Part 45 (1/2)

”I must let the poor girl go,” he murmured to himself. ”I cannot help her; all must look out for themselves.” He said this over several times, nervously clasping and unclasping his hands,--hands which, long, narrow, and white, suggested a certain graceful helplessness which is apt to distinguish the particularly beautiful hands of a woman. ”Yes, one must learn to control circ.u.mstances, to conquer one's self.”

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

A SLANDERER.

The others are seated at the breakfast-table when Treurenberg enters the dining-room, all except Fainacky, who, true to his self-imposed task, is still busy with the decorations of the garden-room. That enterprising _matre de plaisir_ has a deal to do, since there is to be a rehearsal, as it were, in the evening of the morrow's festivities.

Various guests from far and near are expected to admire and to enhance this prelude of coming glories.

A seat beside Selina is empty. Lato goes directly towards it. Nothing about him betrays his inward agitation or the sleeplessness of the past night. Rather pale, but refreshed by a long walk, and dressed with exquisite care, he looks so distinguished and handsome in his light summer array, that Selina is struck by his appearance. He has a rose in his hand, and as, bending over his wife, he places it among her curls, and then kisses her hand by way of morning greeting, she receives him quite graciously. She is inclined to be proud to-day of her aristocratic possession, which she is shortly to have an opportunity of displaying before so many less-favoured friends. Half returning the pressure of his hand, she says, ”To what do I owe these conjugal attentions?”

”The anniversary of our betrothal, Selina,” he says, in the half-jesting tone in which married people of a certain social standing are wont to allude before witnesses to matters of sentiment, and then he takes his seat beside her.

”True, our anniversary!” she rejoins, in the same tone, evidently flattered. ”And you remembered it? As a reward, Lato, I will b.u.t.ter your toast for you.”

Here the Pole comes tripping into the room. ”_Changement de dcoration_. You have taken my place to-day, Treurenberg,” he says, not without irritation. ”Since when have modern couples been in the habit of sitting beside each other?”

”It is permitted now and then _en famille_,” Selina informs him, placing before Lato the toast she has just prepared for him. She glances at Fainacky, and instantly averts her eyes. For the first time it occurs to her to compare this affected trifler with her husband, and the comparison is sadly to Fainacky's disadvantage. The petty elegancies of his dress and air strike her as ridiculous. He divines something of this, and it enrages him. He cares not the slightest for Selina, but, since their late encounter in the park, he has most cordially hated Lato, whom he did not like before. The friendly demeanour of the pair towards each other this morning vexes him intensely; he sees that his attempt to cast suspicion upon Lato has failed with Selina; nay, it has apparently only fanned the flame of a desire to attract her husband. It irritates him; he would be devoured by envy should a complete reconciliation between the two be established, and he be obliged to look on while Lato again entered into the full enjoyment of his wife's millions. He takes the only vacant place, and looks about him for somewhat wherewith to interrupt this mood upon the part of the pair. Finally his glance rests upon Olga, who sits opposite him, crumbling a piece of biscuit on her plate.

”No appet.i.te yet, Frulein Olga?” he asks.

Olga starts slightly, and lifts her teacup to her lips.

”Do you not think that Frulein Olga has been looking ill lately?” The Pole directs this question to all present.

Every one looks at Olga, and Fainacky gloats over the girl's confusion.

Treurenberg looks also, and is startled by her pallor. ”Yes, my poor child, you certainly are below par,” he says, with difficulty controlling his voice. ”Something must be done for your health.”

”Change of air is best in such cases,” observes the Pole.

”So I think,” says Treurenberg; and, finding that he has himself better in hand than he had thought possible awhile ago, he adds, turning to his mother-in-law, ”I think, when everything here is settled after the old fas.h.i.+on----”

”After the new fas.h.i.+on, you mean,” Paula interposes, with a languis.h.i.+ng air.

”Yes, when all the bustle is over,” Treurenberg begins afresh, in some embarra.s.sment this time, for his conscience p.r.i.c.ks him sorely whenever Paula alludes to her betrothal.

”I understand, after my marriage,” she again interposes.

”About the beginning of November,” Treurenberg meekly rejoins, again addressing his mother-in-law, ”you might take Olga to the south. A winter in Nice would benefit both of you.”

”_Tiens! c'est une ide_,” Selina remarks. ”Such quant.i.ties of people whom we know are going to winter in Nice this year. Not a bad plan, Lato. Yes, we might spend a couple of months very pleasantly in Nice.”

”Oh, I have other plans for ourselves, Lina,” Treurenberg says, hastily.

”Ah, I begin to understand,” Frau von Harfink observes: ”we are to be got out of the way, Olga, you and I.” And she smiles after a bitter-sweet fas.h.i.+on.

”But, Baroness!” Lato exclaims.

”You entirely misunderstand him, Baroness,” Fainacky interposes: ”he was only anxious for Frulein Olga's health; and with reason: her want of appet.i.te is alarming.” Again he succeeds in attracting every one's attention to the girl, who is vainly endeavouring to swallow her breakfast.