Thus once—it was after one of those Grosvenor Square dinners which Rupert hated so heartily, he found a chance of pointing a moral in his best manner. Rupert, as usual, had planted himself by Edith in a corner of the room, whence, much as she wished it, she could not escape, making of her and himself the object of the amused attention of the company.
“Look at them,” said Lord Devene, who had unexpectedly entered, with a smile and a wave of the hand that made everybody laugh, especially Dick, who found their aspect absurd.
“Rupert, do get up,” said Edith; “they are laughing at us.”
“Then let them laugh,” he grumbled, as he obeyed, following her sheepishly to the centre of the room.
While they advanced, some new sally which they could not hear provoked a fresh outburst of merriment.
“What is it that amuses you?” asked Rupert crossly.
“Ach, Rupert,” said Lady Devene, “they laugh at you because you do like to sit alone with your betrothed; but I do not laugh, I think it is quite proper.”
“Tabitha puts it too roughly,” broke in Lord Devene. “We are not making fun of beauty and valour completing each other so charmingly in that far corner, we are paying them our tribute of joyous and respectful admiration. I confess that it delights me, who am getting old and cynical, to see people so enraptured by mere companionship. That, my dear Rupert, is what comes of not being blasé. With the excellent Frenchman, you can say: ‘J’aime éperdument et pour toujours car je n’ai jamais éparpillé mon cœur; le parfait amour c’est la couronne de la vertu.’ Now you reap the rich reward of a youth which I believe to have been immaculate. Happy is the man who, thrusting aside, or being thrust aside of opportunity, reserves his first great passion for his wife.”
A renewed titter greeted this very elaborate sarcasm, for so everyone felt it to be, especially Rupert, who coloured violently. Only Lady Devene came to his aid and tried to cover his confusion.
“Bah!” she said, “your wit, George, seems to smell of the lamp and to have a nasty sting in its tail. Why should you mock at these young people because they are honest enough to show that they are fond of each other, as they ought to be? Pay no attention and go back to your corner, my dears, and I will come and sit in front of you; or at least tell them they should be sorry they cannot say they have not scattered their hearts about; that is what the French word means, doesn’t it?”