The Dark

Excerpt from The Dark

It was still early when he arrived, about ten o'clock; but the great white hall with its gilded chairs and mirrors was ready for the recep tion of guests, and all the fires were lighted. The pianist was sitting beside the piano, a dapper young man in a black frock coat for it was an expensive house. He was smoking, carefully ?icking the ash of his cigarette so as not to soil the carpet, and glancing over the music. In the corner near the darkened dining room there sat all arow, on three chairs, three girls whispering to one another. As he entered with the manageress, two of the girls rose, but the third remained sitting; the two who rose were very décolletée, the third wore a deep black frock. The two looked at him straight, with a look of invitation, half indifferent, half weary; but the third turned aside. Her profile was calm and simple, like that of any proper young maiden, a thoughtful face. Apparently she had been telling a story to the others, and the others had been listening, and now she was continuing the train of thought, telling the rest in silence.