She
wore a muslin gown with a pattern of flowers, and was leaning with one
well-gloved hand on a slender parasol. Nothing is finer to the eyes than
a woman poised on a rock like a statue on its pedestal. Conti could see
Calyste from the vessel as he approached Camille.
"I thought," said the young man, "that you would probably come back
alone."
"You have done right, Calyste," she replied, pressing his hand.
Beatrix turned round, saw her young lover, and gave him the most
imperious look in her repertory. A smile, which the marquise detected
on the eloquent lips of Mademoiselle des Touches, made her aware of
the vulgarity of such conduct, worthy only of a bourgeoise. She then
said to Calyste, smiling,--
"Are you not guilty of a slight impertinence in supposing that I
should bore Camille, if left alone with her?"
"My dear, one man to two widows is none too much," said Mademoiselle
des Touches, taking Calyste's arm, and leaving Beatrix to watch the
vessel till it disappeared.
At this moment Calyste heard the approaching voices of Mademoiselle de
Pen-Hoel, the Vicomtesse de Kergarouet, Charlotte, and Gasselin, who
were all talking at once, like so many magpies.
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