his own people-第7部分

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they　could　hear　through　the　curtains　the　sound　of　one　or　two　voices
in　cheerful　conversation。

Sneyd　held　up　his　hand。

〃Listen；〃　he　said。　　〃Shawly；　that　isn't　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke's
voice！　　She　couldn't　be　in　Reomalways　a　Rhyswicke　Caws'l　for
Decembah。　　By　Jev；　it　is！〃

〃Nothin'　of　the　kind；〃　said　Pedlow。　　〃I　know　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke
as　well　as　I　know　you。　　I　started　her　father　in　business　when　he　was
clerkin'　behind　a　counter　in　Liverpool。　　I　give　him　the　money　to
begin　on。　　'Make　good；'　says　I；　'that's　all。　　Make　good！'　　And　he
done　it；　too。　　Educated　his　daughter　fit　fer　a　princess；　married
her　to　Mount…Rhyswicke；　and　when　he　died　left　her　ten　million
dollars　if　he　left　her　a　cent！　　I　know　Madge　Mount…Rhyswicke　and
that　ain't　her　voice。〃

A　peal　of　silvery　laughter　rang　from　the　other　side　of　the　curtain。

〃They've　heard　you；〃　said　Cooley。

〃An'　who　could　help　it？〃　Madame　de　Vaurigard　herself　threw　back　the
curtains。　　〃Who　could　help　hear　our　great；　dear；　ole　lion？　　How　he
roar'！〃

She　wore　a　white　velvet　〃princesse〃　gown　of　a　fashion　which　was
a　shade　less　than　what　is　called　〃daring；〃　with　a　rope　of　pearls
falling　from　her　neck　and　a　diamond　star　in　her　dark　hair。　　Standing
with　one　arm　uplifted　to　the　curtains；　and　with　the　mellow　glow　of
candles　and　firelight　behind　her；　she　was　so　lovely　that　both　Mellin
and　Cooley　stood　breathlessly　still　until　she　changed　her　attitude。
This　she　did　only　to　move　toward　them；　extending　a　hand　to　each；
letting　Cooley　seize　the　right　and　Mellin　the　left。

Each　of　them　was　pleased　with　what　he　got；　particularly　Mellin。
〃The　left　is　nearer　the　heart；〃　he　thought。

She　led　them　through　the　curtains；　not　withdrawing　her　hands　until
they　entered　the　salon。　　She　might　have　led　them　out　of　her　fifth…
story　window　in　that　fashion；　had　she　chosen。

〃My　two　wicked　boys！〃　she　laughed　tenderly。　　This　also　pleased　both
of　them；　though　each　would　have　preferred　to　be　her　only　wicked　boy
a　preference　which；　perhaps；　had　something　to　do　with　the　later
events　of　the　evening。

〃Aha！　　I　know　you　both；　before　twenty　minute'　you　will　be　makin'
love　to　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke。　　Behol'　those　two　already！　　An'　they
are　only　ole　frien's。〃

She　pointed　to　Pedlow　and　Sneyd。　　The　fat　man　was　shouting　at　a
woman　in　pink　satin；　who　lounged；　half…reclining；　among　a　pile　of
cushions　upon　a　divan　near　the　fire；　Sneyd　gallantly　bending　over
her　to　kiss　her　hand。

〃It　is　a　very　little　dinner；　you　see；〃　continued　the　hostess；　〃only
seven；　but　we　shall　be　seven　time'　happier。〃

The　seventh　person　proved　to　be　the　Italian；　Corni；　who　had
surrendered　his　seat　in　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　victoria　to　Mellin
on　the　Pincio。　　He　presently　made　his　appearance　followed　by　a
waiter　bearing　a　tray　of　glasses　filled　with　a　pink　liquid；　while
the　Countess　led　her　two　wicked　boys　across　the　room　to　present　them
to　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke。　　Already　Mellin　was　forming　sentences　for
his　next　letter　to　the　Cranston　Telegraph：　　〃Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke
said　to　me　the　other　evening；　while　discussing　the　foreign　policy
of　Great　Britain；　in　Comtesse　de　Vaurigard's　salon。。。〃　　〃An　English
peeress　of　pronounced　literary　acumen　has　been　giving　me　rather
confidentially　her　opinion　of　our　American　poets。。。〃

The　inspiration　of　these　promising　fragments　was　a　large；　weary…
looking　person；　with　no　lack　of　powdered　shoulder　above　her　pink
bodice　and　a　profusion　of　〃undulated〃　hair　of　so　decided　a　blond
that　it　might　have　been　suspected　that　the　decision　had　lain　with
the　lady　herself。

〃Howjdo；〃　she　said　languidly；　when　Mellin's　name　was　pronounced　to
her。　　〃There's　a　man　behind　you　tryin'　to　give　you　something　to
drink。〃

