silly, Phil. Itcan't be wrong if the Farringtons stand for it."
"It isn't exactly wrong,--not _wrong_, you know,--but, well,--it'scheap."
"Oh, fiddlesticks! I like it. I don't mind it's being cheap, I'mtired of expensive things and glad of a change."
"Oh, I don't mean that way," and Van Reypen looked genuinelydistressed. "I wouldn't c
are how poor people were, if they were----"
"Respectable?"
"No, not that, these people are respectable, of course. But,--sincere,that's what I mean. This bunch are fakirs, they pretend to brains andknowledge and wisdom that they don't possess."
"And I suppose you do! Have you got all the knowledge and wisdom inthe world?"
"At least I don't pretend to have the knowledge that I haven't!"
"But you pretend to have a whole lot of authority over me that youhaven't! I tell you, Phil, I'm not going to be ordered about by you!I came to this party because I wanted to see it, and I'm going to staytill it's over, and you can do what you like."
"All right, then," and Phil looked grave. "I'll go away for a time,and I'll return and escort you home. What time shall I come back?"
"You needn't come back at all. I'll go home with Elise, or if not, Idaresay Mr. Blaney will see that I get home safely. Won't you?" sheadded, turning to the resplendent figure nearby.
"Won't I what?" he asked gaily. "But the answer is yes, to anythingyou may ask. Even to the half of my kingdom, and then the other half.To be sure, my kingdom is small, and half of it is my sister's, but youcan command it all."
"Oh, no, nothing so great as that! Merely to see me back to myrooftree in safety, if I outstay my escort."
"You're going to outstay everybody. Why, the fun hasn't begun yet.Don't dream of going home now!"
"I won't," and Patty turned deliberately away from Philip and began tochat with a group of guests to whom she had previously been introduced.
"Join our ranks," said one vivacious young girl. "We're theintelligent idiots, perhaps the wisest sages of our time. We're havinga symposium of souls----"
"Miss Fairfield isn't interested in souls yet," interrupted Blaney,"she's not unnaturally starving to death. The feast is unusuallydelayed tonight."
"It's coming now," announced Alla. "To the food, all!"
Philip was nowhere to be seen, nor did Patty see the Farringtons nearher, but feeling glad of the hint of refreshments, she followed whereBlaney led. Soon, she found herself ensconced on a divan, heaped withpillows, and many people were offering her strange-looking dishes.
"_Chili con carne_?" said one, "or common or garden Welsh Rabbit?"
"I never tasted the Chili stuff," laughed Patty, "but I love WelshRabbit. I'll take that, please."
But, alas, the Welsh Rabbit Patty had in mind was a golden, delectableconfection, light and dainty of character. She was served with agoodly portion of a darkish, tough substance, of rubbery tendencies andstrong cohesive powers.
In vain she essayed to eat it; it was unmanageable, and, to her taste,positively inedible. Yet the others were apparently enjoying it, soshe made valiant efforts to consume her own.
"Fine, isn't it?" said Alla, with enthusiasm, "why, you're not eatingany! You don't like it! Take this away, Sam, and bring Miss Fairfieldsome of the Tamale stuff."
And then, the Rabbit was succeeded by a concoction so much worse, thatPatty was appalled at the mere sight and odour of it.
"Oh, please," she said, hastily, "if I might be excused from eatinganything tonight. You see, the perfume of the incense burning is sounusual for me, that it makes me a little--er, headachy. Don't thinkme a silly, will you?"
Patty's wheedlesome air won them all, and they took away thehighly-spiced, and strongly-flavoured dish. Then Blaney came with asmall cup of thick, muddy-looking coffee.
"Just the thing for you," he declared, "set you up in a jiffy! RealEgyptian, no Turkish business. Just the thing for you!"
Patty gratefully accepted the coffee, but one taste was enough! It wasthick with pulverized coffee grounds, it was sickishly sweet, and itwas strong and black enough to please the blackest Egyptian who everdesired that brand.
"Thank you," she said, hastily handing the cup back. "It is so--sopowerful, a little is quite enough. I'm sure that is all I want."
The others sipped the muddy fluid with apparent relish, and Patty beganto wonder if she wished she had gone home with Philip. At any rate shewas glad he would return for her, and she hoped it would be soon.
She asked where the Farringtons were.
"In the other room, I think," said Alla. "We'll find them aftersupper. Here are the sweetmeats now. You must try these."
The sweetmeats were Oriental, of course. There was Turkish Delight andother sticky, fruity, queer-looking bits, that seemed to Patty justabout the most unappetising candies she had ever seen.
She refused them, a little positively, for she dreaded being persuadedto taste them, and it was hard to refuse the insistence of the guestswho offered them.
"You'll learn," said Miss Norton, the pianist of the program. "It tookme a long time to acquire the taste. But I've got it now," she added,as she helped herself bountifully to the saccharine bits.
Supper over, it was rumoured about that now Blaney would himself readfrom his own poems. A rustle of enthusiasm spread through the rooms,and Patty could easily see that this was the great event of theevening. She was glad now that she had stayed, for surely these poemswould be a revelation of beauty and genius.
There was a zithern accompaniment by the girl in orange, but it wassoft and unobtrusive, that the lines themselves might not be obscured.
Standing on the little platform, Blaney, in robes and turban, made aprofound salaam, and then in his melodious voice breathed softly thefollowing "Love Song ":
"Thy beauty is a star-- A star Afar-- Ay,--far and far, Ay, far. And yet, a bar,-- A bar Is between thee and me! Thee and me---- Thee and me!"
The voice was so lovely that Patty scarcely sensed the words. With thehaunting accompaniment, the whole was like a bit of music, and thewords were negligible.
But in the hush which followed, Patty began to think that after all thewords didn't amount to much. However, everybody was raving over theperformance, and begging for more.
"Did you care for it?" Blaney asked of Patty, with what seemed to be agreat longing in his eyes.
Unwilling to seem disappointed, she replied, "Oh, yes, it was mostsignificant."
"I thank you," he said, his eyes alight with pleasure, "you have usedthe right word!"
As Patty had spoken the first noncommittal word that came into herhead, she was thankful it proved acceptable!