"A young flower-maker: nineteen years old, with a piquant, roguish face, eyes full of fire and a lovely figure!"
"You seem to know her very well!"
"I! oh! I don"t know her at all; I am simply repeating what Edmond told me about her a little while ago."
"Then you haven"t seen this woman?"
"Not yet; but I shall see her before long, as we are all to sup together; Freluchon arranged it all at the costumer"s."
"Ah! you are to sup together!"
Thelenie was silent for some moments, apparently lost in reflection.
Meanwhile Chamoureau cudgelled his brain to think of something clever to say to her; having had no success, he confined himself to adjusting his cap and pulling up his boot-tops.
"Monsieur Chamoureau," said Thelenie at last, in her sweetest voice, "will you give me your arm for a little promenade--not here in the foyer, for there are too many people here."
"Will I, madame! why, I am only too happy that you should deign to take me for your escort."
And the Spaniard, springing to his feet, offered his arm to the pearl-gray domino, who took it with that lack of formality which a mask sanctions.
Before leaving the foyer, Chamoureau, as proud as Lucifer to have on his arm a stylish woman who left an odor of violets and patchouli as she pa.s.sed, said to himself:
"Faith, I don"t care what happens! I propose to risk another stick of candy!"
Whereupon he led the lady toward a buffet and urged her to take something; but Thelenie dragged him away, saying:
"I am obliged to you, monsieur, but I never take anything here; besides, I think that carrying about sticks of candy is very bad form.--Come, I long to be out of this foyer."
Thelenie had just noticed the tall Beauregard, who was gazing at her with an air of surprise, and with a mocking smile which seemed to say:
"What! you, elegance personified, on the arm of this Spaniard who looks like a genuine buffoon!"
Chamoureau, who had a most exalted opinion of his new acquaintance since she had told him that she never took anything at a ball, walked with her into the corridor, where the domino guided him toward the staircase, saying:
"Let us go up, there are too many people here."
"With pleasure; let us go up."
When they reached the second floor the domino continued to ascend, saying:
"Let us go up farther."
Nor did she stop at the third, but said to her escort:
"Let us keep on."
And Chamoureau made no objection.
"Does she mean to take me up to the small boxes in the dome?" he said to himself. "Have I inspired her with a frenzied pa.s.sion? But I believe the small boxes aren"t open on ball nights. No matter, let her take me where she will; she"s a beautiful woman, her figure is enchanting, her hand small, her language distinguished. G.o.d grant that I may not find behind her mask any resemblance to that horrible shoe-st.i.tcher! Gad! I am distrustful now!"
The gray domino stopped in the pa.s.sage leading to the amphitheatre and said to her escort:
"Excuse me, monsieur, for making you come up so high, but I was anxious that we should be alone for what I have to say to you."
"I would have followed you up in a balloon, madame, if you had asked me."
"Oh! you go much too fast perhaps, monsieur, for, after all, you do not know me."
"But I desire most ardently to make your acquaintance."
"Well, monsieur, I shall surprise you, no doubt, but I will not deny that I too should be very glad to know you better, and that it was with that end in view that I took my place by your side just now in the foyer."
"Is it possible that I am so fortunate as to be distinguished by you--so fortunate that a fond hope may be permitted to take root in my heart?"
"Oh! don"t go so fast, monsieur; do you think that none but sensual liaisons may exist between two persons of different s.e.xes?"
"I don"t say just that; but I have reached the age when love is as necessary to men as the bottle to a child; I say the bottle as I might say the nurse! Madame, should I be too presumptuous if I asked to see your face?"
"It was for the express purpose of showing you my features that I brought you here, monsieur. I am very glad to have you know what sort of person you have to do with."
As she spoke, Thelenie removed her mask and Chamoureau uttered an exclamation, this time of admiration.
Indeed, the first sight of her face might well arouse that sentiment.
All her features were beautiful and clean cut; her teeth were beyond reproach, her hair as black as the crow"s wing, and her eyes, whose brilliancy we have already noted, were unusually large, fringed by long black lashes, and surmounted by perfectly arched eyebrows. Perhaps that face would have lost a little of its brilliancy in the daylight; there were circles round the eyes and the complexion was a little sallow; but in the gaslight these slight blemishes vanished and left only lovely features and a countenance instinct with animation.
Chamoureau was fairly dazzled.
"Oh! madame!" he stammered; "on my word--I did not expect--I mean--yes, I did expect to see a pretty face--but yours pa.s.ses all understanding--you are a G.o.ddess! I am compelled to admit that Eleonore was only small beer beside you."
This unique compliment brought a faint smile to the lovely brunette"s lips.
"Now that you have seen me, monsieur," she rejoined, "do you still desire to make my acquaintance?"
"Do I desire it, entrancing creature! Ah! it is more than a desire now, it is a craving! it is more than a craving, it is----"
"Well, monsieur, I give you permission to call on me, I will receive your visits--but only on one condition."
"I agree beforehand to all conceivable conditions."
"There is only one, monsieur; but you must swear to abide by it; if you should fail, my door would be closed to you instantly."
"That fact should a.s.sure you of my obedience, madame; pray tell me what the condition is."
"First of all, monsieur, I must tell you my name: I am Madame de Sainte-Suzanne."
"De Sainte-Suzanne--what a charming name! You must be descended from that Suzanne whom two rakes tried to catch a glimpse of as she left her bath."
"My condition is, monsieur, that you will tell n.o.body--_n.o.body_, you understand--that you know me and that you call on me."