Moths by Ouida — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

Rene ak MOTHS.) ‘*¢ You will never have that,” said Vere, with a little smile, as she thought, with a pang of compunction, that she had been very rude toa host who was courteous and generous, | Zouroff moved on beside her, gloomy and silent. » | “Take my arm, mademoiselle,” he said, suddenly, asthey were approaching the chateau. Vere put her hand on his arm in timid compliance; she felt that she must have seemed rude and thank. less. They crossed the smooth lawns that stretched underneath the terraces of Felicite. It was near sunset, about seven o’clock; some ladies were out on the terrace, amidst them Lady Dolly and the heroine of the flea. They saw Zouroff cross the turf, with the girl in her white Gainsborough dress beside him, and the hound beside her. Lady Dolly’s heart gave a sudden leap, then stopped its beats — in suspense. ** Positively—I do—think——-” murmured the lady of the flea, and then fell back in her chair in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Vere loosened her hand from her host’s arm as they ascended the terrace steps, and came straight to her mother. ‘* Monsieur Zouroff has given me Loris!” she cried, breathless- ly, for the dog was to her an exceeding joy. ‘‘ You will let me have Loris, mamma?” ‘*Let her have Loris,” said Zouroff, with a smile that Lady Dolly understood. ‘*Certainly, since you are so kind, prince,” she said, charming- ly. ‘‘But a dog! It is such a disagreeable thing; when one travels especially. Still, since you are so good to that naughty ehild, who gives all her heart to the brutes——” ‘Lam happy that she thinks. me a brute, too,” said Zouroff, with a grim smile. , . The ladies laughed. | Vere did not hear or heed. She was caressing her new treasure, ‘‘T shall not feel alone now with Loris,” she was:saying to herself. The dull fierce eyes of Sergius Zouroff were fastened et an? but she did not think of him, nor of why’ the women aughed. Lady Dolly was vaguely perplexed. “*The girl was crying half an hour ago,” she thought. “ ‘2. haps she is deeperjthan one thinks. Perhaps she means to draw him on that way. Anyhow, her way appears to answer; but it hardly seems possible—when one thinks what he has had thrown at his head and never looked at! And Vere! such a rude crea- ture, and such a simpleton!” Yet a sullen respect began to enter into her for her daughter— the respect that women of the world only give toa shrewd talent for finesse. If she were capable at sixteen of ‘‘ drawing on” the master of Felicite thus ably, Lady Dolly felt that her daughter might yet prove worthy of her, might still become a being with whom she could have sympathy and community of sentiment, And yet Lady Dolly felt a sort of sickness steal over her as she saw the look in his eyes which Vere did not see, ~ Ecomicbooks (ao)