Impelled by a sort of sensuous curiosity,
he had always wanted an introduction into the Muffats' circle, and now
that his friend was in Mexico through all eternity, who could tell what
might happen? "We shall see," he thought. It was a folly, doubtless, but
the idea kept tormenting him; he felt himself drawn on and his animal
nature aroused. The big chair had a rumpled look--its nether cushions
had been tumbled, a fact which now amused him.
"Well, shall we be off?" asked La Faloise, mentally vowing that once
outside he would find out the name of the woman with whom people were
going to sup.
"All in good time," replied Fauchery.
But he was no longer in any hurry and excused himself on the score of
the invitation he had been commissioned to give and had as yet not found
a convenient opportunity to mention. The ladies were chatting about an
assumption of the veil, a very touching ceremony by which the whole of
Parisian society had for the last three days been greatly moved. It was
the eldest daughter of the Baronne de Fougeray, who, under stress of
an irresistible vocation, had just entered the Carmelite Convent. Mme
Chantereau, a distant cousin of the Fougerays, told how the baroness had
been obliged to take to her bed the day after the ceremony, so overdone
was she with weeping.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124