Moths by Ouida — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

i MOTHS 42% ty. ‘Who could tell your daughter would pe a piece of ice, a Temme de marbre? It is too droll, Dolly.” “Pray de not call me Dolly,” she murmured, piteously. ** People will hear.” | “Very well, madame mere!” said Zouroff, and he laughed this time aloud, | She was frightened—half at her own work, half at the change wrought in Vere. ‘Who could tell she would alter so soon,” she thought, in wonder at the cold, proud woman who looked like a statue and moved like a goddess. ‘To think she is only seventeen!” said Lady Dolly, aloud, in bewilderment. ‘*'To be married to me is a liberal education,” said: her son-in- law, with his short, sardonic laugh. ‘‘T am sure you are very kind to her,” murmured poor little Lady Dolly, yet feeling herself turn pale under her false bloom. ‘“The beast!” she said to herself, with ashudder. ‘‘ The Cen- taurs must have been just like him,” She meant the Satyrs. ‘* Sergius,” said Princess Nelaguine to her brother that night, ‘* Vera does not look well.” ‘*No,” he answered, carelessly. ‘*‘Sheis always too pale. I tell her always to rouge. If she do not rouge in Paris, she will scarcely tell in a ball, handsome though she is.” ‘Rouge at seventeen! You cannot be serious. She only wants to be—happy. Ido not think you make her so. Do you try?” He stared and yawned. ‘It is not my metier to maké women happy. They can be so _ if they like. I do not prevent them. She has ten thousand francs a month by her settlements to spend on her caprices; if it is not enough, she can have more. You may tell herso. I never refuse money.” ‘*'You speak like a bourgeois,” said his sister, with some con-- tempt. Do you think that money is everything? It is nothing to a girl like that. She gives it all to the poor; it is no pleasure to her.” _ “Then sheis very unlike her mother,” said Prince 4ouroff, with a smile. i ‘‘She is unlike her, indeed! You should be thankful to think how entirely unlike. Your honor will be safe with her as long as she lives; but to be happy, she will want more than you give her at present, but the want is not one that money will supply.” ‘‘She has been complaining?” said her brother, with a sudden frown. Madame Nelaguine added, with a ready lie, ‘‘ Not a word, not a syllable. Rut one has eyes, and I do so wish you to be kind to her.” ‘¢ Kind to her?” he repeated, with some surprise. ‘‘Iam nof unkind, that I know of; she has impossible ideas; they make me impatient. She must take me and the world as she finds us; but dam certainly_not unkind, One does not treat one’s wife like @ comicbooks