The Argosy — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

Beatrix. 359 rather provoking tone: the fact of the matter being that Beatrix danced to perfection, and, what was more, knew she did. ‘‘ How good of you to say so,” she murmured, raising her eyes to his with demure modesty. “I daresay, with a little practice, by and by, I shall do better.” Whereupon they both laughed.and passed out on to one of the balconies that overlooked the garden. It was a delicious night, all moon, and stars, and pale blue light. ‘‘What a dancer that fellow is,” Stainer said, in a moment or so, glancing over his shoulder superciliously back again into the room they had just quitted. “Who? Mr. Warburton? On the contrary, he is the most charming dancer,” protested Miss Falkland, with raised eyebrows. ‘“ He keeps one so clear of the frantic men, and holds one so—so—comfortably,” she went on, with the most unsuspicious air in the world. “Does he?” cried Curzon, unamiably, with a glance of boiling hatred directed towards the unconscious Warburton, who was smiling sweetly at an idiotic-looking girl in the distance. ‘I hope he held you comfortably during that ndiculous Tableau this evening, Miss Trixie” (sentimentally this). ‘I would give a good deal to know for certain whether you like my dancing, or my manner of holding you, or—myself at all.” ‘‘Of course I like you; why should not I?” Beatrix answered coolly. ‘‘ What absurd questions you ask. By the bye, how extremely beautiful Felicia 1s looking this evening.” “Yes, very beautiful,” Felicia’s intended said, indifferently, and turned his head away impatiently, as though Miss Rawdon’s handsome face was not the uppermost idea with him just then. “Well, tell me, now, what you have been doing with yourself all day,” Tnxie asked presently; “ idling ?” ‘‘ Never did such a thing in my life,” said Curzon. ‘‘No, I smoked a good deal, and lounged about a good deal, and tormented my mother and Felicia until they turned me out of the room, and, in fact, did every- thing useful, except going to see you, which you know was forbidden me.” ‘* No fear you will ever have to reproach yourself, like Titus, by con- fessing to a ‘lost day,’” laughed Beatrix. “How you must enjoy your leisure after such hard work ! ” “Very much,” he answered, lazily. ‘‘ But I miss my friends at times, and perhaps I would have been happier had IJ seen you during this in- terminable day.” “Well, you see me now, so I hope you feel happy at last,” said Miss Falkland. And then, when it was too late, she wished very much that she had not said it. Curzon leant back against the ironwork of the balcony and stared hard at her for a minute. “How do you know you can make me happy ?” he said. ECoOMmicloooks (CO) in —_)