a simpleton-第27章

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poniards。

The　rooms　filled；　the　heat　became　oppressive；　and　the　mixed　odors
of　flowers；　scents；　and　perspiring　humanity；　sickening。　　Some；
unable　to　bear　it；　trickled　out　of　the　room；　and　sat　all　down　the
stairs。

Rosa　began　to　feel　faint。　　Up　came　a　tall；　sprightly　girl；　whose
pertness　was　redeemed　by　a　certain　bonhomie；　and　said；　〃Mrs。
Staines；　I　believe？　　I　am　to　make　myself　agreeable　to　you。　　That　is
the　order　from　headquarters。〃

〃Miss　Lucas；〃　said　Staines。

She　jerked　a　little　off…hand　bow　to　him；　and　said；　〃Will　you　trust
her　to　me　for　five　minutes？〃

〃Certainly。〃　　But　he　did　not　much　like　it。

Miss　Lucas　carried　her　off；　and　told　Dr。　Staines；　over　her
shoulder；　now　he　could　flirt　to　his　heart's　content。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　he　dryly。　　〃I'll　await　your　return。〃

〃Oh；　there　are　some　much　greater　flirts　here　than　I　am；〃　said　the
ready　Miss　Lucas；　and　whispering　something　in　Mrs。　Staines's　ear；
suddenly　glided　with　her　behind　a　curtain；　pressed　a　sort　of　button
fixed　to　a　looking…glass　door。　　The　door　opened；　and　behold　they
were　in　a　delicious　place；　for　which　I　can　hardly　find　a　word；
since　it　was　a　boudoir　and　a　conservatory　in　one：　a　large　octagon；
the　walls　lined　from　floor　to　ceiling　with　looking…glasses　of
moderate　width；　at　intervals；　and　with　creepers　that　covered　the
intervening　spaces　of　the　wall；　and　were　trained　so　as　to　break　the
outline　of　the　glasses　without　greatly　clouding　the　reflection。
Ferns；　in　great　variety；　were　grouped　in　a　deep　crescent；　and　in
the　bight　of　this　green　bay　were　a　small　table　and　chairs。　　As
there　were　no　hot…house　plants；　the　temperature　was　very　cool；
compared　with　the　reeking　oven　they　had　escaped；　and　a　little
fountain　bubbled；　and　fed　a　little　meandering　gutter　that　trickled
away　among　the　ferns；　it　ran　crystal　clear　over　little　bright
pebbles　and　shells。　　It　did　not　always　run；　you　understand；　but
Miss　Lucas　turned　a　secret　tap；　and　started　it。

〃Oh；　how　heavenly！〃　said　Rosa；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　〃and　how　good
of　you　to　bring　me　here！〃

〃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