She was
aggrieved that they should see nothing of Count Styvens's manoeuvres.
The maid, helping her to undress, exclaimed, "How grand it was this
evening, Mademoiselle, and what a fine young gentleman!"
Esperance shrugged her shoulders disdainfully. Marguerite, coming in
to see that the young mistress whom she adored wanted nothing, could
not help saying, "Ah! Mademoiselle, what talent he has, that young
Count! How well you two did look, your backs, sitting side by side! I
just said to myself...."
Esperance shivered, guessing what was coming, and interrupted the good
woman quickly, "Don't talk to me Marguerite, to-night. I am tired and
I must go to sleep."
But she did not sleep.
CHAPTER XIII
The last presentation of Sardou's play was a veritable ovation for
Esperance. Flowers were presented to her on the stage. Two baskets
attracted special attention, one overflowing with white orchids; the
other, with gardenias, so powerful in their sweetness that even the
first rows of the orchestra felt their strength. It was rumoured in
the boxes that the white orchids were sent by the Countess Styvens and
her son Albert, who were sitting in a stall in the auditorium. As to
the gardenias, the card attached to the green ribbons of the basket
revealed the name of the most elegant clubman of Paris, the Duke
Charles de Morlay-La-Branche. He was a handsome man of thirty-two,
very wealthy, adored by women, popular with men.
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