Moths by Ouida — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

v if 202 3 MOTHS. » her husvand’s infidelities, but she could net endure to hear then alluded to by another woman. ‘I will come,” she said briefly, “‘ if you think it will prevent any annoyance. The whole of life seems to be to avoid what you all call scenes.” ‘Of course it is men’s,” said Madame Jeanne. ‘* Women like scenes, but men hate them; probably because they are always in the wrong and always get the worst of them. I entirely felt with you about Mademoiselle Noisette, but I don’t think I should have done as you did, spoken as you spoke. It is never worth while. Believe me, it never makes the smallest. atom of differ- ence.” ‘Who told you what I did, what I said?” asked Vere, sudden- ly, looking her friend full in the eyes. pene de Sonnaz was, for the moment, a little discon- certed. “Only two people knew,” said Vere—‘‘ Nadine and her b} ther.” ‘“It was not Nadine,” said the duchess, recovering her coms posure, and laughing a very little. ‘** You ought to know by this time, Vera—I may call you Vera?—that your husband has very few secrets from me. Sergius and I have been friends so long— so horribly long, it makes me feel quite old to count the years since I saw him first driving his Orlofis down the Bois. O, le beau tenups! Morny was not dead, Paris was not republican, hair. was not worn flat, realism was not invented, and I. was not twenty. O,lebeau temps! Yes, Sergius told me all about the scene you had made him—he called it a scene; I told him it was proper feeling, and a compliment to him, and he was extremely angry, and I was wretched at my own thoughtlessness. My dear, you are so young; you make mistakes; you should never leta man think you are jealous, if you are so.” es, ‘“‘ Jealous!” Ali the blood of the Herberts of the Border leaped to fire in Vere’s veins. As she turned her face upon Madame de Sonnaz with unutterable scorn and indignation on it, the elder woman did that homage to her beauty which a rival renders so’ reluctantly, but which is truer testimony to its power than alla hover’s praise. Madame Jeanne gavea little teasing laugh. ** Jealous, my fairest! why, yes. Ifyou were not jealous, why should you have insisted on the woman’s absence?’ _ There can be no jealousy where there is only abhorrence,” Vere said, quickly, with her teeth shut. ‘* You donot seem to understand; one resents insults for oneself. An insult likethat . is to a woman like the insult that a blow is to a man.” Madame Jeanne shrugged her shoulders. **My love! Then we are all black and blue, nows autres. Of course, in theory you are quite right, but in practice no one feels — In sucha way; or if any one feels, she ee nothing. But we will not discuss it, The woman isaway. You must come now, because you said you would occupy your puvilion if hers were taken down. Wedo not take it down, because there is not times but we havegiven it to Correze, You know him-in society, ~ e “ ‘ meanf 4 think so,” , , ' : : ta tire AD Wy weA : i, tote ae - - + : 47 Pea VY 7 : Ais ¢ ih aes - : / os 7 - +n, e 7 ; ; eae ; I peas y ‘ ‘ ' She, ia ‘4 ae TUGENDS ear Obs 7 | au ‘Shy ae Ar UNS ila) Rial Aa a Te ee MY CER CRE aS OC Bae at el Nh Od oh PNY CAE. CPE RUPE ye ants ‘4 he . K io a af Pat iy whe ak t Dine heh a ui A pf (4 Wey) pd PIN Ay Pid Si) ‘v ’ Ly . fy »4 mf Teese? Pals th ‘at » af + vs i Aa’ Tati Hie Um Le ; Aho eC Ra RD, OF UR VRC TORT AFIDEL, AIO ACL YL GBA aM a iN AAS eve MI erie Ri PU BNORE? Puke | aE es WATE Ad oe 0 Ae GUNA Caan