Moths by Ouida — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHS. ith BE Vere understood not at all; but she did not venture again to ask for an explanation. Her mother yawned and brushed the flies away pettishly, and called to Lord Jura, who was riding beside their carriage, and had lagged a trifle behind in the narrow sandy road that ran level between green hedges. The high metal roof and gilded vanes of Felicite were already shining above the low rounded masses of distant woods. It stood on the seacoast, a little way -from Villers-sur-Mer. Vere did not understand why Lord Jura always went with them as naturally as the maids did and the dressing-boxes; but he was kind, if a little rough. She liked him. Only why did her mother call him Jack, and quarrel with him so, and yet want him always with her? Vere thought about it dimly, vaguely, perplexedly, especially when she saw the frank, blue eyes of Jura looking at herself, hard, and long, with a certain sadness'and impatience in the gaze, as if he pitied her. The reception at Felicite seemed to Vere to be a whirl of bright hues, pretty faces, and amiable words. The Princess Na- dine Nelaguine was out on the terrace with her guests, and the princess kissed her with effusion, and told her she was like a Gainsborough picture. The princess herself was a fairy-like lit- tle woman, with a bright odd Calmuck face and two little brown eyes as bright as a marmoset’s. Vere was presented to so many people that she could not tell one from another, and she was glad to be left in her room while her mother, having got into a wonderful gold-embroidered Watteau sacque that she called 2a tea-gown, went to rejoin the other ladies among the roses and the perfumes and the late afternoon light. When Vere herself, three hours later, was dressed for dinner, and told to tap at her mother’s door, she did not feel nervous, because it was not in her nature to be easily made so, but she felt oppressed and yet curious. She was going into the world. And the counsels of Correze haunted her. Lady Dolly said sharply, “Come in!’ and Vere, entering, beheld her mother for the first time in full war-paint and panoply. Lady Dolly looked sixteen herself. She was exquisitely painted; she had a gown cut en ceur which was as indecent as the heart of woma:. could desire; jewels sparkled all over her; she was a triumph of art, and looked as exactly like Noi- sette of the Babil in her last new piece as even her own soul could aspire to do. ‘‘What are you staring at, child?’”’ she asked of Vere, who had turned rather pale. ‘Don’t you think I look well? What is the matter?” — ‘Nothing,’ said Vere, who could not answer that it hurt her to see so much of her mother’s anatomy unveiled. ‘You look as if you saw a ghost,” said Lady Dolly, impa- tiently; “you have such a horrid way of staring. Come!” Vere went silently by her side down the wide staircase, lighted <S comicboo anal