Page:Cup of Gold-1929.djvu/97

bodies of passionate dreams. He built for her a tiny, vine-clad house roofed with banana leaves, and there he played at love.

At first Paulette was only grateful to him for bringing her to a lazy, easy life, with comfort and days of little toil, but later she fell frenziedly in love with him. She watched his face like a quick terrier, waiting to jump with wild pleasure at one word or fall fawning in the dust at another.

When Henry was serious or distraught, she was afraid; then she would kneel before her little ebony figure of a jungle god and pray to the Virgin for his love. Sometimes she put out cups of milk for the winged Jun-Jo-Bee which keeps men true. With the frantic, tender arts of her mixed bloods, she strove to hold him surely in her sight. From her body and her hair there came a rich orient odor, for she rubbed herself with sandalwood and myrrh,

When he was gloomy———

“Do you love Paulette?” she would ask. “Do you love Paulette? Are you sure you love Paulette?”

“Why, certainly, I love Paulette. How could a man see Paulette, little, dear Paulette———how touch the lips of sweet Paulette———and not be loving her?” And his eyes would go wandering to the sea below, seeking and seeking along the curved shore.

“But do you surely, surely love Paulette? Come, kiss the little breasts of your own Paulette.”

“Yes, surely I love Paulette. There! I have kissed them and the charm is made. Now do be