Moths by Ouida — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

5 ea MOTHS ‘‘ Tt would be impossible to suspect the ‘princess of unamiabil- ity,” said the marquis, quickly. ‘‘One look at that serene and noble countenance——” ‘‘Very nice, very pretty; but Vere can be unamiable,” said her mother, tartly. ‘‘ Do tell me, is there any woman she takes to at all? Any one she seems to like much?” (‘‘ Anybody she is likely to tell about me?” she was thinking, in » the apprehension of her heart.) | ‘‘ Wadame Nelaguine ”—began the young man. ‘¢Oh, her sister-in-law!” said Lady Dolly. ‘‘ Yes, I believe she does like that horrid woman. LIalways hated Nadine myself-— such an ordering, sharp creature, and such a tongue! Ofcourse _ {i know the Nelaguine is never out of their house. But is there anybody else?” A little smile came upon the face of the Parisian. ‘‘The princess is often with Madame de Sonnaz. Madame Jeanne admires her very much. Lady Dolly stared a minute, and then laughed; and Lady Stoat even smiled discretely. ‘¢T wonder what that is for,” murmured Lady Dolly, vaguely, and, in a whisper to Lady Stoat, she added, ‘‘She must mean mischief; shealways means mischief: she took his marriage too quietly not to avenge herself.” ‘*People forget nowadays; I don’t think they revenge,” said Lady Stoat, consolingly. He ape did you see my poor darling last?” asked Lady Dolly, ‘‘At three o'clock last night, madame, at the Elysee. She looked like a Greek poet’s dream draped by Worth.” ‘¢ How very imaginative!” said Lady Dolly, a little jealously. ‘‘How could poor dear Worth dress a dream? That would tax even his powers! I hope she goes down to Surennes and chat with hin) quietly: that is the only way to get him to give his mind to anything really good. But she never cares about that sort of thing—never!”’ | _ **The Princess Zouroff knows well,” said the Marquis de Les- terel, with some malice and more ardor, ‘‘ that let her drape her- self in what she might, were it sackcloth and ashes, she would be lovelier in it than any other woman ever was on earth—ex- — cept her mother,” he added, with a chivalrous bow. ‘¢ What a horrid thing it is to be anybody’s mother! and how old it makes one feel, ‘shunt’ it as one may!” thought Lady Dolly, as she laughed and answered, ‘‘ You are actually in love with her, marquis! Pray remember that I am her mother, and that she has not been married much more than a year. I am very delighted that she does please in Paris. It is her home, really her home. They will go to Petersburg once in ten years, but Paris will see them every year of their lives: Zouroff can be scarcely said to exist out of it. I am so very, very sorry the boy | died; it just lived to breathe and be baptized, you know—named after the Tsar. So sad!—oh, so sad! Who is that shooting now? Regy? Ah-h-h! The bird is inside the palings, isn’t it? Oh, that wesuperb! Just insidel—only justi”? _ »’ €comicbooks:co