Part 47 (1/2)
Adolphine, who came early with her father, did not dazzle the beholder by the splendor of her costume; but she was charming by virtue of her natural grace of manner, her perfect figure, the sweet expression of her lovely eyes, and perhaps, too, by virtue of a touch of melancholy, which she strove to overcome, but which added to the charm of her face.
Monsieur Batonnin did not fail to be on hand when the leader of the orchestra gave the signal for the dancing to begin, and the girl had no choice but to accept him for her partner; indeed, it mattered little to her with whom she danced; what she would have liked would have been not to dance at all; but, as she was the hostess's sister, that was impossible; too many people would have inquired the reason for her abstinence, and it would have worried her father and annoyed her sister.
On the contrary, she felt that she must act as if she were enjoying herself hugely, and that was very difficult; we can do many things to oblige another, but the eyes never have complaisance enough to hide thoroughly our real feelings.
While dancing with Adolphine, Monsieur Batonnin did not fail to overwhelm her with compliments, scattered among his remarks upon the party.
”It's magnificent! it's enchanting! it's delightful! How elegantly these salons are decorated! and with such taste! Flowers everywhere--to say nothing of those who are dancing; for women and flowers, you know, are very much alike. Others have said that before me, to be sure; but there are things that can't be repeated too often. It must have cost a lot--to give a party like this! but then, when one has the means! Monsieur Monleard doesn't look as cheerful as his wife does; he doesn't seem to be dancing. Still, a host can't dance all the time. I don't suppose he's sick, although he is very pale; but he's almost always pale.”
To all this Adolphine replied only by monosyllables, and the gentleman with the doll's face said to himself after the quadrille:
”That young lady is just about as cheerful as her brother-in-law; it's of no use for Papa Gerbault to tell me that that young man I saw there this morning was in love with her sister; that wouldn't make this one cry. There's something else--yes, there certainly is something else.”
In a salon set aside for card-players, Messieurs Clairval and Gerbault and young Anatole de Raincy met.
”How's this? you are not dancing?” they said to the last named.
”Oh! dear me, no! I wath never mad over danthing,” replied the young dandy, looking at himself in a mirror; ”and there'th thuch a crowd! How can one expect to do anything? When I danth, I like to let mythelf go.”
”Do you mean that you dance the cancan, De Raincy?” queried a young man with a jovial face, putting his hand on Anatole's shoulder.
”How thtupid you are, Vauflers! Jutht becauth I like to put a little grath into my danthing, it dothn't follow that I danth the cancan.”
”Well, you see, I don't dance half lying down, as you do.”
”In the firtht plath, I thtoop, not lie down--a very different thing.
You ought to know that, to danth properly, you mutht thtoop a little. I learned that from a great danther.”
”From Vestris?”
”You tire me! Ever thinth thith fellow hath been eighth clerk to a broker, he maketh fun of everybody.”
”What news from the Bourse to-night?” said Monleard, accosting the young man whom Anatole had called Vauflers.
”You know that several firms were sold out this morning. I believe that we haven't seen the end yet. There's need of a thorough weeding-out.
There are some fellows who have been playing too high for a long time.”
Auguste pressed his lips together and walked away.
”Shan't we have a game of bouillotte?” said the young man.
”Bouillotte ith bad form jutht now, my dear fellow; n.o.body playth it,”
replied tall Anatole, gazing admiringly at his gloves.
”Bezique's the proper thing, I suppose?”
”No, lanthquenet thtill.”
”Ah, yes! because you can ruin yourself faster at that. Thanks! I think I'll go and dance. I asked the hostess for a dance, and she put my name down; but I was twenty-first on the list.”