e no one would publish her book. Once she had
secured the promise of a real publisher that he would take it she was
radiant. She thought the firm had been wondrously kind. They made thirty
thousand dollars from the sale of her book. I am selfish--don't you
think I'm not--I'm going to make fame and lots of money on your play."

"I hope you may, for am I not to share in all your gold and glory? I
have greater need of both than you. You already have all that mortal
could desire. I don't believe I've told you what I called you before I
met you--have I?"

"No; what was it?" Her eyes widened with interest.

"'The glittering woman.'"

She looked puzzled. "Why that?"

"Because of the glamour, the mystery, which surrounded your name."

"Even now I don't see."

He looked amused and cried out: "On my life, I believe you don't! Being
at the source of the light, you can't see it, of course. It's like
wearing a crown of electric lamps--others see you as a dazzling thing;
you are in the dark. It is my trade to use words to express my meaning,
but I confess my hesitation in trying to make you see yourself as I saw
you. You were like a baleful, purple star, something monstrous yet
beautiful. Your fame filled the world and fell into my garret chamber
like a lurid sunrise. With your coming, mysterious posters bloomed and
crimson letters blazed on street-walls. Praiseful paragraphs appeared in
the newspapers, gowns and hats (named after you) and belt-buckles and
shoes and cigarettes arranged themselves in the windows, each bearing
your name."

"What a load of tinsel for a poor little woman to carry around! How it
must have shocked you to find me so commonplace! None of us escape the
common fates. It is always a surprise to me to discover how simple the
men of great literary fame are. A friend of mine once spent a whole
evening with a great novelist without discovering who he was. She said
to him when she found him out, 'I couldn't believe that any one I could
meet could be great.' Really, I hope you will forgive me for not being
as superhuman as my posters. It was the mystery of the unknown. If you
knew all about me I would be entirely commonplace." She was more
concerned about his opinion of her than she expressed in words. Her
eagerness appeared in her voice.

"I found you infinitely more womanly than I had supposed, and simpler.
Even yet I don't see how you can carry this oppressive weight of
advertising glory and still be--w