"Enough! Everybody knows Pierre."
"Ladies, do please listen to me," implored Valerie. Continuing, Valerie
again endeavoured to make herself heard.
"Gentlemen, I--"
At that moment somebody commenced to strum a waltz upon the piano, and,
as if by magic, the twenty persons in the room rose to their feet and
commenced to whirl madly round, while Valerie and Pierre stood at the
door whispering and regarding the scene of Bacchanalian revelry with
perfect satisfaction.
She liked to see her guests enjoy themselves.
"I want a few moments' private conversation with you," Pierre said,
after they had been standing silent for a minute or two.
She acquiesced at once, and led the way to a small anteroom behind the
drawing-room. It was furnished gaudily and cheaply, but quite in
keeping with the rest of the house.