A Parisian Romance — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

54 A PARISIAN ROMANCE, “And you, Monsieur Chevrial. Oh! by the way,” with a charming smile, “I must thank you for having come this evening, you, who go so little into society. It isa miracle to see you, and a miracle for which I am deeply grateful.” The baron approached close to her side with that peculiarly insinuating manner, which it was his habit to assume toward women and which he be- heved to be irresistible. “You do not know, madam,” he said, in low, smooth tones, “what an irresistible attraction you exercise over my weak heart.” Marcelle stared, and instinctively drawing a little away from him, replied constrainedly: | “Indeed! Well, in return, I adore your wife. She came to see me several times, you know, when we were at Sainte Roche, and Iam sure, now that Ihave come to Paris, we shall be great friends. You have no idea how well she played my accom- paniment to-night.” “Would that I could play your accompaniment!” exclaimed the baron, with a leering smile, which was intended to be fascinating. “But you can’t, you know,” returned Marcelle, laughing, and gathering up her train, with its golden embroideries, to return to the salon. “May I not even be your partner in a waltz” asked the baron, pleadingly. Marcelle would gladly have refused. She did not like the man; there was something about him that (0) Eomicbooks.e