The Opposite House: A Novel — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

Lhe Opposite Flouse. 127 So those were the lps Gerrald had ardently kissed ; those were the glowing eyes which gave the sentence of life and death; that was the bewitching smile which turned the heads of men! And this dainty, elegant creature in silk and lace was the leading ballet dancer, the queen of the stage, the sovereign of the day, and—the deserted lady-love of the handsome Prince of the Mill! Wasit not 1n- teresting? Verja could not weary of asking ques- tions about the romantic side of the mimic life be- hind the footlights. Her new acquaintance under- stood how to describe it entertainingly. An hour in a railway carriage often makes people better acquainted than a year of formal social inter- course; and the mutual interest felt by these two vivacious women was very great. A shrill whistle interrupted their conversation. Verja seized her sunshade and straightened the little straw hat resting on her waving hair. The Frenchwoman buttoned her light-gray gloves and looked out of the window. “Wiesbaden!” she nodded. ‘How quickly the time has passed !” A noisy throng was surging to and fro upon the platform. “Marie!” called Verja from the carriage, and the young girl rushed to the door, exclaiming with de- light ; CoOmicboookk<s