“To think of their insisting on our coming here to-night when there is this horrible anxiety at home!” she said, and her eyes began to fill in spite of her.
“There is no certain cause for it so far,” protested Mr. Kingspring. “Don’t worry till you know there is real cause for it; there is no use in saying good-morrow to the devil till you meet him. Let us take a turn with the waltzers; you have done me out of my quadrille.”
They took a few turns down the long gallery, now densely crowded, and then he stopped to let her rest.
“Who is that Polly is dancing with?” said Pearl, as she spied her sister in the distance with a tall, distinguished-looking man in the uniform of the hussars.
“I don’t know; probably some fellow Léopold has introduced.”
While they were still standing in the embrasure of a window Léon came up.
“May I claim the honor of a dance, mademoiselle?” he said, doubling himself in two before Pearl.
“I don’t feel a bit in the mood for dancing,” said Pearl, “the rooms are so hot and so dreadfully crowded. Do you know who that is that my sister is waltzing with?”
“Captain Darvallon, one of the most distinguished officers in the service, and quite the best fellow I know; he is a great friend of mine.”
“Then it was you who introduced him to her?”