“O Madame,” said she, “I thought you were going to play an amusing piece!”
“It will be very amusing,” said Brigit, “but this is the way to rehearse it.”
CHAPTER XXVII
The Marquis of Castrillon, meanwhile, was pirouetting sublimely before the long mirror in his dressing-room, while his valet, a sour-faced individual, looked on in great but gloomy interest. The Marquis was superbly dressed in a Louis Seize costume—an exact reproduction of the one worn by that monarch on his wedding-day—and he presented a very fine figure. In features, expression, colouring, and manner it would have been difficult to find, or imagine, a more fascinating puppet. An unsurpassable actor of noble parts, he seemed created to play the hero in deeds, the poet in thoughts, the lover on all occasions. Confident of his attractions, he appeared quite free from vanity: each fresh attitude became him better than the last: no light could do less than show the classic beauty of his head and body. When he laughed, one could admire his magnificent teeth; when he looked grave, one could enjoy the splendid serenity of his brow and the passion in his deep brown eyes. It was said that his legs alone would have made the plainest man a dangerous rival, that his well-cut mouth would have made a monster irresistible.
“So you don't think,” said he, as he executed a final bow and kicked off his shoes because a buckle stuck into his instep—“so you don't think, Isidore, that Her Imperial Highness loves me?”
“I know she doesn't,” replied his man. “I am not going to say that I see more than I see.”
“It may be that she cannot love,” said the Marquis, “and I don't think less of her on that account. These sentimental girls become very monotonous and sickening. The women whom men love the longest are prim, stand-off women. Have you noticed that, Isidore?”
“No, I haven't noticed that. I haven't noticed much love lasting long for any kind of person.”
“There's something in your stupidity which refreshes me. I have a strong notion to marry Her Imperial Highness. I could make her happy.”