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"I beg your pardon," she began almost at once in English, when the waiter had brought her a plate of soup, and she was toying with the first spoonful, speaking in a low constrained, almost sullen voice, as though it cost her much to break through the convenances in thus addressing a stranger.
"I don't; I think she is dreadfully common," said Mrs. Follingsbee: "she is one of those women who can't talk any thing but baby, and bores Charlie half to death. But then, you know, when there is a liaison like mine with Charlie, one can't be too careful to cultivate the wives. Les convenances, you know, are the all-important things.
"I am always lecturing Charlie, and showing him that we must keep up les convenances; but is it not hard on us poor women to lead always this repressed, secretive life?" "What made you marry Mr. Follingsbee?" said Lillie, with apparent artlessness. "Darling, I was but a child. I was ignorant of the mysteries of my own nature, of my capabilities.
As soon as les convenances permitted, he confided his son to the care of a relative of his wife, and began his roving life again. Rumor had told the truth. He had fought, and that furiously, against France in the Austrian, and then in the Russian ranks. And he took no pains to conceal the fact; convinced that he had only performed his duty.
I had a French governess once who left because I pinned the tail of Cousin John's kite to her skirt, and put white mice in her work-box; and she was always lecturing me about what she called "les convenances." Aunt Deborah don't speak much French, though she says she understands it perfectly, and she never lets me alone about propriety. I didn't think him at all dangerous, I'm sure.
She tolerated no latitudes, no pretension, and left behind her the traditions of a society that blended, more perfectly, perhaps, than any other of her time, the best intellectual life with courtly manners and a strict observance of les convenances.
Emily is not like the women of the world virtue, honour, faith, are not to her the mere convenances of society. "There is no crime," said Lady A., "where there is concealment." Such can never be the creed of Emily Mandeville. She will not disguise guilt either in the levity of the world, or in the affectations of sentiment. She will be wretched, and for ever.
I wish with all my heart that the convenances of life permitted Egeria herself to stray into those book-lined rooms, dim with tobacco-smoke, to warble and sing to the accompaniment of Perry's cracked piano, to take her place among the casual company. But as Egeria cannot go to Perry, and as Perry will not go to Egeria, they must respect each other from a distance, and do their best alone.
Ruth mused; "and moonlight in Java, and the Himalayas on the horizon, and the Vale of Cashmir." "But I'm glad we have this. Blessed, it's a day planned for lovers like us." "Carl!" "Yes. Lovers. Courting. In spring. Like all lovers." "Really, Carl, even spring doesn't quite let me forget the convenances are home waiting." "We're not lovers?" "No, we " "Yet you enjoy to-day, don't you?"
We must show him some attention for his kindness to our great-niece; he will understand and not allow it to flatter him too much. You remember, Roberta, our Mamma always said unmarried women of any age cannot be too careful of les convenances, but we might ask him to dinner under the circumstances don't you think so?"
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