'Be it so,' said he; and then with a bow to my cousin and an easy nod to Grammont, O'Grady took his hat and departed.
Grammont now looked at his watch, and remembering some half-dozen very important appointments, took his leave also, leaving me once more, after so long an interval, tête-à-tête with Julia.
There were so many things to talk over since we had met, so many reminiscences which each moment called up, that I never thought of the hours as they ran over; and it was only by Lady Charlotte's appearance in the drawing-room that we were apprised it was already past four o'clock, and that the tide of her morning visitors would now set in, and break up all hopes of continuing our colloquy.
'Where is your friend?' said my mother, as she carried her eyes languidly round the spacious apartment.
'Gone some hours ago; but he promised to take me up here. We shall see him soon, I suspect.'
'Colonel O'Grady,' said a servant; and my cousin had just time to leave the room by one door as he entered by another.
Advancing to my mother with a manner of respectful ease which he possessed in perfection, O'Grady contrived in a few brief words to resume the ground he had formerly occupied in her acquaintance, throwing out as he went an occasional compliment to her looks, so naturally and unaffectedly done as not to need acknowledgment or reply, but yet with sufficient empressement to show interest.
'I have heard since my arrival that you were interested about this ball, and took the opportunity to secure you some tickets, which, though late, some of your friends may care for.'
He presented my mother as he spoke with several blank cards of invitation, who, as she took them, could not conceal her astonishment nor repress the look of curiosity, which she could scarcely repel in words, as to how he had accomplished a task the highest people in Paris had failed in. I saw what was passing in her mind, and immediately said—
'My mother would like to know your secret about these same cards, O'Grady; for they have been a perfect subject of contention here for the last three weeks.'