"Best of her sort was Mam'zelle, Sir Nicholas, but I've always said they
bring trouble, every one of them,--if I may make so bold!"

And as I hobbled back into the salon to meet my wife for our first
dinner alone, once more I heartily agreed with him!

XXIII

Alathea looked perfectly lovely when she came into the salon dressed for
dinner. It is the first time I have seen her in anything pertaining to
the evening. She had a gauzy tea-gown on, of a shade of blue like her
eyes. Her nut brown hair was beautifully done, with the last "look" like
Coralie's, showing her tiny head. Whether she likes it or no, I must
give her some pearl earrings, and my mother's pearls. That will be a
moment! But I had better wait a little while. Her eyes were shining with
excitement or resentment, or a mixture of both. She was purely feminine.
She intended to attract me I am certain, her subconscious mind did at
all events, even though she would not have admitted it to herself. She
was smarting still about Suzette. The situation fills her with distrust
and uneasiness, but I know now, after analysing every point, when I
could not sleep last night, that she is not really indifferent to me.
And it is because she is not, that she is angry.

I registered a vow that I would _make_ her love me without explaining
about Suzette, fate can let her find out for herself.

I had not come to the comforting conclusion that she is not indifferent
at the beginning of the evening though, so the sense of self-confidence
and triumph did not uplift me then. I was still worried at the events
of the afternoon.

I had troubled to put on a tail coat and white waistcoat, not a dinner
jacket as usual, and had even a buttonhole of a gardenia, found by
Burton for this great occasion!

I looked into her eyes with my one blue one, which is I suppose, as blue
as her own. She instantly averted her glance.

"I cannot offer you my arm, milady," I said rather sarcastically, "So we
will have to go in after each other."

She bowed and led the way.

The table was too beautifully decorated, and the dinner a masterpiece!
while the champagne was iced to perfection, and the Burgundy a poem! The
pupils of Alathea's eyes before the partridge came, were black as night.
Burton discreetly marshalled Antoine out of the room each time after the
dishes were handed.

"When will you get your new eye?" my wife--I like to write that!--asked
in the first interval when we were