FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46  
47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   >>  
om I owe money?" "What! Is your tailor here then?" "Heaven forbid! Strange, isn't it, when a fellow starts in to pay up his bills, that the tailor and the undertaker have to wait till the last." "The subject is outside my understanding." "But you have dressmakers." "I seldom pay dressmakers." "Ah! Then you belong to the most exclusive set!" "Or perhaps I make my own dresses--" "Sh! Not so loud. Supposing some one should overhear you?" "It was a slip of the tongue. And yet, you should be lenient to all." "Kind heart! Ah, I wonder what all those interrogation points mean--the black domino there?" "Possibly she represents Scandal." "Scandal, then, is symbolized by the interrogation point?" "Yes. Whoever heard of scandal coming to a full stop, that is to say, a period." "I learn something every minute. A hundred years ago you would have been a cousin to Mademoiselle de Necker." "Or Madame de Stael." "Oh, if you are married--" "I shall have ceased to interest you?" "On the contrary. Only, marriage would account for the bitterness of your tone. What does the Blue Domino represent?" "The needle of the compass." She stretched a sleeve out toward me and I observed for the first time the miniature compasses woven in the cloth. Surely, one does not rent a costume like this. "I understand now why you attracted me. Whither will you guide me?'"--sentimentally. "Through dark channels and stormy seas, over tropic waters, 'into the haven under the hill.'" "Oh, if you go to quoting Tennyson, it's all up with me. _Are_ you married?" "One can easily see that at any rate _you_ are not." "Explain." "Your voice lacks the proper and requisite anxiety. It is always the married woman who enjoys the mask with thoroughness. She knows her husband will be watching her; and jealousy is a good sign." "You are a philosopher. Certainly you must be married." "Well, one does become philosophical--after marriage." "But are you married?" "I do not say so." "Would you like to be?" "I have my share of feminine curiosity. But I wonder,"--ruminating, "why they do not give masquerades oftener." "That is easily explained. Most of us live masquerades day by day, and there might be too much of a good thing." "That is a bit of philosophy that goes well with your robe. Indeed, what better mask is there than the human countenance?" "If we become serious, we shall put
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46  
47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   >>  



Top keywords:
married
 
marriage
 
tailor
 
interrogation
 

masquerades

 

easily

 

dressmakers

 

Scandal

 

quoting

 

Tennyson


tropic

 

understand

 

attracted

 

Whither

 

Surely

 

costume

 

sentimentally

 
waters
 
Through
 

channels


stormy

 

enjoys

 
oftener
 

explained

 

ruminating

 

feminine

 
curiosity
 

Indeed

 

philosophy

 
philosophical

anxiety

 
thoroughness
 

requisite

 

proper

 
Explain
 

husband

 

Certainly

 

philosopher

 

watching

 

jealousy


countenance

 
dresses
 
Supposing
 

exclusive

 

overhear

 

points

 

lenient

 

tongue

 

belong

 
Strange