Part 16 (1/2)
Bulstrode took the young man in: his white immaculateness, his boutonniere, his panama--(not less than forty dollars a straw, as Jimmy knew) his monocle
”As an _objet d'art_,” he further conceded to her, ”he's perfect, too!”
”As an _hoerly, with the true Republican appreciation of blood and title, ”as an _homme du monde_, as a”
”title?” he finished for her ”Oh, the Presle-Vaulx are all right!
I'll grant him a perfect title, sound as a bell, first Crusade--_Leonce de Presle-Vaulx ood old tradition--a good old name”
She scented his lack of sympathy ”Oh, I'll stand for hi and the tone; and you must, at my valuation, take hi” Bulstrode lifted his hat as the trio came up ”And what, after all, can we--the rest of us do?”
”The rest of theled emotions: Mary Falconer with all the romance in her, and in spite of unusual cool reasonableness she had a feminine share--Ji of jealousy at the decidedly perfect coularly wide-awake practical coentleman whose pleasure in life is to pour into people's hands the things theyfor and cannot without hi his share of horse-flesh and a proper nu, for the best part of the time, a yacht out of commission, was a sport only in a certain sense of the word The people who liked hie, said he was a ”dead game sport,” but Jimmy smiled at this and knew that the human element interested him in life above all, and that he only cared for a Falconer's horse, although he felt certain the winnings would go to the Rothschild's gelding On the afternoon, however, when De Presle-Vaulx ca to put your htfully He had stood by the young h to keep a little fa to play the races, Marquis?”
”But naturally!”
De Presle-Vaulx had an attractive frankness, and his sirl would think about it!
” But of course! One doesn't corande semaine_ not to play!”
He put his hand cordially on Bulstrode's arm
”Entre nous,” he said, ”I don't believe Falconer's horse has a chance against Rothschild's Grimace And you?”
”Oh, I shall back Jack Falconer's mare,” the older man replied
The Marquis played with his moustache ”She doesn't stand a show”
Bulstrode alking slowly down the grand staircase by his conored the young enuously: ”_I_? Oh, seriously, I'ht, and I haven't a sou for the race”
He looked boyish and regretful The American put his hand in his pocket and took out his portefeuille
”Let ht dry rustle of French bank-notes ca man hesitated, then put out his hand
”A thousand thanks, Monsieur, you are too good--I _will_ back Grimace, and after the race----”
Jimmy handed him the notes to choose from
At the stair foot stood Molly and Mrs Falconer