Moths by Ouida — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

160 n MOTHS. ** All women in the same set see one another day and night. Who is to help that?’ ‘“But——” “‘Be reasonable,” he said, roughly. ‘‘How can I say to my wife, ‘Do not receive the Duchess de Sonnaz?’? All Paris would be convulsed, and Jeanne herself a demoniac. Good heavens! bats do you get all these new scruples? Is it your contact with era?” ‘¢Your contact with her does not teach them to you,” said his sister, coldly. ‘‘ Oh, our world is vile enough, that I know weil; but somewhere or other I think it might keep a little conscience, for exceptional circumstances, and so might you.” ‘‘Do not talk nonsense. I cannot tell Jeanne not to know my wife, or my wife not to know Jeanne. They must take their chance; there is nothing exceptional; every man does the same. | ‘‘- Yes, we are very indecent,” said Madame Nelaguine, quietly. ‘We do not admit it, but we are.” Her brother shrugged his shoulders to express at once acquies- cence and indifference. In one of the visits that her charities led his wife to make, mH heard, one day, a thing that touched her deeply. Her horses knocked down a girl of fifteen who was crossing the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne. The girl was not hurt, though frightened. She was taken into the Hotel Zouroff, and Vere returned to the house to attend to her. As it proved, the child, when the faintness of her terror had passed, declared herself only a little bruised, smiled and thankedther, and said she would go home; she wanted nothing. She was afreckled, ugly, bright-looking little thing, and was carrying some of those. artificial flowers with which so many girls of Paris gain their daily bread. Her name was Felicie Martin, and she was the only child of her father, and her mother was dead. The following day the quiet little coupe that took Vere on her morning errands found its way into a narrow but decent street in tee Batignolles, and the Princess’ Zouroff- inquired for the Sieur fartin. ' Vere bade her men wait below, and went up the stairs to the third floor. The house was neat, and was let to respectable peo- ple of the higher class of workers. In her own world she was very proud, but it was not the pride that offends the working classes, because it is dignity, and not arrogance, and is simple and natural, thinking nothing of rank, though much of race, and far more still of character. ‘‘May I come in?’ she said, in her clear voice, which had always so sad an accent in it; but for the poor was never cold. ‘Will you allow me to make myself quite sure that your daughter is none the worse for that accident, and tell you my- self how very sorry I was? Russian coachmen are always so reckless.” - 3 | * But, madame, it is too much honor!” said a little, fair man who rose on her entrance, but didnot move forward, ‘Forgive me, madame, you are as beautiful as you are good; so I have ra ’ od rr ‘ - afte V2 Oe i s. Ad a 7” ve TRV ae *