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！
exclaimed； 〃how you startle me！〃
〃My dear child；〃 said Mrs。 Eyrecourt； 〃you are constitutionally
indolent； and you want startling。 Go into the next room directly。
Mr。 Romayne is looking for you。〃
Stella drew back a step； and eyed her mother in blank surprise。
〃Is it possible that you know him？〃 she asked。
〃Mr。 Romayne doesn't go into Society； or we should have met long
since；〃 Mrs。 Eyrecourt replied。 〃He is a striking personand I
noticed him when he shook hands with you。 That was quite enough
for me。 I have just introduced myself to him as your mother。 He
was a little stately and stiff； but most charming when he knew
who I was。 I volunteered to find you。 He was quite astonished。 I
think he took me for your elder sister。 Not the least like each
otherare we； Lady Loring？ She takes after her poor dear father。
_He_ was constitutionally indolent。 My sweet child； rouse
yourself。 You have drawn a prize in the great lottery at last。 If
ever a man was in love； Mr。 Romayne is that man。 I am a
physiognomist； Lady Loring； and I see the passions in the face。
Oh； Stella； what a property！ Vange Abbey。 I once drove that way
when I was visiting in the neighborhood。 Superb！ And another
fortune （twelve thousand a year and a villa at Highgate） since
the death of his aunt。 And my daughter may be mistress of this if
she only plays her cards properly。 What a compensation after all
that we suffered through that monster； Winterfield！〃
〃Mamma！ Pray don't ！〃
〃Stella； I will _not_ be interrupted； when I am speaking to you
for your own good。 I don't know a more provoking person； Lady
Loring； than my daughteron certain occasions。 And yet I love
her。 I would go through fire and water for my beautiful child。
Only last week I was at a wedding； and I thought of Stella。 The
church was crammed to the doors！ A hundred at the wedding
breakfast！ The bride's lacethere； no language can describe it。
Ten bridesmaids； in blue and silver。 Reminded me of the ten
virgins。 Only the proportion of foolish ones； this time； was
certainly more than five。 However； they looked well。 The
Archbishop proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom； so
sweetly pathetic。 Some of us cried。 I thought of my daughter。 Oh；
if I could live to see Stella the central attraction； so to
speak； of such a wedding as that。 Only I would have twelve
bridesmaids at least； and beat the blue and silver with green and
gold。 Trying to the complexion； you will say。 But there are
artificial improvements。 At least； I am told so。 What a house
this would bea broad hint； isn't it； dear Lady Loring？what a
house for a wedding； with the drawing…room to assemble in and the
picture gallery for the breakfast。 I know the Archbishop。 My
darling； he shall marry you。 Why _don't_ you go into the next
room？ Ah； that constitutional indolence。 If you only had my
energy； as I used to say to your poor father。 _Will_ you go？ Yes；
dear Lady Loring； I should like a glass of champagne； and another
of those delicious chicken sandwiches。 If you don't go； Stella； I
shall forget every consideration of propriety； and； big as you
are； I shall push you out。〃
Stella yielded to necessity。 〃Keep her quiet； if you can；〃 she
whispered to Lady Loring； in the moment of silence that followed。
Even Mrs。 Eyrecourt was not able to talk while she was drinking
champagne。
In the next room Stella found Romayne。 He looked careworn and
irritable； but brightened directly when she approached him。
〃My mother has been speaking to you；〃 she said。 〃I am afraid〃
He stopped her there。 〃She _is_ your mother；〃 he interposed；
kindly。 〃Don't think that I am ungrateful enough to forget that。〃
She took his arm； and looked at him with all her heart in her
eyes。 〃Come into a quieter room；〃 she whispered。
Romayne led her away。 Neither of them noticed Penrose as they
left the room。
He had not moved since Stella had spoken to him。 There he
remained in his corner； absorbed in thoughtand not in happy
thought； as his face would have plainly betrayed to any one who
had cared to look at him。 His eyes sadly followed the retiring
figures of Stella and Romayne。 The color rose on his haggard
cheeks。 Like most men who are accustomed to live alone； he had
the habit； when he was strongly excited； of speaking to himself。
〃No；〃 he said； as the unacknowledged lovers disappeared through
the door； 〃it is an insult to ask me to do it！〃 He turned the
other way； escaped Lady Loring's notice in the reception…room；
and left the house。
Romayne and Stella passed through the card…room and the
chess…room； turned into a corridor； and entered the conservatory。
For the first time the place was a solitude。 The air of a
newly…invented dance； faintly audible through the open windows of
the ballroom above； had proved an irresistible temptation。 Those
who knew the dance were eager to exhibit themselves。 Those who
had only heard of it were equally anxious to look on and learn。
Even toward the latter end of the nineteenth century the youths
and maidens of Society can still be in earnestwhen the object
in view is a new dance。
What would Major Hynd have said if he had seen Romayne turn into
one of the recesses of the conservatory； in which there was a
seat which just held two？ But the Major had forgotten his years
and his family； and he too was one of the spectators in the
ballroom。
〃I wonder；〃 said Stella； 〃whether you know how I feel those kind
words of yours when you spoke of my mother。 Shall I tell you？〃
She put her arm round his neck and kissed him。 He was a man new
to love； in the nobler sense of the word。 The exquisite softness
in the touch of her lips； the delicious fragrance of her breath；
intoxicated him。 Again and again he returned the kiss。 She drew
back； she recovered her self…possession with a suddenness and a
certainty incomprehensible to a man。 From the depths of
tenderness she passed to the shallows of frivolity。 In her own
defense she was almost as superficial as her mother； in less than
a moment。
〃What would Mr。 Penrose say if he saw you？〃 she whispered。
〃Why do you speak of Penrose？ Have you seen him to…night？〃
〃Yeslooking sadly out of his element； poor man。 I did my best
to set him at his easebecause I know _you_ like him。〃
〃Dear Stella！〃
〃No； not again！ I am speaking seriously now。 Mr。 Penrose looked
at me with a strange kind of interestI can't describe it。 Have