第49章

Sometimes he made me suffer, because I know that he was ashamed of having a relative in the chorus, but I am quite sure that I do not wish to take any of his money - or of anybody else's," she added.

"I want always to earn my own living."

"For such a child," he remarked, smiling, "you are wonderfully independent.""Why not?" she answered softly. "It is years since I had any one to do very much for me. Necessity teaches us a good many things.

Oh, I was helpless enough when it began!" she added, with a little sigh. "I got over it. We all do. Tell me - who is that woman, and why does she stare so at you?"Laverick looked across the room. Louise and Bellamy were sitting at the opposite table. The former was strikingly handsome and very wonderfully dressed. Her closely-clinging gown, cut slightly open in front, displayed her marvelous figure. She wore long pearl earrings, and a hat with white feathers which drooped over her fair hair. Laverick recognized her at once.

"It is Mademoiselle Idiale," he said, "the most wonderful soprano in the world.""Why does she look so at you?" Zoe asked.

Laverick shook his head.

"I do not know her," he said. "I know who she is, of course, - every one does. She is a Servian, and they say that she is devoted to her country. She left Vienna at a moment's notice, only a few days ago, and they say that it was because she had sworn never to sing again before the enemies of her country. She had been engaged a long time to appear at Covent Garden, but no one believed that she would really come. She breaks her engagements just when she chooses. In fact, she is a very wonderful person altogether.""I never saw such pearls in my life," Zoe whispered. "And how lovely she is! I do not understand, though, why she is so interested in you.""She mistakes me for some one, perhaps."It certainly seemed probable. Even at that moment she touched her escort upon the arm, and he distinctly looked across at Laverick. It was obvious that he was the subject of her conversation.

"I know the man," Laverick said. "He was at Harrow with me, and Ihave played cricket with him since. But I have certainly never met Mademoiselle Idiale. One does not forget that sort of person.

"Her figure is magnificent," Zoe murmured wistfully. "Do you like tall women very much, Mr. Laverick?""I adore them," he answered, smiling, "but I prefer small ones.""We are very foolish people, you and I," she laughed. "We came together so strangely and yet we talk such frivolous nonsense.

"You are making me young again," he declared.

"Oh, you are quite young enough!" she assured him. "To tell you the truth, I am jealous. Mademoiselle Idiale looks at you all the time. Look at her now. Is she not beautiful?"There was no doubt about her beauty, but those who were criticising her - and she was by far the most interesting person in the room -thought her a little sad. Though Bellamy was doing his utmost to be entertaining, her eyes seemed to travel every now and then over his head and out of the room. Wherever her thoughts were, one could be very sure that they were not fixed upon the subject under discussion.

"She is like that when she sings," Laverick remarked. "She has none of the vivacity of the Frenchwomen. Yet there was never anything so graceful in the world as the way she moves about the stage.""If I were a man," Zoe sighed, "that is the sort of woman I would die for.""If you were a man," he replied, "you would probably find some one whom you preferred to live for. Do you know, you are rather a morbid sort of person, Miss Zoe?""Ah, I like that!" she declared. "I will not be called Miss Leneveu any more by you. You must call me Miss Zoe, please, - Zoe, if you like.""Zoe, by all means. Under the circumstances, I think it is only fitting."His eyes wandered across the room again.

"Ah!" she cried softly, "you, too, are coming under the spell, then.

I was reading about her only the other day. They say that so many men fall in love with her - so many men to whom she gives no encouragement at all."Laverick looked into his companion's face.

"Come," he said, "my heart is not so easily won. I can assure you that I never aspire to so mighty a personage as a Covent Garden star.

Don't you know that she gets a salary of five hundred pounds a week, and wears ropes of pearls which would represent ten times my entire income? Heaven alone knows what her gowns cost!""After all, though," murmured Zoe, "she is a woman. See, your friend is coming to speak to you."Bellamy was indeed crossing the room. He nodded to Laverick and bowed to his companion.

"Forgive my intruding, Laverick," he said. "You do remember me, Ihope? Bellamy, you know.""I remember you quite well. We used to play together at Lord's, even after we left school."Bellamy smiled.

"That is so," he answered. "I see by the papers that you have kept up your cricket. Mine, alas! has had to go. I have been too much of a rolling stone lately. Do you know that I have come to ask you a favor?""Go ahead," Laverick interposed.

"Mademoiselle Idiale has a fancy to meet you," Bellamy explained.

"You know, or I dare say you have heard, what a creature of whims she is. If you won't come across and be introduced like a good fellow, she probably won't speak a word all through supper-time, go off in a huff, and my evening will be spoiled."Laverick laughed heartily. A little smile played at the corner of Zoe's lips - nevertheless, she was looking slightly anxious.