Show the a aster M R VCR A ab d by E phillips oppenheim copyright Gopy right br little crown brown A co BOOK TWO CHAPTER I 1 continued 16 madame de hesitated for far another moment perhaps it was something in the almost boyish quality of geralds eagerness which decided decide d her this englishman was wag nt at any rate no boulevard ier wo will await you nt at that hour ahe lie replied 1 I trust she added after n moments pause that you will not consider my hesitation in any way discourteous there are reasons which make it difficult for roy my niece and myself to accept hospitality hospi tall ty 11 gerald bowed low and acting on a momentary impulse raised fingers to tits his lips site she yielded them na naturally enough but with a little glance around almost of fear mademoiselle mol selle also extended tier her finger tips ile he took his leave and was received by christopher who was waiting for him with a gaze gase almost of astonishment gerald was holding himself ills his eyes were llred filled with a luster which had lacked for he was miling lulling nguan in tits his old manner my deur fellow christopher exclaimed lali fied what on earth has happened pe ned that old devil line has recognized my existence at last gerald declared 1 I had almost to force myself upon her chris dining with me tonight I 1 before you say any another word christopher enjoined 1 I want you to tj look at th man on that sent by all the side aide of the tree look at him carefully please tile the two young men slackened thell theli pace the person whom christophel Christop hei indicated was a man of medium height dressed drs sed notwithstanding the heat of the lie day in somber black clothes clot liea and wearing a black bowler lint hat ue lie was dark and lie he was or affected to be reading at book ills complexion was sallow and he hd wore a alight black mustache ills hair aps was unusually long and mhd even covered a portion of tile ours ears well I 1 seq see him gerald admitted not much huchto to look nt at looks III like 6 one of the chopa chaps who go tit in for this tub thumping up at the far end s lie enone from that way christo said but the renson reason I 1 am pointing ing him outto out to you la in because lie ap an speared to recognize your two friends at the same ari antani that you did I 1 lie he was waa walking down between that last irow iro of chairo directly lie saw them however he stood quite still for a moment lie seemed almost as lind knocked lindelien elied over as you were then he stunk back into that chair and he has baa been watching them ever since gerald attached no undue importance to the affair ill toll tell them about it tills this evening if I 1 can remember he promised chris did you ever know such luck I 1 she la Is more wonderful ever no wonder I 1 could coula never get the feeling fealing 0 of her out of my blood the thought of her fier from my brain I 1 her eyes chris did you ever see ruch nuch eyes in your life S kind of hazel arent they christopher hazarded 4 1 you yon assi gerald declared contemptuously brown the most moat glorious shade of brown I 1 ever saw rm im going to call for them in S south uth kensington at a to ellit chris going to dine nt at lagh 0 so o you told me christopher ob bervid smiling amiling 1 4 geralds radiant happiness was not tor for a moment disturbed ile took arici ariit chris I 1 know nai now what lins lias been the matter with of these months montha I 1 knew it directly I 1 saw her sitting thre there tired and miserable under the lie trees I 1 abue up against the real tiling thing and n never ever knew it I 1 am in love with pauline V 1 0 0 0 0 paulene Paul pauline lne leaned back in her chair with a little murmur of content through the drooping bran branches clies of the grist great plane tree was a fascinating little lata of scarlet clad orchestra of odthe the erratt err act with its curving rows of light the little groups of people sitting about the walters waiters in their quaint li Il veries A breeze rippled in the tree tops after the hunt of london it wits a wonderful respite you tou tire are very kind she fhe murmured to gerald to bring us here 1 I was very fortunate it meet yoi I 1 he declared dont you think after nil all the discouragement I 1 have received I 1 was very brave to come and beard your aunt s not BO 60 very she answered we were two defenseless women vry very amand weary with life I 1 1 I 1 wish gerald said haid deliberately that you would tell me wore more about hes pauline glanced across at her aunt who ali was waa