But it had never before been so sweet, been associated with so much that was brilliant and suggestive and entertaining.
The lights, the flowers, the music, the crowd, the splendid women, the jewels, the strangeness even of the universal murmur of a clever foreign tongue were all a vivid symbol and assurance of his having grasped his purpose and forced along his groove.
If Newman's smile was larger than usual, it was not tickled vanity that pulled the strings; he had no wish to be shown with the finger or to achieve a personal success.If he could have looked down at the scene, invisible, from a hole in the roof, he would have enjoyed it quite as much.It would have spoken to him about his own prosperity and deepened that easy feeling about life to which, sooner or later, he made all experience contribute.
Just now the cup seemed full.
"It is a very pretty party," said Mrs.Tristram, after they had walked a while."I have seen nothing objectionable except my husband leaning against the wall and talking to an individual whom I suppose he takes for a duke, but whom I more than suspect to be the functionary who attends to the lamps.
Do you think you could separate them? Knock over a lamp!"I doubt whether Newman, who saw no harm in Tristram's conversing with an ingenious mechanic, would have complied with this request; but at this moment Valentin de Bellegarde drew near.Newman, some weeks previously, had presented Madame de Cintre's youngest brother to Mrs.Tristram, for whose merits Valentin professed a discriminating relish and to whom he had paid several visits.
"Did you ever read Keats's Belle Dame sans Merci?" asked Mrs.Tristram.
"You remind me of the hero of the ballad:--'Oh, what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering?'""If I am alone, it is because I have been deprived of your society,"said Valentin."Besides it is good manners for no man except Newman to look happy.This is all to his address.
It is not for you and me to go before the curtain.""You promised me last spring," said Newman to Mrs.Tristram, "that six months from that time I should get into a monstrous rage.
It seems to me the time's up, and yet the nearest I can come to doing anything rough now is to offer you a cafe glace.""I told you we should do things grandly," said Valentin.
"I don't allude to the cafes glaces.But every one is here, and my sister told me just now that Urbain had been adorable.""He's a good fellow, he's a good fellow," said Newman.
"I love him as a brother.That reminds me that I ought to go and say something polite to your mother.""Let it be something very polite indeed," said Valentin.
"It may be the last time you will feel so much like it!"Newman walked away, almost disposed to clasp old Madame de Bellegarde round the waist.He passed through several rooms and at last found the old marquise in the first saloon, seated on a sofa, with her young kinsman, Lord Deepmere, beside her.The young man looked somewhat bored;his hands were thrust into his pockets and his eyes were fixed upon the toes of his shoes, his feet being thrust out in front of him.
Madame de Bellegarde appeared to have been talking to him with some intensity and to be waiting for an answer to what she had said, or for some sign of the effect of her words.Her hands were folded in her lap, and she was looking at his lordship's simple physiognomy with an air of politely suppressed irritation.
Lord Deepmere looked up as Newman approached, met his eyes, and changed color.
"I am afraid I disturb an interesting interview," said Newman.
Madame de Bellegarde rose, and her companion rising at the same time, she put her hand into his arm.She answered nothing for an instant, and then, as he remained silent, she said with a smile, "It would be polite for Lord Deepmere to say it was very interesting.""Oh, I'm not polite!" cried his lordship."But it was interesting.""Madame de Bellegarde was giving you some good advice, eh?" said Newman;"toning you down a little?"
"I was giving him some excellent advice," said the marquise, fixing her fresh, cold eyes upon our hero."It's for him to take it.""Take it, sir--take it," Newman exclaimed."Any advice the marquise gives you to-night must be good.For to-night, marquise, you must speak from a cheerful, comfortable spirit, and that makes good advice.
You see everything going on so brightly and successfully round you.
Your party is magnificent; it was a very happy thought.
It is much better than that thing of mine would have been.""If you are pleased I am satisfied," said Madame de Bellegarde.
"My desire was to please you."
"Do you want to please me a little more?" said Newman."Just drop our lordly friend; I am sure he wants to be off and shake his heels a little.
Then take my arm and walk through the rooms.""My desire was to please you," the old lady repeated.
And she liberated Lord Deepmere, Newman rather wondering at her docility."If this young man is wise," she added, "he will go and find my daughter and ask her to dance.""I have been indorsing your advice," said Newman, bending over her and laughing, "I suppose I must swallow that!"Lord Deepmere wiped his forehead and departed, and Madame de Bellegarde took Newman's arm."Yes, it's a very pleasant, sociable entertainment,"the latter declared, as they proceeded on their circuit.
"Every one seems to know every one and to be glad to see every one.
The marquis has made me acquainted with ever so many people, and I feel quite like one of the family.It's an occasion," Newman continued, wanting to say something thoroughly kind and comfortable, "that Ishall always remember, and remember very pleasantly.""I think it is an occasion that we shall none of us forget,"said the marquise, with her pure, neat enunciation.
