Part 59 (2/2)
”Quote me correctly, I pray you, Doctor; to that of women, if you please,” interrupted Olga.
”She believes that it is not a difference of degree (which we know to be the case), but of kind; not comparative, but structural--you understand. How can you tolerate such schism in your household?
Moreover, she scouts the great Spencerian organon.”
”Olga is too astute not to discover the discrepancy between the theory of Scientists and the usages of civilized society, whose sanitary provisions thwart and neutralize your law in its operations upon the human race. 'Those whom it saves from dying prematurely, it preserves to propagate dismal and imperfect lives. In our complicated modern communities, a race is being run between moral and mental enlightenment, and the deterioration of the physical and moral const.i.tution through the defeasance of the law of Natural Selection.'”
Lifting her champagne gla.s.s, Olga sipped the amber bubbles from its brim, and slightly bent her head in acknowledgment.
”Thanks. I disclaim any doubt of the accuracy of his pedigree from the monad, through the ape, up to the present erudite philosopher; but I humbly crave permission to a.s.sert a far different lineage for myself. Pray, Doctor, train your battery now upon Mr. Palma, and since he a.s.sails you with Greg, _minus_ quotation marks, require him to avow his real sentiments concerning that sentence in 'De Profundis': 'That purely political conception of religion which regards the Ten Commandments as a sort of 'cheap defence' of property and life, G.o.d Almighty as an ubiquitous and unpaid Policeman, and h.e.l.l as a self-supporting jail, a penal settlement at the Antipodes!'”
Prudent Mrs. Palma rose at that moment, and the party left the dining-room.
Mrs. St. Clare called Regina to her sofa, to make some inquiries about the Cantata, and when the latter was released, he saw that both Mr. Chesley and Mr. Palma were absent.
A half-hour elapsed, during which Olga continued to annoy the learned small man with her irreverent flippancy, and Mrs. Carew seemed to fascinate the two gentlemen who hovered about her like eager moths around a lamp. Then the host and Congressman came in together, and Regina saw her guardian cross the room, and murmur something to his fair client, who smilingly a.s.sented.
Mr. Chesley looked at the widow, and at Olga, and his eyes came back, and dwelt upon the young girl who stood leaning against Mrs. Palma's chair.
Her dress was a pearl white alpaca, with no tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, save tulle ruchings at throat and wrists, and a few violets fastened in the cameo Psyche that const.i.tuted her brooch.
Pure, pale, almost sad, she looked in that brilliant drawing-room like some fragile snowdrop, astray in a bed of gorgeous peonies and poppies.
Lifting her eyes to her host, as he leaned over the back of her sofa, Mrs. Carew said:
”Miss Orme poses almost faultlessly; she has evidently studied all the rules of the art. Quite pretty too; and her hair has a peculiar gloss that reminds one of the pounded peach-stones with which Van Dyck glazed his pictures.”
The fingers of the hand that hung at his side clenched suddenly, but adjusting his gla.s.ses more firmly he said very quietly:
”My ward is not quite herself this evening, and is really too unwell to be downstairs; but appeared at dinner in honour of your presence, and in deference to my wishes. Shall I ring for your wrappings? The carriage is waiting.”
”When I have kissed my cherub good-night, I shall be ready.”
He gave her his arm to the foot of the stairs, and returning, announced his regret that Mrs. Carew was pledged to show herself at a party, to which he had promised to escort her. Whereupon the other ladies remembered that they also had promised to be present.
Mr. Chesley, standing at some distance, had been very attentively studying Regina's face, and now approaching her, took her hand with a certain tender courtesy that touched her strangely.
”My dear Miss Orme, I think we are destined to become firm fast friends, and were I not compelled to hurry back to Was.h.i.+ngton to oppose a certain bill, I should endeavour to improve our acquaintance. Before long I shall see you again, and meanwhile you must help me to find an adopted daughter as much like yourself as possible, or I shall be tempted to steal you from Palma. Good-bye.
G.o.d bless you.”
His earnest tone and warm pressure of her fingers thrilled her heart, and she thought his mild brown eyes held tears.
”Good-bye, sir. I hope we shall meet again.”
”You may be sure we shall.”
He leaned down, and as he looked at her, she saw his mouth tremble.
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