The Argosy — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

70 Eve: An Idyll. expense. A millionaire courted her for fashion’s sake ; a diplomatist to further his political schemes. All bowed before the idol of the hour, who yawned in their faces as she idly turned her attention to the choice of ribbons for the day. The conversation, as might be expected among rivals, was rather broken and disjointed, and interspersed with a good deal of snapping and snarling, the highest notes of the concert being the voices of the two young lords; while the Irishman, talking incessantly in a rich unctuous brogue, furnished a fine pedal base to the score. “Ah!” said Lord Lackland, “that shows thy want of taste, my friend. What could suit a cheek of rose so well as the rose’s own hue? The Queen of Flowers and the Queen of Beauty combined.” “ Nay,” rejoined Faircourt, “if we must needs follow suit, does not coquelicot match the coral of those lips?” “Or,” said a trembling youth, who had hitherto been all eyes and silent tongue, “ why not azure? The hue of heaven for one all but divine.” This sally was received with some derision, and the lady, in a querulous tone, asked if ’twere not a pity he could not say the blue would match her eyes. Sir Terence O’Brien swore the heavens ought to be hung with black in their honour; and with the laugh which fol- lowed came a chorus of laudatory remarks on those certainly magnifi- cent orbs, which their owner received with ill-disguised contempt, asking if there was not one man of parts among them who could furnish a newer theme. Then she called for her jewels, and the couch soon glittered with the contents of half a dozen caskets. This brought the millionaire to the front, who produced a costly pendent as an offering to the fair one. She accepted it with calm indifference, and, scarcely thanking the munificent donor, tossed it aside among the other trinkets. Now, the disdain and caprice of this spoiled beauty were genuine— the result of the hotbed of prosperity in which she had been reared. She had lived in luxury and listened to adulation till both had lost their power to please. But, strange to say, her very faults added to her popularity. Had she assumed these airs to enhance the piquancy of her charms, she could not have succeeded better; and when the servile crowd was dismissed that day, that she might proceed to the business of the toilette, all departed more enamoured than ever of the undeniable charms of her person and her purse. That night there were masks at a fashionable place of public resort, and Lady Millamant must needs be there ; not that she expected much enjoyment, but because she did not know what to do at home. Too indolent to devise a fancy costume, she would wear a domino ; but ere the domino was donned, a long and most elaborate toilette was com. pleted. A dress of the richest brocade, with flowers in their natural comicbooks.com