Moths by Ouida — page 103: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MOTHS Um Ba upturned, her hands clinched, her shut lips blue as with great cold. She had vromised what her mother had asked. CHAPTER X. ON the morrrow it was known to all the guests of the house at which they were staying that the head of the Princes Zouroff was to marry the daughter of the Lady Dorothea Vanderdecken, On the morrow Lady Dolly drove back to Felicite, with her daughter beside her. She was victcrious. The sun wasstrong, and the east wind cold, she was glad that they were so. The eyesof her daughter were heavy with dark circles beneath them, and her face was blanched to a deadly pallor, which changed to to a cruel crimson flush as the turrets and belfries of the chateau of the Zourofis came in sight above the woods of its park. . adie had driven the eight miles from Le Caprice in unbroken silence. ‘‘Tf she would only speak,” thought Lady Dolly; and yet she | felt that she could not have borne it if her companion had spoken. They drove around to a petite entree at the back of the house, and were met by no one but some bowing servants. She had begged in a little note that it might beso, making some pretty plea for Vere of maiden shyness. They were shown straight to their rooms. It was early—noonday. | Uh The chateau was quite still. At night the great ball was to be piven to the English princes, but the household was: too well trained to make any disturbance with their preparations. Down the steps of the great terrace there was stretched scarlet cloth, and all the face of the building was hung with globes and cressets of oil, to be lit at dark. These were the only outward signs that anything more brilliant than usual was about to take lace. | ) ‘ ‘You wiil come to breakfast?” said Lady Dolly, pausing at the thresho!d of her room. It was the first word she had said to Vere since the dawn, when they had parted, and her own voice sounded strange to her. Vere shuddered as with cold. - | ‘‘T cannot. Make some excuse.” ‘‘ What is the use of putting off?” said her mother, fretfully. ‘You will be ill; you are ill. If you should be illto-night, what will every one say? what will he think? what shall I dor” | Vere went into her chamber and locked her door. She locked out even her maid; flung her hat aside, and threw herself for- ward cn the bed, face downward, and there lay. Lady Dolly went into her chamber, and glanced at her own face with horror. Though made up, as well as usual, for the day, she looked yellow, worn, old. ““T must go down!” she thought; how selfish youth was, and how hard a thing was motherhood! She had herself dressed _ beautifully and took some ether. ay Sa | } com chooks 44 co