Part 17 (2/2)
”Watching.”
”It's nice up here. It's near the music. You know, I'd like to learn how to play the ba.s.soon,” said Jane.
”Then you probably will. How would the trombone suit you? That seems more your style.”
Jane turned up her nose at him, and then without replying focussed her attention on the dancers below.
Suddenly, half laughing and half annoyed she exclaimed,
”Oh, that _is_ too mean of Dolly!”
”What's too mean?”
”Why-oh, she is a wicked-hearted girl!-she _knows_, just as well as I do that the main reason Mr. Sheridan came was so that he might meet Lily Deacon. And she's gone and tied him up with Mealy Amelia!”
”Huh?” said Paul.
”He'll be with Amelia until the dance is _over_!”
”Is that your friend, Sheridan, down there? He's sort of a nice-looking fellow,” remarked Paul, condescendingly. ”I thought he was about ninety.
Seems a bit glum, doesn't he?”
”Well, you'd be, too, if you had Amelia talking about the infinite with you for a whole evening. I saw Dolly introduce him to her at least half an hour ago, and he hasn't been rescued yet. Dolly did that on purpose-just to tease me!”
”To tease you? Humph, you seem to think yourself a pretty important person, don't you?” observed Paul with a grin.
”Well, I asked Dolly myself please to introduce him to Miss Lily as soon as she could. I _told_ her he was very sad, and needed cheering up-and just see what she's done!”
”I must say you aren't very easy on Amelia. You usually seem to like everyone. What's the matter with her?”
”I _do_ like nearly everyone, but I _do not_ like Amelia. She's a-a hypocrite,” said Jane. ”She's a _fake_. That's what I don't like about her. I don't like people who write about the stars, and then turn around and say mean, nasty, cattish little things just because they're jealous.
Oh, _poor_ Mr. Sheridan!”
The object of Jane's ardent sympathy really deserved it. He was doing his duty manfully and gallantly; but every now and then a haunted and desperate expression came into his face, as he summoned up all his faculties to respond to Amelia's discourse.
She was trying, by various subtle, melancholy little observations to make him feel that she understood that he was not a happy man, and that he might confide in her. His only escape from this hara.s.sing conversation was to dance with her (tripping at every second step on her Grecian draperies) and-his only escape from the disasters of the dance was to talk to her.
”Paul!” said Jane in a tone of decision, ”something must be done.”
”Eh?”
”I'll tell you what. _You_ must go down, and ask Amelia to dance with you!”
”_What!_”
”Yes. Now, do an unselfish act, and it shall be returned to you a thousandfold,” said Jane, unctuously.
”Not interested in any such bargains,” returned Paul.
<script>