“I—I shall accept.”
She sighed, and the tears rose in her eyes, when for the first time she made that resolution. She would accept. And she could find nothing more to say to the old lady; that one word filled her mind so completely, that it absorbed every other thought. For a moment, therefore, they sat next each other in silence, a little turned away from the joyous group round the cards. And Eline could hear Ange’s shrill, laughing voice, as she laid down the cards, one by one, on the table.
“Now just listen, Mr. Erlevoort. I am much cleverer than Madame Lenormand. Here is yours, king of diamonds. You are surrounded by much tears, but they are turned into smiles; you will have much money, and will go and live in a château in the Pyrenees. Or would you rather buy a villa near Nice? Ah, there she is! queen of hearts, you see. You are rather wide apart, but all the intermediate cards are favourable. You will have to struggle against many obstacles before you can reach her, for she is rather sought after, you see; but—the king of clubs, king of diamonds, a plebeian even, a social democrat; knave of spades!”
“Black Jack!” cried Léonie. “Ah, fi donc!”
Eline smiled, a little frightened, and wiped away a tear from her lashes; and Madame van Raat, who had also been listening, smiled too.
“There, just see how beautiful those aces lie,” Ange went on. “No fear, Mr. Erlevoort, no fear; ’tis all clearing up nicely.”
“The cards seem favourable,” whispered Madame van Raat.
Eline gave a little smile of contempt, but she felt a little upset; Black Jack had reminded her of Fabrice.
The company had risen from the whist-table, and the conversation became lively and general. The fortune-telling had given an impetus to the gaiety all round, and Etienne was loud in his protestations to Ange, who prophesied that he would be an old bachelor. Not he; he declined with thanks.
Ange and Léonie persuaded Paul to sing something else, and Léonie accompanied him in one of Massenet’s songs. In the [[148]]meantime Betsy looked attentively at her sister and Otto, and thought she could see that nothing had yet transpired between them. How Eline did dilly-dally, to be sure! No; she had managed it better herself. She had quietly accepted van Raat when he in his clumsiness had proposed to her. What was Eline thinking about? why in Heaven’s name shouldn’t she accept Erlevoort? They were quite cut out for one another. And she worried herself about that sentimental hesitation on the part of her sister, when she had the chance of marrying into a good family, and a man in a fair position. Her eye glanced coldly on Eline’s slender form, to which that hesitating coyness lent an additional charm, and she remarked it, as she also remarked the unwonted earnestness that seemed to be diffused over her beauty. What a lot of to-do about such a simple matter! But when she caught sight of her husband, who was talking to Otto, she felt even more annoyed; how stupid he was, to be sure! Had he really no notion as yet why Otto was there that evening?