Moths by Ouida — page 248: what you’re looking at

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

‘ f PI iA « 7 LS : : 4 ‘5 ; ; ‘ 6 : io id : o é ‘ «. ye) ; Pe ; : Jia : ~ \ \ i : s) : r . ; =, tte. sie. * Suit 4 A dt Se °F » Tg uw : > Tha * . “4 ss , Sy a r ey 24a | ‘MOTHS. if he saw them once being disputed in the Rue Drouot he would quicken into an owner’s appreciation. Believe me, the only modern passion that is really aliveis envy. How should any man care for what is passively and undisputedly his! To please us @ woman must be hung about with. other men’s desires, as a Squaw with beads.” : ‘‘Then you, too, would wish your wife to savoir sencanail- er?” _ “Not my own wife,” said the young man, with a laugh. ‘But then I belong to an old school, though I am young: Austrians all do.” “ Whilst Russians,” said the old man, savagely, ‘*‘ Russians are all Bussy-Rabutins crossed with Timour Beg. By all, I mean of course the five or seven thousand of ‘ Personages’ that are all one sees of any nation in society. The nation, I dare say, is well enough, for it has faith, if its faith takes many odd shapes, and it can be very patient. The Duchesse Jeanne called aloud to him that he must not talk politics at breakfast. Then the breakfast came to an end, with many fruits and sweetmeats and Vienna dainties left to be scrambled for by t'.» Aussee water-babies; and the driving-party of Madame de Sonnaz began their homeward way over the Potschen-Joch. ee old ambassador contrived to saunter to the carriages beside ere. , *‘If I were a score of years younger, madame,” he said, with a glance at the dark blue flower at her throat, ‘‘I would beg you to make me your knight and give me the Woljfinia for my badge. It isthe only flower you ought to wear, for it is the only one really emblematic of you: the edelweiss, that they call you after in Paris, is too easily found—and too chilly. Have you liked the day? has it tired you very much?” ‘‘It takes a great deal to tire me physically,” said Vere. ‘I am stronger than they think.” *‘ But mentally you tire soon, because the atmosphere you are in does not suit you, is it not so?” ‘‘IT suppose so. I do not care for the chatter of the salons amidst the mountains.” * No: *** Le vent qui vient a travers les montagnes Me rendra fou—’ } is a fitter spirit in which to meet the glaciers face to face. 1 think people either have a love of the mountains that is a religion, - that is unutterable, sacred, and intense, or else are quite indiffer- ent: to them—like our friends. I know a man in whom they re- main a religion despite all the counter-infiuences of the very gay- est of worlds and most intoxicating of lives. Ido not know whether you ever met him, I mean the singer Correze.” - Yes, I know him.” ‘‘He is avery kes. mountaineer; he has a passion for the heights, not that of the mere climber of so many thousand feet, but rather of tha dweller on the hills, whom nature has made bal “ as \ ! : \ : comicbooks (elo) if