hard cash-第22章

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l　dressed　like　the　dowdies　who　are　criticising　her：　and　I　think；　sir；　she　dances　as　well　as　any　lady　can　encumbered　with　an　Atom　that　does　not　know　the　figure。〃　All　this　with　the　utmost　placidity。

Then；　as　if　to　extinguish　all　doubt；　Julia　flung　them　a　heavenly　smile；　she　had　been　furtively　watching　them　all　the　time；　and　she　saw　they　were　talking　about　her。

The　other　Oxonian　squeezed　up　to　Hardie。　〃Do　you　know　the　beauty？　She　smiled　your　way。

〃Ah！〃　said　Hardie；　deliberately；　〃you　mean　that　young　lady　with　the　court　pearls；　in　that　exquisite　Indian　muslin；　which　floats　so　gracefully；　while　the　other　muslin　girls　are　all　crimp　and　stiff；　like　little　pigs　clad　in　crackling。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　Yes。　Introduce　me。〃

〃I　could　not　take　such　a　liberty　with　the　queen　of　the　ball。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　smiled；　but　felt　nervous　and　ill　at　ease。　She　thought　to　herself；　〃Now　here　is　a　generous；　impetuous　thing。〃　As　for　the　hostile　party；　staggered　at　first　by　the　masculine　insolence　of　young　Hardy；　it　soon　recovered；　and；　true　to　its　sex；　attacked　him　obliquely；　through　his　white　ladye。

〃Who　_is_　the　beauty　of　the　ball　？〃　asked　one；　haughtily。

〃I　don't　know；　but　not　that　mawkish　thing　in　limp　muslin。〃

〃I　should　say　Miss　Hetherington　is　the　belle；〃　suggested　a　third。

〃Which　is　Miss　Hetherington？〃　asked　the　Oxonian　coolly　of　Alfred。

〃Oh；　she　won't　do　for　us。　It　is　that　little　chalk…faced　girl；　dressed　in　pink　with　red　roses；　the　pink　of　vulgarity　and　bad　taste。〃

At　this　both　Oxonians　laughed　arrogantly；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　withdrew　her　hand　from　the　speaker's　arm　and　glided　away　behind　the　throng。　Julia　looked　at　him　with　marked　anxiety。　He　returned　her　look；　and　was　sore　puzzled　what　it　meant；　till　he　found　Mrs。　Dodd　had　withdrawn　softly　from　him；　then　he　stood　confused；　regretting　too　late　he　had　not　obeyed　her　positive　request；　and　tried　to　imitate　her　dignified　forbearance。

The　quadrille　ended。　He　instantly　stepped　forward；　and　bowing　politely　to　the　cornet；　said　authoritatively；　〃Mrs。　Dodd　sends　me　to　conduct　you　to　her。　With　your　permission；　sir。〃　His　arm　was　offered　and　taken　before　the　little　warrior　knew　where　he　was。

He　had　her　on　his　arm；　soft；　light；　and　fragrant　as　zephyr；　and　her　cool　breath　wooing　his　neck；　oh；　the　thrill　of　that　moment！　but　her　first　word　was　to　ask　him；　with　considerable　anxiety；　〃Why　did　mamma　leave　you？〃

〃Miss　Dodd；　I　am　the　most　unhappy　of　men。〃

〃No　doubt！　no　doubt！〃　said　she；　a　little　crossly。　She　added　with　one　of　her　gushes　of　naivete；　〃and　I　shall　be　unhappy　too　if　you　go　and　displease　mamma。〃

〃What　could　I　do？　A　gang　of　snobbesses　were　detracting　fromsomebody。　To　speak　plainly；　they　were　running　down　the　loveliest　of　her　sex。　Your　mamma　told　me　to　keep　quiet。　And　so　I　did　till　I　got　a　fair　chance；　and　then　I　gave　it　them　in　their　teeth。〃　He　ground　his　own；　and　added；　〃I　think　I　was　very　good　not　to　kick　them。〃

。Julia　coloured　with　pleasure；　and　proceeded　to　turn　it　off。　〃Oh！　most　forbearing　and　considerate；〃　said　she。　〃Ah！　by　the　way；　I　think　I　did　hear　some　ladies　express　a　misgiving　as　to　the　pecuniary　value　of　my　costume；　ha！　ha！　Ohyoufoolish！Fancy　noticing　that！　Why　it　is　in　little　sneers　that　the　approval　of　the　ladies　shows　itself　at　a　ball；　and　it　is　a　much　sincerer　compliment　than　the　gentlemen's　bombastical　praises：　'the　fairest　of　her　sex；'　and　so　on；　that　none　but　the　'silliest　of　her　sex'　believe。〃

〃Miss　Dodd；　I　never　said　the　fairest　of　her　sex。　I　said　the　loveliest。〃

〃Oh；　that　alters　the　case　entirely；〃　said　Julia；　whose　spirits　were　mounting　with　the　lights　and　music；　and　Alfred's　company；　〃so　now　come　and　be　reconciled　to　the　best　and　wisest　of　her　sex；　ay；　and　the　beautifullest；　if　you　but　knew　her　sweet；　dear；　darling　face　as　I　do。　There　she　is；　let　us　fly。〃

