Well, my boy, we'd made our bow and here was Loveliness
worrying in her pretty fashion because my cravat had shifted or some
such, and here was I pulling at the thing and saying, 'Yes, dear,' and
making it worse when, as the poet says, 'amid this glittering throng
of lovely women and gallant men' my charmed eye alighted upon a
haughty beauty, a ravishing creature condescending to be worshipped by
a crowd of fawning slaves, civilian, soldier and sailor of all
stations and ranks, from purple-faced admirals and general officers to
pink, downy-whiskered subalterns. 'Egad, Loveliness,' says I, jerking
at my cravat, 'what asinine fools brave men and gallant gentlemen can
make of themselves for lovely woman--look yonder!' 'Where?' says she.
'There!' says I, 'the dark, dazzling beauty yonder!' So Loveliness
looks, and at that very moment Beauty breaks from the abject circle of
her fawning slaves and comes running. 'Diana!' cries Loveliness.
'Barbara!' cries Beauty, and they are in each other's arms--and there
you are, Perry. Astonishing how they love each other. So when I left
to attend this birthday of yours, Loveliness must stay with her
Diana--I miss her most damnably!"
"Has she so many admirers?" I sighed.
"Hordes of 'em, Perry! Troops, squadrons, regiments, begad! So has my
Loveliness, for that matter."
"And are you never jealous?"
"Devil a bit, dear fellow. Though," said he, slowly clenching his
right hand into a powerful fist and scowling down at it, "given the
occasion--I could be, Perry, y-e-s, madly, brutally--I could kill--do
murder, I believe.
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