Moths by Ouida — page 129: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— - MOTHS. | 195 and cynicism of his temper in it, and under which delicate women and courageous men had often winced as under the lash. —** Mest madam mere,” he said, again, with a spray of gardenia between his teeth; and then, being agrand gentleman sometimes, when the eyes of society were on him, though sometimes being rough as a boor, he straightened his loose, heavy figure, put the gardenia in his button-hole, and. went down the steps, with the dignity of Louis Quatorze going to meet a queen of Spain, and received his guest, as she alighted, with punctilious politeness and an exquisite courtesy. Lady Dolly ascended the steps on his arm. She was dressed perfectly for the occasion—all a soft dove-hue, with soft dove-colored feather trimmings, and silvery furs, with a knot of black here and there to highten the chastened effect and show her grief for the child that had breathed but an hour, On her belt hung many articics, but chief among them was a. small silver-bound prayer-book, and she had a large silver cross at her throat. ‘¢She will finish with religion,” thought Zouroff; ‘‘ they always _ take it last.” Lady Dolly was seldom startled, and seldom nervous; but, as her daughter came forward on to the terrace to meet her, she — ~ was both startled and nervous. Vera was ina white morning dress, with a white mantilla of old Spanish lace about her head and throat; she moved with serene and rather languid grace; her form had developed into the richness of womanhood; her face was very cold. Her mother could see nothing left in this wonderfully beautiful and stately person of the child of eighteen months before. | ‘‘Ts that Vere?” she cried, involuntarily, as she looked up- ward to the terrace above, “That is Vera,” said Sergius Zouroff, dryly. All the ‘differ- — ence lay there. Then Lady Dolly recovered herself. ‘‘My sweet child! Ah, the sorrow!—the joy !’? murmured Lady Dolly, meeting her with flying feet and outstretched arms, upon the white and black chequers of the marble terrace. Vere stood passive, and let her cold cheeks be brushed by those softly tinted lips. Her eyes met her mother’s once, and Lady Dolly trembled. ; ‘Oh, this terrible bise/” she cried, with a shiver: “ you can have nothing worse in Russia! Ah, my dear, precious Vera! 1 was so shocked, so grieved !—to think that poor little angel was lost to us !” “‘ We will not speak of that,” said Vere, in a low voice, that was very cold and weary. ‘‘You are standing in the worst of the wind: will you not come into the house? Yes, I think one feels the cold more here than in Russia. People say so.” ‘“Yes; because one has sunshades here, and one sees these ridiculous palms, and it ought to be warm if it isn’t,” answered Lady Dolly; but her laugh was nervous, and her lips trembled and contracted as she thus met her daughter once more. ‘She is so unnatural!” she sighed to Princess Nelaguine; * so_ “eomicbooks ; : j : ’ ; - ‘ t r ? e : ‘ - ‘ : 4 ; , 4 + \ ’ ? 4 ™ +. : aT 7) * | a er ‘ : ~~ com. 74 We t