按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Yes； by rights I ought to have waited till you fainted。 But there
is no making acquaintance among all those people。 Mamma will ask
such crowds； one is like a fly in a glue…pot。〃
Miss Lucas had good nature； smartness； and animal spirits； hence
arose a vivacity and fluency that were often amusing； and passed
for very clever。 Reserve she had none； would talk about strangers；
or friends； herself； her mother； her God； and the last buffoon…
singer； in a breath。 At a hint from Rosa； she told her who the
lady in the pink dress was； and the lady in the violet velvet； and
so on； for each lady was defined by her dress； and； more or less；
quizzed by this show…woman； not exactly out of malice； but because
it is smarter and more natural to decry than to praise； and a
little medisance is the spice to gossip； belongs to it； as mint
sauce to lamb。 So they chatted away； and were pleased with each
other； and made friends； and there； in cool grot； quite forgot the
sufferings of their fellow…creatures in the adjacent Turkish bath；
yclept society。 It was Rosa who first recollected herself。 〃Will
not Mrs。 Lucas be angry with me； if I keep you all to myself？〃
〃Oh no； but I'm afraid we must go into the hot…house again。 I like
the greenhouse best； with such a nice companion。〃
They slipped noiselessly into the throng again； and wriggled about；
Miss Lucas presenting her new friend to several ladies and
gentlemen。
Presently Staines found them； and then Miss Lucas wriggled away；
and in due course the room was thinned by many guests driving off
home； or to balls； and other receptions； and Dr。 Staines and Mrs。
Staines went home to the Bijou。 Here the physician prescribed bed；
but the lady would not hear of such a thing until she had talked it
all over。 So they compared notes； and Rosa told him how well she
had got on with Miss Lucas； and made a friendship。 〃But for that；〃
said she； 〃I should be sorry I went among those people； such a
dowdy。〃
〃Dowdy！〃 said Staines。 〃Why； you stormed the town； you were the
great success of the night； and； for all I know； of the season。〃
The wretch delivered this with unbecoming indifference。
〃It is too bad to mock me； Christie。 Where were your eyes？〃
〃To the best of my recollection； they were one on each side of my
nose。〃
〃Yes； but some people are eyes and no eyes。〃
〃I scorn the imputation； try me。〃
〃Very well。 Then did you see that lady in sky…blue silk；
embroidered with flowers； and flounced with white velvet； and the
corsage point lace； and oh； such emeralds？〃
〃I did； a tall； skinny woman； with eyes resembling her jewels in
color； though not in brightness。〃
〃Never mind her eyes； it is her dress I am speaking of。 Exquisite；
and what a coiffure！ Well； did you see HER in the black velvet；
trimmed so deep with Chantilly lace； wave on wave； and her head…
dress of crimson flowers； and such a riviere of diamonds； oh； dear！
oh； dear！〃
〃I did； love。 The room was an oven； but her rubicund face and
suffocating costume made it seem a furnace。〃
〃Stuff！ Well； did you see the lady in the corn…colored silk； and
poppies in her hair？〃
〃Of course I did。 Ceres in person。 She made me feel hot； too； but
I cooled myself a bit at her pale； sickly face。〃
〃Never mind their faces； that is not the point。〃
〃Oh； excuse me； it is always a point with us benighted males； all
eyes and no eyes。〃
〃Well； then； the lady in white； with cherry…velvet bands； and a
white tunic looped with crimson； and headdress of white illusion； a
la vierge； I think they call it。〃
〃It was very refreshing； and adapted to that awful atmosphere。 It
was the nearest approach to nudity I ever saw； even amongst
fashionable people。〃
〃It was lovely； and then that superb figure in white illusion and
gold； with all those narrow flounces over her slip of white silk
glacee； and a wreath of white flowers； with gold wheat ears amongst
them； in her hair； and oh！ oh！ oh！ her pearls； oriental； and as big
as almonds！〃
〃And oh！ oh！ oh！ her nose！ reddish； and as long as a woodcock's。〃
〃Noses！ noses！ stupid！ That is not what strikes you first in a
woman dressed like an angel。〃
〃Well； if you were to run up against that one； as I nearly did； her
nose WOULD be the thing that would strike you first。 Nose！ it was
a rostrum！ the spear…head of Goliah。〃
〃Now； don't； Christopher。 This is no laughing matter。 Do you mean
you were not ashamed of your wife？ I was。〃
〃No； I was not； you had but one rival； a very young lady； wise
before her age； a blonde； with violet eyes。 She was dressed in
light mauve…colored silk； without a single flounce； or any other
tomfoolery to fritter away the sheen and color of an exquisite
material； her sunny hair was another wave of color； wreathed with a
thin line of white jessamine flowers closely woven； that scented
the air。 This girl was the moon of that assembly； and you were the
sun。〃
〃I never even saw her。〃
〃Eyes and no eyes。 She saw you； and said； 'Oh； what a beautiful
creature！' for I heard her。 As for the old stagers； whom you
admire so； their faces were all clogged with powder； the pores
stopped up； the true texture of the skin abolished。 They looked
downright nasty； whenever you or that young girl passed by them。
Then it was you saw to what a frightful extent women are got up in
our day； even young women； and respectable women。 No； Rosa； dress
can do little for you； you have beautyreal beauty。〃
〃Beauty！ That passes unnoticed； unless one is well dressed。〃
〃Then what an obscure pair the Apollo Belvidere and the Venus de
Medicis must be。〃
〃Oh！ they are dressedin marble。〃
Christopher Staines stared first； then smiled。
〃Well done；〃 said he； admiringly。 〃That IS a knockdown blow。 So
now you have silenced your husband； go you to bed directly。 I
can't afford you diamonds； so I will take care of that little
insignificant trifle； your beauty。〃
Mrs。 Staines and Mrs。 Lucas exchanged calls； and soon Mrs。 Staines
could no longer complain she was out of the world。 Mrs。 Lucas
invited her to every party； because her beauty was an instrument of
attraction she knew how to use； and Miss Lucas took a downright
fancy to her； drove her in the park； and on Sundays to the
Zoological Gardens； just beginning to be fashionable。
The Lucases rented a box at the opera； and if it was not let at the
library by six o'clock； and if other engagements permitted； word
was sent round to Mrs。 Staines； as a matter of course； and she was
taken to the opera。 She began almost to live at the Lucases； and
to be oftener fatigued than moped。
The usual order of things was inverted； the maiden lady educated
the matron； for Miss Lucas knew all about everybody in the Park；
honorable or dishonorable； all the scandals； and all the
flirtations； and whatever she knew； she related point…blank。 Being
as inquisitive as voluble； she soon learned how Mrs。 Staines and
her husband were situated。 She took upon her to advise her in many
things； and especially impressed upon her that Dr。 Staines must
keep a carriage； if he wanted to get on in medicine。 The piece of
advice accorded so well with Rosa's wishes； that