leaning back in tier her chair also with the appearance of deep content tier her eyes closed tier her air of complete my ut amt u t does docs not approve of euch auch questions she said quietly 11 we spear in english gerald reminded ter cr and your does not understand my aunt understands english better than you boti would believe pauline replied there to Is tile the fact also that I 1 have hav confidence in tier her I 1 believe bileve that zhe the knows what Is best tb hie e bist beet for you gerald geal d iw 1 I to belleve bellev ln in tz she looked nt at him with a slight smile lie her r face however remained ned It cally and why should I 1 be aleve in you and what li iv there to believe that I 1 ain ain deeply interested 11 gerald ra I 1 d replied promptly in everything chrt concerns you that I 1 wish to be your friend that I 1 wish slie site stopped him with a little gesture instinctively mandatory neither my aunt nor 1 I 11 she interrupted ure are in a position to accept more titan the simplest acts or of good will froin any one I 1 have tried to make that clear to you you have gerald admitted but before I 1 accept your decision finally I 1 shall expect some further explanation we do not belong to your world pauline said we are what yot you call I 1 think adventuresses adventures ses of a unique type then gerald declared smiling it Is not the usual action of such people having met with a great loss ns as you did at monte mont carlo to sell their jewelry to puy pay their bills anil and leave without owing a penny you are well informed pauline remarked coldly 11 1 I saw your pearl necklace in des fordos fordes tile the jewelers 11 1 I cannot lI believe elleve that Des desbordes Desford fordes cs pauline began jn in apparent agitation the man told me ate nothing gerald geraid interrupted 1 I recognized the necklace and I 1 bought it you bought my necklace she bhe repented repeated incredulously hoping gerald ventured that some day it would be my privilege to return it to you she was distinctly taken aback you are apparently a rich man lord dombey as well as an imperati Im perti nent one she said are you often subject to these ahlma 1 I arn am well off gerald replied that la Is to say any that I 1 have an income apart alpart from my allowance for the tha rest I 1 have never done anything of the sort before because I 1 have never felt the lie same inclination 1 I thought thou glit that you wore were rather by way of being the support of the lie indies 4 4 1 my dear fellow christopher exclaimed what on earth has happened of the he ballet ut at monte carlo she observed dili did you not entertain them th III at and that sort of thing 07 1 I entertained them it at supper occasionally casio casion nally tilly gerald admitted but b lit that Is the extent of my acquaintance alth with them then there was tt a child whom you sou and your friend arlend found at it a moun mountain taiti farm ste she became your ward did she not a pretty clil child ld with large affectionate eyes my hii has rell relieved eved me of my in that til direction gerald geraid replied she Is living down don tit at with my people M lly father will allow no one else to rend read to him my sister ister Is devoted to her hal and my friend Is in love with hr ber 1 I still to do not understand alint hat made you huy buy my pearls pauline remarked marked d after it moments though tf 1 I silence or under what possible con coll options you contempt contemplated bitted return lag ing them to tn inc 11 I 1 1 I bought them because I 1 am in low love with you gerald declared she turned tier her head and studied him deliberately she was ns still toll lonoff ag ing in her chair lint slie she gave him tile the impression sho she wasl u as look ing down don tit lit ill 1 that lint slip she said quietly Is 11 style ot which atch you ou must keep for your our dancing indies or your bour all 11 inge it happens to be b the jie truth he insisted doggedly once more inore she looked tit at him film still puzzled but this time a little more leniently ills anric eyes ees were nvere lie he was ivas obviously in earnest you must forgive me if I 1 find your methods a little unusual slip she said do I 1 understand that you tire are proposing no an alliance 1 I ask you to 10 to lo me the honor of becoming my wife gerld reviled re pIled d raullene turned tur nil to tier her mint aunt aunt site she said anid in fren french it lor lord D ambey desires to marry tile me lie he has just told me so most eloquently i Mad 31 adame nnie de Pon leret leres e