She is very pretty. It must be her dress that makes her so uncommonly lovely to-night, he fancies, but it is all things,—her youth, her joy, her sweet satisfaction.
"Why, no, not frivolous. It is—well, I don't know how society would get along without it," and he gives a short, grim laugh. "We could not have balls or parties or Germans,—nothing but dinners and teas and musicales and stupid receptions. And there wouldn't be anything for young people to do; the old tabbies, you know, can gossip about their neighbors, and the men can smoke."
"It is all so wonderfully beautiful!" she begins, dreamily. "The lawn is a perfect fairyland, and I never saw so many lovely dresses and handsome people together in my life. And the music——"
The strains floating in the air are quite enough to bewilder one, to steep him in delicious reveries, to transport him to Araby the blest.
"Will you waltz once with me?" he asks, suddenly, taking her hand.
"Ought I?" she inquires, innocently. "You see I do not quite understand——"
"No," he answers, "I will take a galop instead, but it is all right enough. Floyd wouldn't care, I know."
He has a jealous misgiving that Floyd will waltz with madame if Violet thus sets him an example.
The galop begins presently. Floyd is busy with the duties of host, and supper is soon to be announced. Madame dances superbly, but neither of them are up now, except that just at the last Floyd takes a few turns with Cecil, whose time of revelry is now ended.
Eugene takes Violet in to supper; not exactly as Floyd has planned, but as she desires. Her next neighbor is very bright and entertaining, and Eugene really does his best. Between them both Mrs. Grandon is vivacious, sparkling, and radiant with the charms of youth and pleasure. Eugene is quite resolved to show madame that he has not been hard hit, and even devotes himself awhile to Lucia Brade, who is supremely happy. There is more dancing, and Violet and Floyd have another lovely waltz. So with walking and talking and lounging on balcony and lawn, listening to the delicious music, the revel comes to an end.