〃Who　was　it　said　these　were　Martinis？〃　snorted　Pedlow。　　〃They've
got　perfumery　in　'em。〃

〃Ah；　what　a　bad　lion　it　is！〃　Madame　de　Vaurigard　lifted　both　hands
in　mock　horror。　　〃Roar；　lion；　roar！〃　she　cried。　　〃An'　think　of　the
emotion　of　our　good　Cavaliere　Corni；　who　have　come　an　hour　early
jus'　to　make　them　for　us！　　I　ask　Monsieur　Mellin　if　it　is　not　good。〃

〃And　I'll　leave　it　to　Cooley；〃　said　Pedlow。　〃If　he　can　drink　all　of
his　I'll　eat　crow！〃

Thus　challenged；　the　two　young　men　smilingly　accepted　glasses　from
the　waiter；　and　lifted　them　on　high。

〃Same　toast；〃　said　Cooley。　　〃Queen！〃

~〃A　la　belle　Marquise！〃~

Gallantly　they　drained　the　glasses　at　a　gulp；　　and　Madame　de
Vaurigard　clapped　her　hands。

〃Bravo！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　see？　　Corni　and　I；　we　win。〃

〃Look　at　their　faces！〃　said　Mr。　Pedlow；　tactlessly　drawing　attention
to　what　was；　for　the　moment；　an　undeniably　painful　sight。　　〃Don't
tell　me　an　Italian　knows　how　to　make　a　good　Martini！〃

Mellin　profoundly　agreed；　but；　as　he　joined　the　small　procession　to
the　Countess'　dinner…table；　he　was　certain　that　an　Italian　at　least
knew　how　to　make　a　strong　one。

The　light　in　the　dining…room　was　provided　by　six　heavily…shaded
candles　on　the　table；　the　latter　decorated　with　delicate　lines
of　orchids。　　The　chairs　were　large　and　comfortable；　covered　with
tapestry；　the　glass　was　old　Venetian；　and　the　servants；　moving
like　useful　ghosts　in　the　shadow　outside　the　circle　of　mellow　light；
were　particularly　efficient　in　the　matter　of　keeping　the　wine…
glasses　full。　　Madame　de　Vaurigard　had　put　Pedlow　on　her　right；
Cooley　on　her　left；　with　Mellin　directly　opposite　her；　next　to　Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke。　　Mellin　was　pleased；　because　he　thought　he　would
have　the　Countess's　face　toward　him。　　Anything　would　have　pleased
him　just　then。

〃This　is　the　kind　of　table　~everybody~　ought　to　have；〃　he　observed
to　the　party　in　general；　as　he　finished　his　first　glass　of　champagne。
〃I'm　going　to　have　it　like　this　at　my　place　in　the　Statesif　I　ever
decide　to　go　back。　　I'll　have　six　separate　candlesticks　like　this；
not　a　candelabrum；　and　that　will　be　the　only　light　in　the　room。　　And
I'll　never　have　anything　but　orchids　on　my　table〃

〃For　my　part；〃　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　interrupted　in　the　loud；　tired
monotone　which　seemed　to　be　her　only　manner　of　speaking；　〃I　like
more　light。　　I　like　all　the　light　that's　goin'。〃

〃If　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　sat　at　~my~　table；〃　returned　Mellin
dashingly；　〃I　should　wish　all　the　light　in　the　world　to　shine　upon
so　happy　an　event。〃

〃Hear　the　man！〃　she　drawled。　　〃He's　proposing　to　me。　　Thinks　I'm
a　widow。〃

There　was　a　chorus　of　laughter；　over　which　rose　the　bellow　of　Mr。
Pedlow。

〃'He's　game！'　she　saysand　~ain't~　he？〃

Across　the　table　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　eyes　met　Mellin's　with　a
mocking　intelligence　so　complete　that　he　caught　her　message　without
need　of　the　words　she　noiselessly　formed　with　her　lips：　　〃I　tol'　you
you　would　be　making　love　to　her！〃

He　laughed　joyously　in　answer。　　Why　shouldn't　he　flirt　with　Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke？　　He　was　thoroughly　happy；　his　Helene；　his　~belle
Marquise~；　sat　across　the　table　from　him　sending　messages　to　him
with　her　eyes。　　He　adored　her；　but　he　liked　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke
…梙e　liked　everybody　and　everything　in　the　world。　He　liked　Pedlow
particularly；　and　it　no　longer　troubled　him　that　the　fat　man　should
be　a　friend　of　Madame　de　Vaurigard。　　Pedlow　was　a　〃character〃　and
a　wit　as　well。　　Mellin　laughed　heartily　at　everything　the　H