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Page 43
Jacob Worse stood watching him. At first he had been very glad to make
Delphin's acquaintance. There were not many young men in the town with
whom he could associate. Delphin was intelligent, well read on different
subjects, and when alone was good company enough. But by-and-by he
showed more of the frivolous side of his character, and Worse began to
get a little tired of his friend.
Fanny was sitting all this time in a state of absolute boredom. Little
Christian Frederick had gone out with his nurse, and the street was
uninteresting, dusty, hot, and thronged by country people making their
Saturday purchases. She did not care to look out of the window, but sat
leaning back in her most comfortable armchair, yawning in front of the
glass. Would it be better to send for Madeleine? it was several days
since she had paid her a visit. But then she would have to play the part
of go-between again. Or should she begin on her own account? Yes; why
not? But then he never came except when Madeleine was there. It really
was too tiresome.
When he now came unexpectedly into the room it gave her quite a start,
but she still remained leaning back in her armchair, and gave him her
left hand, which was the nearest, as she said, "I am glad to see you. I
was just thinking of you as I was sitting here all alone."
"It was very kind of you, I am sure," answered he, as he sat down in a
chair in front of her.
"Yes; all sorts of foolish things come into one's head when one is
sitting alone."
"I hope I was not the most foolish thing that could come into your
thoughts," answered Delphin, jestingly. "But it is quite true; you have
been left a great deal alone lately."
"Yes; but perhaps I have my own reasons for it."
"May I venture to ask what these reasons are?"
"Perhaps it would be better if I were to tell you," said she, regarding
attentively the point of her shoe, which projected from her dress as she
lay back in her chair. She had tiny pointed French shoes with straps
across the instep, through which appeared a blue silk stocking.
"I assure you I shall be very thankful, and at the same time most
discreet."
"Well, then, Madeleine is so young," said Fanny, as if following the
train of her own thoughts, "that I feel it to a certain extent my duty
to look after her, and--"
"I scarcely see that it is absolutely necessary," answered he.
"Yes; but when a girl so inexperienced as Madeleine is brought into
contact with gentlemen who are--well, who are so clever as, for
instance, yourself, Mr. Delphin, you see--" She looked at him as she
paused in her sentence.
"You are paying me too great a compliment," said he, laughing; "and
besides, you can never imagine that I would take advantage--"
"Nonsense!" rejoined Fanny; "I know all about that. You are just like
all the rest. You would never hesitate to take advantage of even the
slightest opportunity; would you, now? Tell me frankly."
"Well," answered he, rising, "if you really wish for an honest answer, I
must confess that when I see a strawberry that nobody else seems to
notice, I generally pick it."
"Yes; it is just that greediness that all men have, and which I find, at
the same time, so dangerous and incomprehensible."
"Yes; but, Mrs. Garman, strawberries are really so delicious."
"Yes, when they are ripe," answered Fanny.
The words fell from her lips as smoothly as butter. Delphin had taken a
few paces across the room, and just turned in time to see the last
glimpse of a look which must have been resting on him while she spoke.
It was not very often that he lost his self-possession in a conversation
of this kind, but the discovery he had made, or thought that he had
made, with all its uncertainty, and the feeling of pleased vanity it
brought with it, confused him, and he stood stammering and blushing
before her. She still lay stretched in the armchair, a position which
displayed to the best advantage the lines of her lovely form. Her beauty
was fully matured, and showed freedom and elegance in every movement.
She could see that she had said enough for the present, and she got up
without apparently taking any notice of his confusion.
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