was tor for hor her all almost nose 1 tolee tolerant allt never mind my loar dear she sh rejoined lie he is 1 a very amiable young mun man and lie ho hiis has given us an excel lent dinner pauline turned back to gerald smiling you see sec my mint aunt la Is quit reasonable about the lie matter site blie remarked remur ked order some more cigarettes will you and some coffee I 1 think gerald obeyed promptly then alin he leuned leaned forward Madat tip do de Pon lere lie he said do I 1 understand that 1 have your permission to pay my addresses to your niece you must not bo be foolish ahe replied soothingly we are exceedingly obliged to you for giving us its dinner in this hla charming place it to Is really quite a revelation to me mademoiselle tie de portiere Pon lere gerald continued appealing to pauline will you be my wife Mons monsieur leur lord dombey was the prompt but not unkindly reply 1 I will not then may I 1 become your suitor he pleaded hoping that you will change your mind when you find that I 1 am very much in earnesta earn estT estl it appears to me she answered that the office would be a thankless than klec one 1 I am content to take my chance gerald pronounced 1 I can command nil all tho tit usual resources which might make life more endurable for you my personal devotion you are already assured of you had better not tempt us too far pauline warned him a little bitterly the good folk at monte carlo were only guessing when tho thy y called us adventuresses adventures ses but we nie down on our luck just now we might accept your offer 1 I will take my risk gerald declared eagerly you have given me encouragement encourage tit nt you have no responsibility lity As for the rest we are all ad or adventuresses adventures ses more or less I 1 am aman in quest of happiness happl nesi and I 1 have met no one else except you who could give it to me there was a touch of real feeling in her eyes as she glanced toward him feeling however composed of varying elements some curiosity a tinge of scorn an lota iota of compassion site she shrugged her shoulders slightly beneath her wrap of black lace ilow how long do yuu yau remain in london lord dombey Don ibey site she inquired As long as I 1 can be of service to you was the quick reply 1 I was wa going down to soon for want of something better to do A days visit there will suf eunice lice I 1 shall remain at your service 1 I nin in love with another man pauline assured him gerald considered the matter for a moment 1 I to do not bellev eilt dt lie declared pauline sighed nevertheless it Is true she ahe re iterated lie ile Is very bad tempered and if he knows that I 1 am accepting till nil these attentions from another man hf bo will certainly quarrel with you 1 I will risk it gerald decided hew am I 1 to get rid of this persistent young man pauline asked her aunt madame tie de had a great deal to ay about the subject in a rapid undertone when ele had finished pauline turned back bach to ti her companion M aunt was very much against a renewal of our acquaintance she told him hut but as she justly remarks one must live tills evening has haa turned our in heads ads a little a return to the fleshpots flesh pots you know and abitt sort birt of thing you shall be my suitor if you will lord dombey Doi ubey but of one thing you must be very sure I 1 shall never warry marry you ou there Is another hang of which you may be equally equi lly sure gerald rejoined 1 I shall never leave off trying to persuade you ou to gal inet but pigheaded pig headed pauline murmured you can judge of my mints stints newly found tolerance when I 1 tell you that she permits us to walk in the rose garden I 1 want to ti see rice whether choth or those delphiniums are really its as blue ua its they seem to be the walk in the rose gardens although gerald welcomed with intense satisfaction tills this new phase in tits his relations with pauline was in some ways a disappointment pauline looked around lier her all the time with serene nerene tle cleasure asure she was fond of lowers flowers slit she knew them till nil by nanu name and paused often to admire some w wonderfully n der fully tine bloom she acceded afu without th dei nur to ills fits suggestion that they should take one of the small bonti boats moored against the bridge and lay illy inck hack among the cushions willist whilst ile he lazily sculled round the small stretch of water on the far side of the 11 island land lie he let the lie bout boat drift and laid t lie oar acro across 4 his knees TO UK CONTINUED |