Volume II Part 23 (1/2)
”No, h to take me somewhere out of Paris; to some place where I can breathe the fresh air freely; I shall then recover that appearance which you think I must have to interest in my favour those ill see ht I feel I shall be happy again”
”I ao out as soon as I am dressed Your brother will return in the mean time”
”Oh, never mind reat importance Recollect, my dear Vesian, you must make Narbonne ashamed of his own conduct You must consider that if he should happen to hear that, on the very day he abandoned you, you went into the country alone with me, he would triumph, and would certainly say that he has only treated you as you deserved But if you go with your brother and ive no occasion for slander”
”I blush not to have made that remark myself We ait forback, and having sent for a coach ere on the point of going, when Baletti called onlady, and invited him to join our party He accepted, and we started As my only purpose was to amuse Mdlle Vesian, I told the coachman to drive us to the Gros Caillou, where we uestsup for the deficiencies of the servants
Vesian, feeling his head rather heavy, went out for a walk after dinner, and I remained alone with his sister and ht her an agreeable girl, and it gaveI inforht her to Paris, of the little hope there was of her obtaining a pension fro, and of the necessity there was for her to do so Baletti answered that he would be happy to do anything, and when he had exairl he said to her,
”I will get Lani to take you for the ballet at the opera”
”Then,” I said, ”you in your lessons toirl, full of wonder at h heartily, and said,
”But can an opera dancer be extemporized like a ood enough to enable h a quadrille; but with the exception of that I cannot dance one step”
”Most of the ballet girls,” said Baletti, ”know no more than you do”
”And how much must I ask fro The ballet girls are not paid”
”Then where is the advantage for h; ”how shall I live?”
”Do not think of that Such as you are, you will soon find ten wealthy noblest the up for the absence of salary You have only tobefore we see you covered with diareat lord will keep me?”
”Precisely; and that will be much better than a pension of four hundred francs, which you would, perhaps, not obtain withoutthe same sacrifice”
Very much surprised, she looked at
Baletti having left us, I told her it was truly the best thing she could do, unless she preferred the sad position of waiting-rand lady
”I would not be the 'feurante' at the opera?”
”Much rather”
”You are sh I the mistress of a rich nobleman, ill cover me with diaht, my dear; only do not make him jealous”