read the words she had written. But
he kissed the little packet ... and sighed.

He could not see it was his little nephew's school trunk he had opened
by mistake, and that the packet which he held reverently in his
reminiscent clasp was merely a bundle of blank, empty envelopes.

XXXVII

STRATEGY

One woman read up on everything and put on silks and jewels and perfumes
and dimmed the lamps and set liqueurs and cigarettes upon the tabourette
and caused the flames to dance low in the open hearth.

And one woman merely put a bit of soft lace about her throat and every
once in a while prefaced a word with a sudden little intake of breath.

XXXVIII

A WORK OF ART

A poet, unknown and unsung, wrote a beautiful play. Those who read the
play felt strange tears creep into their eyes and odd little pullings at
the strings of their hearts.

"This," they said, "is art."

And the news of the poet's beautiful play spread far. And it came in
time to be produced upon the great highway of a city with a company of
actors the very least of whom received as weekly emolument some nuggets
nine hundred and more. And citizens traveled from ulterior Haarlm and
the far reaches of Brukkelhyn and counties beyond the Duchy of Nhuyohrk
to see the costly actors play the poet's work. And the citizens looked
at one another sorely perplexed, for they felt no strange tears creep
into their eyes nor odd pullings at the strings of their hearts.

"Art hell!" they said.

XXXIX

OFFSPRING

Egotism and Carnality married and gave birth to a child.

They named it Love.

XL

V. C.

The child, entering the dark room at night, hummed a tune to hide his
fear and frightened a mouse who was playing in a far corner. The mouse
ran blindly under the child's foot and the child, believing the mouse
was his grandmother's ball of wool, gave it a vigorous kick and killed
it.

XLI

BUT--

"But----" interposed the young woman.

A gleam came into the eyes of the man who coveted and who had long and
vainly laid subtle siege against her.

He appreciated now that it was merely a matter of time.

XLII

CONJECTURE

The pretty girl looked up at the stars, wondering....

The stars looked down at the pretty girl, wondering....

XLIII

THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON

To his court spake Solomon: "I seek another woman for wife. But I have
at length learned wisdom in these matters. So go you bring