Isabel let her hand remain upon his shoulder a moment longer; she stood behind him, looking into the fire, and George, watching her broodingly, thought there was more colour in her face than the reflection of the flames accounted for. "Well, then," she said indulgently, "stay at home and be happy. We won"t urge you if you"d really rather not."
"I really wouldn"t," he said contentedly.
Half an hour later, George was pa.s.sing through the upper hall, in a bath-robe stage of preparation for the evening"s" gaieties, when he encountered his Aunt f.a.n.n.y. He stopped her. "Look here!" he said.
"What in the world is the matter with you?" she demanded, regarding him with little amiability. "You look as if you were rehearsing for a villain in a play. Do change your expression!"
His expression gave no sign of yielding to the request; on the contrary, its somberness deepened. "I suppose you don"t know why father doesn"t want to go tonight," he said solemnly. "You"re his only sister, and yet you don"t know!"
"He never wants to go anywhere that I ever heard of," said f.a.n.n.y. "What is the matter with you?"
"He doesn"t want to go because he doesn"t like this man Morgan."
"Good gracious!" f.a.n.n.y cried impatiently. "Eugene Morgan isn"t in your father"s thoughts at all, one way or the other. Why should he be?"
George hesitated. "Well--it strikes me--Look here, what makes you and--and everybody--so excited over him?"
"Excited!" she jeered. "Can"t people be glad to see an old friend without silly children like you having to make a to-do about it? I"ve just been in your mother"s room suggesting that she might give a little dinner for them--"
"For who?"
"For whom, Georgie! For Mr. Morgan and his daughter."
"Look here!" George said quickly. "Don"t do that! Mother mustn"t do that. It wouldn"t look well."
"Wouldn"t look well!" f.a.n.n.y mocked him; and her suppressed vehemence betrayed a surprising acerbity. "See here, Georgie Minafer, I suggest that you just march straight on into your room and finish your dressing!
Sometimes you say things that show you have a pretty mean little mind!"
George was so astounded by this outburst that his indignation was delayed by his curiosity. "Why, what upsets you this way?" he inquired.
"I know what you mean," she said, her voice still lowered, but not decreasing in sharpness. "You"re trying to insinuate that I"d get your mother to invite Eugene Morgan here on my account because he"s a widower!"
"I am?" George gasped, nonplussed. "I"m trying to insinuate that you"re setting your cap at him and getting mother to help you? Is that what you mean?"
Beyond a doubt that was what Miss f.a.n.n.y meant. She gave him a white-hot look. "You attend to your own affairs!" she whispered fiercely, and swept away.
George, dumfounded, returned to his room for meditation.
He had lived for years in the same house with his Aunt f.a.n.n.y, and it now appeared that during all those years he had been thus intimately a.s.sociating with a total stranger. Never before had he met the pa.s.sionate lady with whom he had just held a conversation in the hall.
So she wanted to get married! And wanted George"s mother to help her with this horseless-carriage widower!
"Well, I will be shot!" he muttered aloud. "I will--I certainly will be shot!" And he began" to laugh. "Lord "lmighty!"
But presently, at the thought of the horseless-carriage widower"s daughter, his grimness returned, and he resolved upon a line of conduct for the evening. He would nod to her carelessly when he first saw her; and, after that, he would notice her no more: he would not dance with her; he would not favour her in the cotillion--he would not go near her!
He descended to dinner upon the third urgent summons of a coloured butler, having spent two hours dressing--and rehearsing.
Chapter IX
The Honourable George Amberson was a congressman who led cotillions--the sort of congressman an Amberson would be. He did it negligently, tonight, yet with infallible dexterity, now and then glancing humorously at the spectators, people of his own age. They were seated in a tropical grove at one end of the room whither they had retired at the beginning of the cotillion, which they surrendered entirely to the twenties and the late "teens. And here, grouped with that stately pair, Sydney and Amelia Amberson, sat Isabel with f.a.n.n.y, while Eugene Morgan appeared to bestow an amiable devotion impartially upon the three sisters-in-law.
f.a.n.n.y watched his face eagerly, laughing at everything he said; Amelia smiled blandly, but rather because of graciousness than because of interest; while Isabel, looking out at the dancers, rhythmically moved a great fan of blue ostrich feathers, listened to Eugene thoughtfully, yet all the while kept her shining eyes on Georgie.
