Part 20 (2/2)
”One always can,” she said, speaking as though she were not aware that she was saying anything, and then suddenly advancing towards the bay-window, she exclaimed: ”Ah! there, now! the Tourvilles! and grandmamma is not down stairs again yet!”
Bijou went forward to greet the new-comers--a lady dressed very handsomely, followed by a common-looking sort of man, with very stiff manners, who, on the whole, was decidedly sn.o.bbish.
Bijou introduced them, ”Count de Clagny, Count de Tourville,” and then, as the marchioness entered the room, looking very handsome still in her cloudy lace draperies, the young girl turned to M. de Clagny again.
”Well,” she said, ”and what do you think of the Tourvilles?”
”I don't admire them. But how much Henry de Bracieux has improved in appearance; he is not as good-looking as his cousin yet; but that may come, perhaps.”
”As good-looking as which cousin?”
”As Blaye.”
”Again. Oh, well! you will insist on this beauty of Jean's.”
”Well, beauty is perhaps not just the word; but he is charming; if you will allow me to say that?”
”I will allow it.”
”By the bye, do tell me who that very nice-looking young man is whom I met just now at the end of the avenue?”
”I do not know, unless it were Pierrot's tutor; but he is not so very nice-looking----”
”Look, there he is,” said M. de Clagny, indicating M. Giraud.
”Ah!” exclaimed Bijou, in astonishment; ”yes, that is he!”
She was amazed both at the count's admiration, and at the transformation which Jean's dress-coat had made.
Arrayed in this garment of a perfect cut, and which fitted him wonderfully well, the young tutor looked quite at his ease.
”Well,” said Henry, coming up to Denyse, ”wasn't my idea a bright one?
Do you see the difference?”--and then, as she did not answer quickly enough for his liking, he added: ”I'll bet anything you don't see it; women never can see those things when it's a question of men.”
The guests were all arriving. First the La Balues, imperturbable, absurd in the extreme, but so blissfully happy, so full of admiration, and so perfectly satisfied with themselves that one would have been sorry to have undeceived them. Then came Hubert de Bernes, arrayed, as Bijou had prophesied, in his uniform, and looking all round the drawing-room carefully afraid of meeting what he was in the habit of calling '_any big pots_.' The Juzencourts arrived last of all, bringing with them Madame de Nezel, a very pretty and exquisitely-dressed woman.
She was extremely refined-looking and supple, with that suppleness peculiar to Creoles; she had a jessamine-like complexion, and heavy, silky hair of jet black.
Bijou, who was looking at her with an expression of curiosity, as though she had never seen her before, remarked to M. de Clagny:
”Madame de Nezel is really very pretty--isn't she?”
He replied, in an absent sort of way, devouring Bijou all the time with his eyes:
”There is no mistaking that she comes of good family, and then, too, she's very womanly, and would respond----”
The young girl knitted her eyebrows as though she were making an effort to understand.
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