"Do you see Bogart and Mrs. Stevens?"
Gladys Grayson drops the question into Helen's ear as she stands
listlessly leaning against the conservatory entrance.
Everet is looking away for the moment. Gladys has come up with Dalzel,
the young congressman.
Helen looks at her inquiringly:
"Bogart and Mrs. Stevens? Where?"
Mrs. Grayson gives a silvery little laugh, and just lifts her eyebrows.
"Everywhere," with a comprehensive wave of her pretty hand.
Everet and Dalzel are talking together. Helen looks a little bewildered,
and Mrs. Grayson looks a little amused, and a good deal contemptuous--or
shocked, perhaps. She nods towards the conservatory, and at the moment a
man and woman come from the shadow of a palm, towards the quartette,
engrossed in conversation--at least, Bogart is. Mrs. Stevens is
engrossed in looking charming. Gladys continues in little spasmodic
asides:
"Every one in the room--" they are nearer, and she lowers her voice, "is
talking about it. It is disgraceful."
"What?"
"Why, the very apparent _affaire_ between them."
Helen stares--then looks at Mrs. Stevens. Gladys says under her breath,
between her teeth:
"Don't stare at her in that way, you goose. She will come over here in a
minute, and ask if the enamel on her neck is chipping."
Helen lowers her eyes. Gladys continues:
"Things are so _very_ apparent, you know."
Mrs. Stevens is coming leisurely toward them. "There is a story of a
little dinner." Mrs. Stevens is here. Gladys bows with her accustomed
hauteur, with which she meets every one but the initiated, and without
the suspicion of discourtesy in her manner, turns away on Dalzel's arm.
Mrs. Stevens begins to talk volubly to Helen and Everet. Helen is
disconcerted. She has none of the studied, courteous rudeness that is
her friend's stock-in-trade, with which to carry off a thing of this
kind gracefully. She replies a little helplessly to Mrs. Stevens, and
moves away as quickly as she can.
Mrs. Stevens perceives the slight--it amuses her a little. Later, when
she is alone with Bogart, she mentions it, and remarks that "these
_ingenues_ try one's patience terribly."