Moths by Ouida — page 288: what you’re looking at

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

284 MOTHS. adroon who was called Casse-une-Croute. Another moment, and the black Orloffs; flying onward in a cloud of dust and flood of sunlight, had left the bays behind them. Vere bent her face _ over the lilies of the valley. Half a mile farther she checked their flight, and told the coache ~ man to return home by another road instead of going onward to Sophie Zourofi’s. When she reached the villa it was twilight—the short twilight of a winter day on the Mediterranean. She went up to her bed- chamber, took off her sables, and with her own hands wrapped them all together, rang for her maid, and gave the furs to her. . ‘‘ When the prince comes in, take these to him,” she said, in @ calm voice, ‘‘and tell him I have no farther use for them; he may have some.” The woman, who was faithful to her and knew much of the patience with which she bore her life, looked grave as she took ‘them; she guessed what had happened. It was six o’clock. The Princess Nadine came for a cup of yellow tea in Vere’s dressing-room. She found her gentle and serious as usual; as usual a good listener to the babble of pleasant cynicisms and philosophic commentaries with which Madame Nelaguine always was ready to garnish and enliven the news of the hour. Madame Nelaguine did not notice anything amiss, < An hour later, when Zouroff came home to dress for dinner, the waiting-woman, who loved her mistress and was very loyal to her, took him the sables and the message. He stared, but said nothing. He understood. . The Prince of Monaco and other princes dined at the Zouroft villa that evening. There was a dinner party of forty people in all, He did not see his wife until the dinner-hour. Vere was pale with the extreme pallor that had come on her face at sight of the quadroon; she wore white velvet, and had a knot of white lilac at her breast, and her only ornaments were some great pearls given her by the Herberts on her marriage. | He stooped toward her a moment, under pretext of raising a handkerchief she had dropped. | ‘‘Madame,” he said, in a harsh whisper, ‘‘ I do not like coups de theatre, and with my actions you have nothing to do. You will wear your sables and drive on the Promenade de Anglais to- morrow. Do you hear?” he added, as she remained silent. Then she looked at him. ‘‘T hear; but I shall not do it.” ‘¢You will not do it?” ** No.” Their guests entered. Vere received them with her usual cold and harmonious grace. Really she is a grand creature,” thought Zouroff, with unwill- ing respect, ‘‘ but I will break her will: I never thought she bad any until this year; now she is stubborn as a mule.” , The long dinner went on its course, and was followed by an animating evening. Madame Nelaguine had always made the Ce : % . ‘ : Pe ok es li wl Be ei i Zouroff entertainments more brilliant than Most, from their sure | | 7 TO | , CoM L A, Imilicboo ‘S.CO