〃Mamma；　here　is　a　penitent　for　you；　real　or　feigned；　I　don't　know　which。〃

〃Real；　Mrs。　Dodd；〃　said　Alfred。　〃　I　had　no　right　to　disobey　you　and　risk　a　scene。　You　served　me　right　by　abandoning　me；　I　feel　the　rebuke　and　its　justice。　Let　me　hope　your　vengeance　will　go　no　further。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　smiled　at　the　grandiloquence　of　youth；　and　told　him　he　had　mistaken　her　character。　〃I　saw　I　had　acquired　a　generous；　hot…headed　ally；　who　was　bent　on　doing　battle　with　insects；　so　I　withdrew；　but　so　I　should　at　Waterloo；　or　anywhere　else　where　people　put　themselves　in　a　passion。〃

The　band　struck　up　again。

〃Ah！〃　said　Julia；　〃and　I　promised　you　this　dance；　but　it　is　a　waltz　and　my　guardian　angel　objects　to　the　_valse　a　deux　temps。_〃

〃Decidedly。　Should　all　the　mothers　in　England　permit　their　daughters　to　romp　and　wrestle　in　public；　and　call　it　waltzing；　I　must　stand　firm　till　they　return　to　their　senses。〃

Julia　looked　at　Alfred　despondently。　He　took　his　cue　and　said　with　a　smile；　〃Well；　perhaps　it　is　a　little　rompy；　a　donkey's　gallop　and　then　twirl　her　like　a　mop。〃

〃Since　you　admit　that；　perhaps　you　can　waltz　properly？〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。

Alfred　said　he　ought；　he　had　given　his　whole　soul　to　it　in　Germany　last　Long。

〃Then　I　can　have　the　pleasure　of　dropping　the　tyrant。　Away　with　you　both　while　there　is　room　to　circulate。〃

Alfred　took　his　partner　delicately；　they　made　just　two　catlike　steps　forward；　and　melted　into　the　old…fashioned　waltz。

It　was　an　exquisite　moment。　To　most　young　people　Love　comes　after　a　great　deal　of　waltzing。　But　this　pair　brought　the　awakened　tenderness　and　trembling　sensibilities　of　two　burning　hearts　to　this　their　first　intoxicating　whirl。　To　them；　therefore；　everything　was　an　event；　everything　was　a　thrillthe　first　meeting　and　timid　pressure　of　their　hands；　the　first　delicate　enfolding　of　her　supple　waist　by　his　strong　arm　but　trembling　hand；　the　delightful　unison　of　their　unerring　feet；　the　movement；　the　music；　the　soft　delicious　whirl；　her　cool　breath　saluting　his　neck；　his　ardent　but　now　liquid　eyes　seeking　hers　tenderly；　and　drinking　them　deep；　hers　that　now　and　then　sipped　his　so　sweetlyall　these　were　new　and　separate　joys；　that　linked　themselves　in　one　soft　delirium　of　bliss。　It　was　not　a　waltz　it　was　an　Ecstasy。

Starting　almost　alone；　this　peerless　pair　danced　a　gauntlet。　On　each　side　admiration　and　detraction　buzzed　all　the　time。

〃Beautiful！　They　are　turning　in　the　air。〃

〃Quite　gone　by。　That's　how　the　old　fogies　dance。〃

Chorus　of　shallow　males：　〃How　well　she　waltzes。〃

Chorus　of　shallow　females：　〃How　well　he　waltzes。〃

But　they　noted　neither　praise　nor　detraction：　they　saw　nothing；　heard　nothing；　felt　nothing；　but　themselves　and　the　other　music；　till　two　valsers　_a　deux　temps_　plunged　into　them。　Thus　smartly　reminded　they　had　not　earth　all　to　themselves；　they　laughed　good…humouredly　and　paused。

〃Ah！　I　am　happy！〃　gushed　from　Julia。　She　hushed　at　herself；　and　said　severely；　〃You　dance　very　well；　sir。〃　This　was　said　to　justify　her　unguarded　admission；　and　did；　after　a　fashion。　〃I　think　it　is　time　to　go　to　mamma；〃　said　she　demurely。

〃So　soon？　And　I　had　so　much　to　say　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　very　well。　I　am　all　attention。〃

The　sudden　facility　offered　set　Alfred　stammering　a　little。　〃I　wanted　to　apologise　to　you　for　somethingyou　are　so　good　you　seem　to　have　forgotten　itbut　I　dare　not　hope　thatI　mean　at　Henleywhen　the　beauty　of　your　character；　and　your　goodness；　so　overpowered　me；　that　a　fatal　impulse〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃　said　Julia；　looking　him　full　in　the　face；　like　an　offended　lion；　while；　with　true　feminine　and　Julian　inconsistency　her　bosom　fluttered　like　a　dove。　〃I　never　exchanged　one　word　with　you　in　my　life　before　to…day；　and　I　never　shall　again　if　you　pretend　the　contrary。〃

Alfred　stood　stupified；　and　looked　at　her　in　piteous　amazement。

〃I　value　your　acquaintance　highly；　Mr。　Hardie；　now　I　have　made　it；　as　acquaintances　are　made；　but　please　to　observe；　I　never　saw　you　beforescarcely；　not　even　in　church。〃

〃As　you　please；〃　said　he；　recovering　his　wits　in　part。　〃What　you　say　I'll　swear　to。〃

〃Then　I　say；　never　remind　a　lady　of　what　you　ought　to　wish　her　to　forget。〃

〃I　was　a　fool；　and　you　are　an　angel　of　tact　and　goodness。〃

〃Oh；　now　I　am　sure　it　is　time　to　join　mamma；〃　said　she　in　the　driest；　drollest　way。　_〃Valsons。_〃

They　waltzed　down　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　exchanging　hearts　at　every　turn；　and　they　took　a　good　many　in　the　s