"VIOLET."
CHAPTER VI.
BRIGHTER SCENES.
You o'erjoyed spirits, wipe your long-wet eyes!
JOHN MARSTON.—The Malcontent.
There was a charming ball at Mrs. Langley Turner's. The rooms were full without being crowded, and the company was brilliant: rank, beauty, and talent, gave their éclat to the scene.
Mrs. Meredith Vyner and Rose were there; George Maxwell of course, and to Rose's extreme delight, Julius St. John. She was at first annoyed at recognising him, but her second thoughts showed her that the present was an excellent opportunity for exhibiting her indifference. She was, accordingly, in high spirits, or seemed to be so; accepted the homage paid her with saucy coquetry; danced, talked, and laughed as if her heart were as light as innocence could make it. A careless bow had been her only salute of Julius, and she passed by him several times without affecting not to observe him.
She noticed that he had grown thinner and paler. His face had grown more thoughtful, but his demeanour was perfectly calm.
Late in the evening, Rose was examining the flowers, and thinking of the handsome young guardsman who had just left her side, when she felt some one approach her. It was Julius. She resumed her inspection of the flowers.
"If you are not engaged for the next quadrille, Miss Vyner," he said in a low but firm tone, "may I hope for the honour?"
"I am engaged," she replied quietly, and then moved half-way round the flower-stand, as if to discover fresh beauties.