Moths by Ouida — page 228: what you’re looking at

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

224 . MOTHS. “Madame de Sonnaz is not with you to-day?’’ Correze was saying, as he roused himself from his meditation.. Vere answered him, ‘‘No. She has many other friends in Ischl; she is with the Archduchess Sophie.” “Ah! You like Madame de Sonnaz? Of course you do, since you travel together.’’ “She offered to come with me. M. Zouroff accepted for me. It was very kind of her.’’ ‘‘Bah! And that is the way they trick you and you never dream of their shame?’ thought Correze as he merely said aloud, “The Duchess is very witty, very charming. She must be an amusing companion—when she is in a good humor!’ “You do not like her? You seemed as if you did yester- day.”’ It was a little reproach that unconsciously escaped her. His gallantries and his persiflage at the breakfast had hurt her too much for her to forget them so soon. “T like her as I like all her world,’’ said Correze. “I like her with my intelligence infinitely; with my heart, or what does duty for it, I abhor her.’’ ‘“‘You separate intelligence and feeling, then?’’ “By five thousand leagues! Will M. Zouroff join you here?’’ “He will meet us at Vienna; Madame de Sonnaz is going to stay with me at the Svir.’’ “You will be long in Russia?’’ “Oh, no; the two next months, perhaps.” ‘“‘But so much long travel—does it not tire you, since you are not stronz?’’ “TI think I am strong enough. It is not that; I am tired—but it is of being useless.’’ She would have said joyless and friendless, too, but she knew it was not well for any lamentation to escape her, which could seem to cast blame upon her husband, or ask pity for herself. “T am as useless as the lace I make,’”’ she said, more lightly, to take weight off her words. ‘‘There is so much routine in the life we lead; I cannot escape from it, The days are all swa)- lowed up by small things. When I was a child, and read of the old etiquette of Versailles, or the grand couvert, and the petit couvert, and tthe Zéres-petit couvert, and all the rest of the formal divisions of the hours, I used to think how terrible it must have been to be the king; but our lives are much the same, they are divided between petits couverts and grand cowverts, and there is no other time left.’’ “Yes, our great world is much like their great world—only with the dignity left out!’ said Correze, as he thought— “No head but some world genius should rest Above the treasures of that’ perfect breast. Yet thou art bound— Oh, ants of nature!—to a shameless hound, To shameless lust! * * * Athene to a Satyr. ” “And how did they make her take the Satyr?’ he mused. “She is not a reed to be blown by any wind, nor yet clay to be molded by any hand. What force did Miladi Dolly use?” : : wf u ‘ ; \ ~* eT. a iv 1 & a 4 i mY rs 4 comicbooks cor