He went down the steps, happy to serve her in anything, and she followed him with a humid glance. “Ah, what a man!” she said to herself; and she inhaled the perfume of the violets, turning the bouquet around in her hands, feeling a tender joy in being the object of his protection and his care.
She heard a knock at the door.
“Does not the senhora wish to dine?” said the impatient voice of Juliana outside.
“No.”
“There will be so much the more for me, then.”
Donna Felicidade arrived before eight o’clock. Luiza was reassured by seeing her appear in a black gown with a high neck, and her emerald ornaments.
“What is this? What piece of folly is this, I want to know?” the excellent lady said gayly, as she entered the room.
“A caprice,” answered Luiza. Jorge was dining out and she felt lonely. She took a notion, which she could not resist, to go to the theatre. They had to stop at the Hotel Gibraltar on their way, for Jorge.
“I had just finished dining when I received your note. I was on the point of not coming. To lace one’s self after dinner! Fortunately I had eaten scarcely anything.”
She asked what they were going to perform that evening. Faust. Good. On which side of the house was the box? No. 18. What a pity! They lost the view of the Royal Family. And then that theatre was so far away! She rose, and standing before the dressing-table, looked at herself sidewise in the glass, smoothing down the bands of her hair, and then arranged her bracelets, her eyes shining joyously.