“Good-night, Lawrence,” she whispered. She held out her hand. For a moment he held it in his, his eyes looking into hers. Then he released the little thin fingers.
“Adieu,” said he with a last cordial nod, and left.
For a while she stood still and mused. Then she told the servant to extinguish the gas in the salon, and retired to her bed-room. The sequins she took from her hair and placed on the toilet-table. On a chair lay the glistening draperies of her ball toilet, and her little Moorish slippers were on the floor beside it. While she undressed, she still heard his voice with its light accent. Slowly she arranged her ornaments. Her eye fell on her watch, to the chain of which a black locket was attached. She opened it and gazed into it for a long while, and her eyes grew moist. Then she pressed a soft kiss on the likeness which it contained. For a moment she thought of detaching it from its chain and placing it in one of the little drawers of her jewel-case; but she did not do so. She lay down in her bed; she did not sleep, neither did she take her sleeping draught. At half-past five she heard Elise, sighing with fatigue, returning with Uncle Daniel. But her sleeplessness had not been disturbed by grim nightmares, and it seemed to her as though a calm pink glow of light was diffused around her. Later on she slept a little, and when she awoke she did not feel herself quite so languid as she usually did on awaking.
Eline did not see Elise the following day before lunch. Uncle Daniel had gone out already; he was always very busy, but nobody knew exactly what his occupations were. Eline asked Elise whether she had enjoyed herself.
“Oh yes,” said Elise in a kindly tone. “It was rather boisterous, and perhaps it’s quite as well that you did not go. It might have upset you. Did St. Clare stay long?” [[291]]
“Till eleven.”
“Look here, it does not matter to me that he persuaded you to stay at home, but Daniel found it rather foolish of you that you were so obedient. Still he does not care either, you know. You are free to do exactly as you like with us, you know that.”
Eline was silent.
“But you must admit,” Elise proceeded laughingly, “it’s a strange case. Yes, certainly, Eline, it’s a strange case, and sets one thinking.”
Eline looked at her searchingly.