“HE STUDIED HIMSELF IN THE GLASS”

MY LADY NOBODY

A Novel

BY

MAARTEN MAARTENS

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

1895

Copyright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers.

All rights reserved.

Dedication

God’s Angel of Human Love sat alone in the garden of lilies. Herarms hung listless among the blooms she had gathered into her lap.For her eyes—sole mirrors of the Inapproachable Presence—weregazing steadfastly down upon the darkness, deep down where theblack bar of sorrow strikes across the wide radiance of eternity,down on the sin-laden star that still hastens athwart the shadow. Asingle teardrop stole out upon her cheek, and, falling, crept awayinto a milk-white chalice. Suddenly, with a movement of ineffablepity, she flung forth all the flowers upon her lap, into the worldbelow.

Into my bosom, O Beloved, is fallen the flower with the tear atits heart. Unto thee, O fair among God’s flowers, white among hisangels, strong among his saints, unto thee, with the thorn in thyside, and the star on thy forehead, unto thee do I dedicate thisray from a life of which thou art the light.

CONTENTS