Moths by Ouida — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

22 MOTHS. roulette-table whilst his wife was left alone. Madame Nelaguine looked at him narrowly; Vere was standing a little apart, listen- ing to the good priest’s rambling words. *“M. le Marquis,” she said, with a little smile, ‘* you are very well known to be the gentlest and sunniest of mortals, as well as the sweetest singer that ever lived. But do you know?—I think you could be very terrible if you were very angry. I think it is quite as well that you do not fight duels?” ‘‘T may fight them yet,” said Correze; ‘‘and do not give me that title, madame, or I shall think you laugh at me. Iam only Correze!” “Only! ‘Iam Arthur, said the king! Will you not be merci- ful in your greatness, and come and sing to us as a friend here, though you would not come as a guest to Svir?”’ Correze Was silent. ‘¢Do come to-night: you would make meso proud. We have a few people,” urged the Princess Nadine, ‘‘ and you know,” she added, *‘ that to me your art is a religion.” «‘You make it difficult indeed to refuse,” said Correze; ‘‘ but I have not the honor to know Prince Zouroff.” ‘*With what an accent he says that ‘ honor!” thought the sister of Zouroff; but she said aloud, ‘*‘ That is my brother’s mis- fortune, not his fault. Vera, ask this Roz Soleil to shine on our house. Heis obstinate to me. Perhaps he will not be so to ou.” Vere did not lift her eyes; her face flushed a little as she turned toward him. . ‘¢ We should be happy if you would break your rule—for us.” She spoke with effort; she could not forget what he had said on ee ner before her in the little church at Old Aussee. Correze owed, ‘*T will come for an hour, mes priucesses, and I will sing for you both.” Then he made his adieu and went away. Vere and her sister-in-law returned tothe house. Madame Nelaguine was unusually grave. : When they went home, they found the newspapers of the day: the lightest and wittiest of them contained a florid account of the rescue from a sea-storm of a Russian princess by Correze. Without a name the Russian princess was so described that a her world could know beyond doubt who it was. ; ‘* Really position is a pillory nowadays,” said Madame Nela- guine, angrily: ‘‘sometimes they pelt one with rose-leaves, and sometimes with rotten eggs, but one is forever in the pillory.” When Sergius Zouroff read it he was very enraged. ‘¢ Patience!” said his sister, dryly, when his wife was out of hearing. ‘‘In to-morrow’s number I dare say they will describe you and the quadroon,” Then she added, ‘‘ Correze willcome here this evening; he will come to sing for me; you must not cfier him anything, not even a ring, or you will insult him.” | ‘*Pshawl” said 4ouroff, roughly. ‘*Why- do you not get _——— . —- 7 7 eis ‘ / io ‘ Bs p —_—— —<—— = h : cA) 4 ; ; ‘ ; 7 , 7 vad : rt ' + Lae % ; e" \ ’ \ pee) ac i i doe : tify -” : ' : a « wha vF “A, \ ffaa\ ~ Ecomicbooks (el ) als) = a - ale Dien .