Then the girl simply gave a slow, sad head-shake which struck him as the
sweetest, proudest, most suggestive thing in the world. 'Well, well,
that's all right,' he remarked, cheerfully, and looked again a while at
the bust, which he thought extraordinarily clever. 'And haven't _you_
been done by one of these great fellows?'
'Oh dear no; only mamma and Effie. But Tishy is going to be, in a month
or two. The next time you come you must see her. She remembers you
vividly.'
'And I remember her that last night, with her reticule. Is she always
pretty?'
Dora hesitated a moment. 'She is a very sweet little creature, but she
is not so pretty as Effie.'
'And have none of them wished to do you--none of the painters?'
'Oh, it's not a question of me. I only wish them to let me alone.'
'For me it would be a question of you, if you would sit for me. But I
daresay your mother wouldn't allow that.'
'No, I think not,' said Dora, smiling.
She smiled, but her companion looked grave. However, not to pursue the
subject, he asked, abruptly, 'Who is this Madame de Brives?'
'If you lived in Paris you would know. She is very celebrated.'
'Celebrated for what?'
'For everything.'
'And is she good--is she genuine?' Raymond asked. Then, seeing something
in the girl's face, he added: 'I told you I should be brutal again. Has
she undertaken to make a great marriage for Effie?'
'I don't know what she has undertaken,' said Dora, impatiently.
'And then for Tishy, when Effie has been disposed of?'
'Poor little Tishy!' the girl continued, rather inscrutably.
'And can she do nothing for you?' the young man inquired.
Her answer surprised him--after a moment. 'She has kindly offered to
exert herself, but it's no use.'
'Well, that's good. And who is it the young man comes for--the secretary
of embassy?'
'Oh, he comes for all of us,' said Dora, laughing.
'I suppose your mother would prefer a preference,' Raymond suggested.
To this she replied, irrelevantly, that she thought they had better go
back; but as Raymond took no notice of the recommendation she mentioned
that the secretary was no one in particular. At this moment Effie,
looking very rosy and happy, pushed through the _portiere_ with the news
that her sister must come and bid good-bye to the Marquise. She was
taking her to the Duchess's--didn't Dora remember? To the _bal
blanc_--the _sauterie de jeunes filles_.
'I thought we should be called,' said Raymond, as he followed Effie;
and he remarked that perhaps Madame de Brives would find something
suitable at the Duchess's.
'I don't know. Mamma would be very particular,' the girl rejoined; and
this was said simply, sympathetically, without the least appearance of
deflection from that loyalty which Raymond deplored.