"Then he"s not even the not improbable he?"
"No, indeed."
They waltzed in silence. Then, "Why did you ask me that?" she murmured.
"I don"t know. Was it such a strange question?"
"I don"t know. You ought to."
"Yes, if it was wrong, I"m old enough to know better."
"You promised not to say "old" any more."
"Then I suppose I mustn"t. But you mustn"t get me to ignore it, and then laugh at me for it."
"Oh!" she reproached him, "you think I could do that?"
"You could if it was you who were here with me once before."
"Then I know I wasn"t."
Again they were silent, and it was he who spoke first. "I wish you would tell me why you object to the interdicted topic?"
"Because--because I like every time to be perfect in itself."
"Oh! And this wouldn"t be perfect in itself if I were--not so young as some people?"
"I didn"t mean that. No; but if you didn"t mention it, no one else would think of it or care for it."
"Did any one ever accuse you of flattering, Miss Graham?"
"Not till now. And you are unjust."
"Well, I withdraw the accusation."
"And will you ever pretend such a thing again?"
"Oh, never!"
"Then I have your promise."
The talk was light word-play, such as depends upon the talker"s own mood for its point or its pointlessness. Between two young people of equal years it might have had meanings to penetrate, to sigh over, to question. Colville found it delicious to be pursued by the ingenuous fervour of this young girl, eager to vindicate her sincerity in prohibiting him from his own ironical depreciation. Apparently, she had a sentimental mission of which he was the object; he was to be convinced that he was unnecessarily morbid; he was to be cheered up, to be kept in heart.
"I must believe in you after this," he said, with a smile which his mask hid.
"Thanks," she breathed. It seemed to him that her hand closed convulsively upon his in their light clasp.
The pressure sent a real pang to his heart. It forced her name from his lips. "Imogene! Ah, I"ve no right to call you that."
"Yes."
"From this out I promise to be twenty years younger. But no one is to know it but you. Do you think you will know it? I shouldn"t like to keep the secret to myself altogether."
"No; I will help you. It shall be _our_ secret."
She gave a low laugh of delight. He convinced himself that she had entered into the light spirit of banter in which he believed that he was talking.
The music ceased again. He whirled her to the seat where he had left Mrs. Bowen. She was not there, nor the others.
Colville felt the meanness of a man who has betrayed his trust, and his self-contempt was the sharper because the trust had been as tacit and indefinite as it was generous. The effect of Mrs. Bowen"s absence was as if she had indignantly flown, and left him to the consequences of his treachery.
He sat down rather blankly with Imogene to wait for her return; it was the only thing they could do.
It had grown very hot. The air was thick with dust. The lights burned through it as through a fog.
"I believe I will take off my mask," she said. "I can scarcely breathe."
"No, no," protested Colville; "that won"t do."
"I feel faint," she gasped.
His heart sank. "Don"t," he said incoherently. "Come with me into the vestibule, and get a breath of air."
He had almost to drag her through the crowd, but in the vestibule she revived, and they returned to their place again. He did not share the easy content with which she recognised the continued absence of Mrs.
Bowen.
"Why they must be lost. But isn"t it perfect sitting here and watching the maskers?"
"Perfect," said Colville distractedly.
"Don"t you like to make romances about the different ones?"
It was on Colville"s tongue to say that he had made all the romances he wished for that evening, but he only answered, "Oh, very."
"Poor Mrs. Bowen," laughed the girl. "It will be such a joke on her, with her punctilious notions, getting lost from her _protegee_ at a Carnival ball! I shall tell every one."
"Oh no, don"t," said Colville, in horror that big mask scarcely concealed.
"Why not?"
"It wouldn"t be at all the thing."
"Why, are you becoming Europeanised too?" she demanded. "I thought you went in for all sorts of unconventionalities. Recollect your promise.
You must be as impulsive as I am."
Colville, staring anxiously about in every direction, made for the first time the reflection that most young girls probably conform to the proprieties without in the least knowing why.
"Do you think," he asked, in desperation, "that you would be afraid to be left here a moment while I went about in the crowd and tried to find them?"