Moths by Ouida — page 284: what you’re looking at

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

— 280 MOTHS. She went towards the little sacristy to speak to the priest. Ma: dame Nelaguine was withher. They met Correze on the threshold. Mass was just over. It was the day of St. Lucy. _ “Have you been to mass at our church and do not visit us?” cried Princess Nadine, in reproach, as she saw him. ‘“‘ That/is not kind, monsieur, especially when we have so much for whick to thank you. My brother would be very glad of an occasion te speak his gratitude.” ‘‘ Prince Zouroff owes me none, madame,” said Correze. Vere had been silent. ‘‘ Is the little church yours?” he continued. ‘‘ It is charming. It is almost as primitive as St. Augustine or St. Jerome could wish it to be, and it is full of the smell of the sea and the scent of the roses.” “Tt is the church of our parish,” said Madame Nelaguine, «© We have our own chapel in the villa for our own priest, of course. Were you not coming to us? No? You are too farouche. Even to persons of your fame one cannot allow such willful isolation; and why come to this very gay sea-board if you want to be alone?” ‘‘T came by way of going to Paris from Milan; indeed, in Paris I must be in a very few days; I have to see half a score of direct- ors there. Which of the three seas that you honor with. resi- dence do you prefer, mesdames?” ‘“Why does Vere not speak to him, and why does he not pan ve her?” thought the Princess Nelaguine, as she answered oud— ‘‘ Myself, I infinitely prefer the Mediterranean, but Vera per- sists in preferring the narrow, colorless strip of the Northern Channel. It is not like her usual good taste.” ‘‘The climate of Calvados is most like that which the princess knew in her childhood,” Correze said, with a little haste. ‘* Child- hood goes with us like an echo always, a refrain to the ballad of our life. One always wants one’s cradle-air, WereI to meet with such an accident as Roger did, I would go toa goat-hut on my own Alps above Sion.” _**You would? How charming that would be for the goats and their sennerins!” said Madaine Nelaguine, as she caughta glimpse of the priest’s black soutane behind the roses, and chased it through the hedge of aloes, and caught the good man, who was very shy of this keen, quick, sardonic Russian lady. ‘*You might have been dead in those seas the other day—for me,” said Vere, in a low voice, without looking at him, as they stood alone. ‘Ah, nothing so beautiful is in store for me, princess,” he an- swered, lightly, ‘‘Indeed, you overrate my services: without me, no doubt, you would have brought your boat in very well; you are an accomplished sailor.” “‘T should have stayed out without noticing the storm,” said Vere; ‘‘ and then—Loris would have been sorry, perhaps.” Correze was silent. | i: He would not let his tongue utter the answer that rose to his lips. | ‘’ ; GComicbooks nN oe ee ee EN a ee ae ee ao