“To-morrow,” he said, “if my daughters do not discover that I have injured some more than vital organ, I shall call to proffer my thanks with the most immense formality. I shall get out of the carriage in the manner customary in respectable neighborhoods, not roll out at your feet. Afterward you will, I hope, come and dine with us. I am devoured by a desire to become more familiar with the ‘New York Earth.’”
CHAPTER XXV
IT was Lady Mallowe who perceived the moment when he became the fashion. The Duke of Stone called with the immense formality he had described, and his visit was neither brief nor dull. A little later Tembarom with his guests dined at Stone Hover, and the dinner was further removed from dullness than any one of numerous past dinners always noted for being the most agreeable the neighborhood afforded. The duke managed his guests as an impresario might have managed his tenor, though this was done with subtly concealed methods. He had indeed a novelty to offer which had been discussed with much uncertainty of point of view.
“Nobody will be likely to see him as he is unless he is pointed out to them,” was what he said to his daughters. “But being bored to death,—we are all bored,—once adroitly assisted to suspect him of being, alluring, most of them will spring upon him and clasp him to their wearied breasts. I haven’t the least idea what will happen afterward. I shall in fact await the result with interest.”
Following the dinner party at Stone Hover came many others. All the well-known carriages began to roll up the avenue to Temple Barholm. The Temple Barholm carriages also began to roll down the avenue and between the stone griffins on their way to festive gatherings of varied order. Burrill and the footmen ventured to reconsider their early plans for giving warning. It was not so bad if the country was going to take him up.
“Do you see what is happening?” Lady Mallowe said to Joan. “The man is becoming actually popular.”
“He is popular as a turn at a music-hall is,” answered Joan. “He will be dropped as he was taken up.”
“There’s something about him they like, and he represents what everybody most wants. For God’s sake, Joan, don’t behave like a fool this time! The case is more desperate. There is nothing else—nothing.”
“There never was,” said Joan, “and I know the desperateness of the case. How long are you going to stay here?”