At
this moment both eyes and lips expressed a shade of amusement.
Maurice, who was astonished never more than a minute at a time,
immediately recovered. His toilet was somewhat disarranged, and
the back of his head a crow's nest, but, nevertheless, he placed
a hand over his heart and offered a low obeisance.
"Good morning, gentlemen," she said, in a voice which Maurice
would have known anywhere. "I hope the journey has caused you no
particular annoyance."
"The annoyance was not so particular, Madame," said Fitzgerald
stiffly, "as it was general."
"And four of my troopers will take oath to that!" interjected
the Colonel.
"Will Madame permit me to ask when will the opera begin?" asked
Maurice.
"I am glad," said she, "that you have lost none of your
freshness."
Maurice was struck for a moment, but soon saw that the remark
was innocent of any inelegance of speech. Fitzgerald was gnawing
his mustache and looking out of the corner of his eyes--into
hers.
"My task, I confess, is a most disagreeable one," she resumed,
lightly beating her gauntlets together; "but when one serves
high personages one is supposed not to have any sentiments.
Pages:
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168