He never
ceased to examine Mademoiselle des Touches throughout the dinner.
"Coquetries!" replied the marquis, taking off her gloves, and showing
her beautiful hands; "the opportunity is good, with a poet," and she
motioned to Claude, "on one side, and poesy the other."
At these words Conti turned and gave Calyste a look that was full of
flattery.
By artificial light, Beatrix seemed more beautiful than before. The
white gleam of the candles laid a satiny lustre on her forehead,
lighted the spangles of her eyes, and ran through her swaying curls,
touching them here and there into gold. She threw back the thin gauze
scarf she was wearing and disclosed her neck. Calyste then saw its
beautiful nape, white as milk, and hollowed near the head, until its
lines were lost toward the shoulders with soft and flowing symmetry.
This neck, so dissimilar to that of Camille, was the sign of a totally
different character in Beatrix.
Calyste found much trouble in pretending to eat; nervous motions
within him deprived him of appetite. Like other young men, his nature
was in the throes and convulsions which precede love, and carve it
indelibly on the soul.
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