I knew very well, if he was "looking this way," at whom he must be looking, and so, did not feel Mathilde's embarrassment in again raising my eyes to the "Magnus Apollo." When I did so I perceived that he was in conversation with another gentleman, whom I recognized as Mr. ——, the proprietor of the house. I saw Mr. —— bow and precede the stranger, conducting him to the presence of Mr. Legare, to whom he immediately introduced him. I saw Mr. Legare and the stranger approaching our quarter of the room, and I thought I understood it all.
I was not mistaken.
Mr. Legare presented the stranger as "Mr. Howard, of Boston," first to me, whom he favored with a bow, but certainly not with a single glance, and next to Mathilde, whom he almost immediately petitioned to become his partner in the next quadrille.
Miss Legare bowed a gracious acceptance to his suit.
The presentation over, Mr. Legare went to rejoin his wife, who could not endure to be left alone.
Mr. Howard remained standing before us, and soon, by the brilliancy, variety and interest of his conversation, attracted and engaged both his hearers. He was certainly a man of the most distinguished and commanding presence that I had ever seen, and one for whom every hour's acquaintance increased our esteem.
When the new quadrille formed, with a graceful bow he extended his hand to Mathilde and led her to the head of one of the sets. He danced as well as he conversed. Why should I run into detail? Mathilde's fancy was captivated. They finished the quadrille, and for the remainder of the evening Mr. Howard's attentions, though very devoted, were marked by too much delicacy and good taste to attract notice from any one except her to whom they were directed.
The impression made upon Mathilde was as yet not sufficiently deep to render her reserved with me upon this subject. Consequently when the ball was over, and we had reached our double-bedded chamber, my friend broke forth in eager exclamations.
"Did you ever see such a fine-looking person, Agnes? And then his conversation! how brilliant! and how varied! how much he must have traveled! and then how well he dances!"
"Pshaw!" said I. "'Oh, what a fall was there,' 'from the sublime to the ridiculous!'"