"It is Mademoiselle Idiale," he said, "the most wonderful soprano in the world."
"Why does she look so at you?" Zoe asked.
Laverick shook his head.
"I do not know her," he said. "I know who she is, of course,--every one does. She is a Servian, and they say that she is devoted to her country. She left Vienna at a moment"s notice, only a few days ago, and they say that it was because she had sworn never to sing again before the enemies of her country. She had been engaged a long time to appear at Covent Garden, but no one believed that she would really come. She breaks her engagements just when she chooses. In fact, she is a very wonderful person altogether."
"I never saw such pearls in my life," Zoe whispered. "And how lovely she is! I do not understand, though, why she is so interested in you."
"She mistakes me for some one, perhaps."
It certainly seemed probable. Even at that moment she touched her escort upon the arm, and he distinctly looked across at Laverick. It was obvious that he was the subject of her conversation.
"I know the man," Laverick said. "He was at Harrow with me, and I have played cricket with him since. But I have certainly never met Mademoiselle Idiale. One does not forget that sort of person."
"Her figure is magnificent," Zoe murmured wistfully. "Do you like tall women very much, Mr. Laverick?"
"I adore them," he answered, smiling, "but I prefer small ones."
"We are very foolish people, you and I," she laughed. "We came together so strangely and yet we talk such frivolous nonsense."
"You are making me young again," he declared.
"Oh, you are quite young enough!" she a.s.sured him. "To tell you the truth, I am jealous. Mademoiselle Idiale looks at you all the time. Look at her now. Is she not beautiful?"
There was no doubt about her beauty, but those who were criticising her--and she was by far the most interesting person in the room--thought her a little sad. Though Bellamy was doing his utmost to be entertaining, her eyes seemed to travel every now and then over his head and out of the room. Wherever her thoughts were, one could be very sure that they were not fixed upon the subject under discussion.
"She is like that when she sings," Laverick remarked. "She has none of the vivacity of the Frenchwomen. Yet there was never anything so graceful in the world as the way she moves about the stage."
"If I were a man," Zoe sighed, "that is the sort of woman I would die for."
"If you were a man," he replied, "you would probably find some one whom you preferred to live for. Do you know, you are rather a morbid sort of person, Miss Zoe?"
"Ah, I like that!" she declared. "I will not be called Miss Leneveu any more by you. You must call me Miss Zoe, please,--Zoe, if you like."
"Zoe, by all means. Under the circ.u.mstances, I think it is only fitting."
His eyes wandered across the room again.
"Ah!" she cried softly, "you, too, are coming under the spell, then.
I was reading about her only the other day. They say that so many men fall in love with her--so many men to whom she gives no encouragement at all."
Laverick looked into his companion"s face.
"Come," he said, "my heart is not so easily won. I can a.s.sure you that I never aspire to so mighty a personage as a Covent Garden star.
Don"t you know that she gets a salary of five hundred pounds a week, and wears ropes of pearls which would represent ten times my entire income? Heaven alone knows what her gowns cost!"
"After all, though," murmured Zoe, "she is a woman. See, your friend is coming to speak to you."
Bellamy was indeed crossing the room. He nodded to Laverick and bowed to his companion.
"Forgive my intruding, Laverick," he said. "You do remember me, I hope? Bellamy, you know."
"I remember you quite well. We used to play together at Lord"s, even after we left school."
Bellamy smiled.
"That is so," he answered. "I see by the papers that you have kept up your cricket. Mine, alas! has had to go. I have been too much of a rolling stone lately. Do you know that I have come to ask you a favor?"
"Go ahead," Laverick interposed.
"Mademoiselle Idiale has a fancy to meet you," Bellamy explained.
"You know, or I dare say you have heard, what a creature of whims she is. If you won"t come across and be introduced like a good fellow, she probably won"t speak a word all through supper-time, go off in a huff, and my evening will be spoiled."
Laverick laughed heartily. A little smile played at the corner of Zoe"s lips--nevertheless, she was looking slightly anxious.
"Under those circ.u.mstances," remarked Laverick, "perhaps I had better go. You will understand," he added, with a glance at Zoe, "that I cannot stay for more than a second."
"Naturally," Bellamy answered. "If Mademoiselle really has anything to say to you, I will, if I am permitted, return for a moment."
Laverick introduced him to Zoe.
"I am sure I have seen you at the Universal," he declared. "You"re in the front row, aren"t you? I have seen you in that clever little step-dance and song in the second act."
She nodded, evidently pleased.
"Does it seem clever to you?" she asked wistfully. "You see, we are all so tired of it."
"I think it is ripping," Bellamy declared. "I shall have the pleasure again directly," he added, with a bow.
The two men crossed the room.
"What the d.i.c.kens does Mademoiselle Idiale want with me?" Laverick demanded. "Does she know that I am a poor stockbroker, struggling against hard times?"
Bellamy shrugged his shoulders.
"She isn"t the sort to care who or what you are," he answered. "And as for the rest, I suppose she could buy any of us up if she wanted to. Her interest in you is rather a curious one. No time to explain it now. She"ll tell you."
Louise smiled as he paused before her. She was certainly exquisitely beautiful. Her dress, her carriage, her delicate hands, even her voice, were all perfection. She gave him the tips of her fingers as Bellamy p.r.o.nounced his name.
"It is so kind of you," she said, "to come and speak to me. And indeed you will laugh when I tell you why I thought that I would like to say one word with you."
Laverick bowed.
"I am thankful, Mademoiselle," he replied, "for anything which procures me such a pleasure."
She smiled.
"Ah! you, too, are gallant," she said. "But indeed, then, I fear you will not be flattered when I tell you why I was so interested.