Georgie had carried out his rehea.r.s.ed projects with precision, he had given Miss Morgan a nod studied into perfection during his lengthy toilet before dinner. "Oh, yes, I do seem to remember that curious little outsider!" this nod seemed to say. Thereafter, all cognizance of her evaporated: the curious little outsider was permitted no further existence worth the struggle. Nevertheless, she flashed in the corner of his eye too often. He was aware of her dancing demurely, and of her viciously flirtatious habit of never looking up at her partner, but keeping her eyes concealed beneath downcast lashes; and he had over-sufficient consciousness of her between the dances, though it was not possible to see her at these times, even if he had cared to look frankly in her direction--she was invisible in a thicket of young dresscoats. The black thicket moved as she moved and her location was hatefully apparent, even if he had not heard her voice laughing from the thicket. It was annoying how her voice, though never loud, pursued him.
No matter how vociferous were other voices, all about, he seemed unable to prevent himself from constantly recognizing hers. It had a quaver in it, not pathetic--rather humorous than pathetic--a quality which annoyed him to the point of rage, because it was so difficult to get away from.
She seemed to be having a "wonderful time!"
An unbearable soreness acc.u.mulated in his chest: his dislike of the girl and her conduct increased until he thought of leaving this sickening a.s.sembly and going home to bed. That would show her! But just then he heard her laughing, and decided that it wouldn"t show her. So he remained.
When the young couples seated themselves in chairs against the walls, round three sides of the room, for the cotillion, George joined a brazen-faced group cl.u.s.tering about the doorway--youths with no partners, yet eligible to be "called out" and favoured. He marked that his uncle placed the infernal Kinney and Miss Morgan, as the leading couple, in the first chairs at the head of the line upon the leader"s right; and this disloyalty on the part of Uncle George was inexcusable, for in the family circle the nephew had often expressed his opinion of Fred Kinney. In his bitterness, George uttered a significant monosyllable.
The music flourished; whereupon Mr. Kinney, Miss Morgan, and six of their neighbours rose and waltzed knowingly. Mr. Amberson"s whistle blew;" then the eight young people went to the favour-table and were given toys and trinkets wherewith to delight the new partners it was now their privilege to select. Around the walls, the seated non-partic.i.p.ants in this ceremony looked rather conscious; some chattered, endeavouring not to appear expectant; some tried not to look wistful; and others were frankly solemn. It was a trying moment; and whoever secured a favour, this very first shot, might consider the portents happy for a successful evening.
Holding their twinkling gewgaws in their hands, those about to bestow honour came toward the seated lines, where expressions became feverish. Two of the approaching girls seemed to wander, not finding a predetermined object in sight; and these two were Janie Sharon, and her cousin, Lucy. At this, George Amberson Minafer, conceiving that he had little to antic.i.p.ate from either, turned a proud back upon the room and affected to converse with his friend, Mr. Charlie Johnson.
The next moment a quick little figure intervened between the two. It was Lucy, gaily offering a silver sleighbell decked with white ribbon.
"I almost couldn"t find you!" she cried.
George stared, took her hand, led her forth in silence, danced with her.
She seemed content not to talk; but as the whistle blew, signalling that this episode was concluded, and he conducted her to her seat, she lifted the little bell toward him. "You haven"t taken your favour. You"re supposed to pin it on your coat," she said. "Don"t you want it?"
"If you insist!" said George stiffly. And he bowed her into her chair; then turned and walked away, dropping the sleighbell haughtily into his trousers" pocket.
The figure proceeded to its conclusion, and George was given other sleighbells, which he easily consented to wear upon his lapel; but, as the next figure "began, he strolled with a bored air to the tropical grove, where sat his elders, and seated himself beside his Uncle Sydney.
His mother leaned across Miss f.a.n.n.y, raising her voice over the music to speak to him.
"Georgie, n.o.body will be able to see you here. You"ll not be favoured.
You ought to be where you can dance."
"Don"t care to," he returned. "Bore!"
"But you ought--" She stopped and laughed, waving her fan to direct his attention behind him. "Look! Over your shoulder!"
He turned, and discovered Miss Lucy Morgan in the act of offering him a purple toy balloon.
"I found you!" she laughed.
George was startled. "Well--" he said.
"Would you rather "sit it out?"" Lucy asked quickly, as he did not move.
"I don"t care to dance if you--"
"No," he said, rising. "It would be better to dance." His tone was solemn, and solemnly he departed with her from the grove. Solemnly he danced with her.
Four times, with not the slightest encouragement, she brought him a favour: "four times in succession. When the fourth came, "Look here!"