Moths by Ouida — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

— MOTHS. see uy 201 Mademe Nelaguine, whose grace ef tact never deserted her, turned and said easily and indifferently to Vere— ** There is a great revolution in our toy kingdom, Vere. Madee moiselle Noisette, of the Babil, was called to Paris by the first train this morning, The loss is irreparable, they say, for no one could act Punch with a handkerchief and a penny whistle like this famous person.” Vere was silent: those who watched her countenance could see no change in it. She felt for the moment both anger and disappointment, but she showed neither. Zouroff’s face was very sullen. For the first time in his life-he had been baffled. ‘*To whom do you accord the pavilion?” Vere said very quiet- ly to the duchess, who shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows in a gesture of despair. **The committee at Trouville will have arranged it,” she ans swered. ‘* There has been no time to consult us.” were said in a low tone to her sister-in-law, ‘* This is true? Not a trick?” . ** Quite true, thank Heaven!” said Madame Nelaguine. ‘I have seen the telegram; you can see it: her director has a new pensionnaire who is to play in her own great part, Julie Malmai- son; she was beside herself, they say—guite raving; nothing would keep her.” : At that moment a note was taken to the Duchesse Jeanne, who read it and then leaped for joy in her red stockings and her wooden shoes. It was from one of her male committee, who wrote from the Union Club at Trouville. ‘‘Correze has come,” she shouted. ‘*‘He was here an hour or two yesterday, and promised them to return for the fair, and he has returned, and they have got him to take Noisette’s place! Oh, dear! the pity that we did not have the Mass—but he is inimit- able at a fair, he always can sell any rubbish for millions and as a diseur de bonnes aventures he is too perfect!” A slight color came into Vere’s cheeks, which Madame de Sonnaz noticed, although no one else did. Vere understood now who had penned the letter; who had been the fisher rowing. She was bewildered and astonished; yet life seemed a lovelier thing than it had seemed possible to her a few hours before that it ever could look in her sight. Sergius Zouroff said nothing; he had been baffled, and did nog know whom to fall foul of for his defeat, He said nothing to his wife, but when his eyes glanced at her they were very savage, dull, and dark. He would have given half his fortune to have - had Noisette still in Trouville. ‘‘ Dearest princess,” whispered Madame de Sonnaz to her, tak- ing her aside, ‘‘now this woman is so providentially gone you will come, won’t you? Pray do not make a scene; your husband is more than sufficiently annoyed as it is.. It was all my fault. £ ought to have objected more strongly to the permission to hold her pavilion, but you see the world is so indifferent nowadays, gnd indeed—indeed—I never fancied you knew.” A glow of impatient color flushed Vere’s face. She could beag ; ? cS toe comicboo 7 — = . — = ' — * _ . = — = -_ “ a