TOBACCO LEAVES 



Despite the wearisome longings of 

 heimweh, despite the perils and discom- 

 forts of the lonely camp, the spell of the 

 lotus-eaters was upon me. The old song 

 rang with the subtle charm of unheard 

 music to my inner ear: 



" Death is the end of life. Ah! Why 

 should life all labour be? " 



Vague desire, tempered with dread, and 

 struggling with growing might against 

 the old Puritan principle of self-denial 

 for self-denial's sake, kindled the flame 

 that brought my Lady Nicotine to me, 

 warm with her lascivious pleasing. The 

 bashful, virgin lips on which she had not 

 yet left the ineffaceable trace of her touch, 

 were half-reluctantly, half -willingly parted. 

 A few tremulous, hesitant gasps of doubt- 

 ing, fearsome yielding and I was hers. 



Not for me was any sickening revul- 

 sion; I had no qualms of pain, scarcely 

 a pang of regret. I was the predestined 



152 



