as to order
a bad dinner to spite his competitor; nor did he, to spoil this
gentleman's amusement, take uncomfortable seats at the pretty circus in
the Champs Elysees to which, at half-past eight o'clock, the company was
conveyed--it was a drive of but five minutes--in a couple of cabs. The
occasion therefore was superficially smooth, and he could see that the
sense of being disagreeable to an American newspaper-man was not needed
to make his nondescript rival enjoy it. That gentleman did indeed hate
his crude accent and vulgar laugh and above all the lamblike submission
to him of their friends. Mr. Flack was acute enough for an important
observation: he cherished it and promised himself to bring it to the
notice of his clinging charges. Their imperturbable guest professed a
great desire to be of service to the young ladies--to do what would help
them to be happy in Paris; but he gave no hint of the intention that
would contribute most to such a result, the bringing them in contact
with the other members, especially with the female members, of his
family. George Flack knew nothing about the matter, but he required
for purposes of argument that Mr. Probert's family should have female
members, and it was lucky for him that his assumption was just. He
grasped in advance the effect with which he should impress it on Francie
and Delia--but notably on Delia, who would then herself impress it on
Francie--that it would be time for their French friend to talk when he
had brought his mother round. BUT HE NEVER WOULD--they might bet their
pile on that! He never did, in the strange sequel--having, poor young
man, no mother to bring. Moreover he was quite mum--as Delia phrased it
to herself--about Mme. de Brecourt and Mme. de Cliche: such, Miss Dosson
learned from Charles Waterlow, were the names of his two sisters who had
houses in Paris--gleaning at the same time the information that one
of these ladies was a marquise and the other a comtesse. She was less
exasperated by their non-appearance than Mr. Flack had hoped, and it
didn't prevent an excursion to dine at Saint-Germain a week after the
evening spent at the circus, which included both the new admirers. It
also as a matter of course included Mr. Flack, for though the party had
been proposed in the first instance by Charles Waterlow, who wished to
multiply opportunities for studying his future sitter, Mr. Dosson had
characteristically constituted himself host and administrator,