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"Very well, indeed!" said the Chevalier de Boeffleurs; completing by this speech the first dozen of words which he had uttered since his stay at Ems. "I think that last night Lady Madeleine Trevor looked perfectly magnificent; and a certain lady, too, Grey, eh? Here is St. George. My dear fellow, how are you? Has the fair Aurelia recovered from the last night's fatigues?
It is Miss Fane, then, eh?" "Baron von Konigstein, I wish you to understand " "My dear fellow, I never could understand anything. I think you have insulted me in a most disgraceful manner, and I positively must call you out, unless you promise to dine at my rooms with me to-morrow, to meet De Boeffleurs." "I cannot." "Why not? You have no engagement with Lady Madeleine I know, for St.
George and the Chevalier de Boeffleurs soon followed his example. "Mr. Grey," said Lady Madeleine one evening, as she was about to leave the gardens, "we shall be happy to see you to-night, if you are not engaged." "I fear that I am engaged," said Vivian; for the receipt of some letters from England made him little inclined to enter into society.
"Grey," said the Chevalier de Boeffleurs, "I cannot imagine why you do not for a moment try to forget the cards: that is the only way to win. Never sit musing over the table." But Grey was not to be persuaded to give up building his pagoda: which, now many stories high, like a more celebrated but scarcely more substantial structure, fell with a crash.
Grey, and your friend from the designs of villains. And you! wretch," said he, turning to De Boeffleurs, "sleep now in peace; at length you have undone me." He leant on the table, and buried his face in his hands. "Chicken-hearted fool!" said the Chevalier; "is this the end of all your promises and all your pledges? But remember, sir! remember. I have no taste for scenes. Good night, gentlemen.
"From M. Clarionet!" eagerly exclaimed the Baron, and tore open the epistle. "Gentlemen! congratulate me, congratulate yourselves, congratulate Frankfort;" and the diplomatist, overcome, leant back in his chair. "She is ours, Salvinski! she is ours, Von Altenburgh! she is ours, my dear de Boeffleurs! Mr.
"But it is a very curious story," continued the Chevalier, with a little animation. "Oh! so is every story, according to the storier." "I think, Von Konigstein, you imagine no one can tell a story but yourself," said De Boeffleurs, actually indignant. Vivian had never heard him speak so much before, and really began to believe that he was not quite an automaton. "Let us have it!" said St. George.
I make my sad tale brief. I got involved at the New House: De Boeffleurs once more assisted me, though his terms were most severe. Yet, yet again, I was mad enough, vile enough, to risk what I did not possess. I lost to Prince Salvinski and a Russian gentleman a considerable sum on the night before the fete.
"But," continued the Baron, "these clumsy burghers, with their affected enthusiasm, as you well observe; who could have contemplated such novices in diplomacy! Whatever may be the issue, I can at least lay my head upon my pillow and feel that I have done my duty. Did not I, de Boeffleurs, first place the negotiation on a basis of acknowledged feasibility and mutual benefit?
"Ecarte is so devilish dull," said St. George; "and it is such a trouble to deal." "I will deal for both, if you like," said De Boeffleurs; "I am used to dealing." "Oh! no, I won't play ecarte; let us have something in which we can all join." "Rouge-et-noir," suggested the Chevalier, in a careless tone, as if he had no taste for the amusement. "There is not enough, is there?" asked St. George.
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