Moths by Ouida — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHS. 83 malleability. You ave handsome, and that is all. It isa won- derful thing that you should have made such a cowp as this be- fore you are even out. You are quite penniless: quite, did you understand that? You have no claim on Mr. Vanderdecken, and Iam not at all sure that he will not make a great piece of work when I leave him to pay for your trousseau, as I must do, for I can’t pay for it, and none of the Herberts will; they are all poor and proud as church mice, and, though Zouroff will, of course, send you a corbeille, all the rest must come from me, and must be perfect and abundant, and from all the best houses.” Yere struck her foot on the floor. It was the first gesture of passion that she had ever given way to since her birth. | ‘That is enough, mother!” she said aloud and very firmly. Put it in what words you like to Prince Zouroff, but tell him from me that I will not marry him. I will not. That is enough.” | Then, before her mother could speak again, she gathered up the dew-wet flowers in her hand and left the room. Lady Dolly shrugged her shoulders, and swore a little naughty oath, as. if she had lost fifty pounds at bezique. She was pale and excited, offended, and very angry, but she was not afraid. Girls were always like that, shethought. Only, for the immediate moment, it was difficult. She sat and meditated awhile, then made up her mind. She had nerved herself in the night that was just past to put her child in the brazen hands of Moloch because it suited her, because it served her, because she had let her little weak conscience sink utterly and down in the deeps; and, having once made up her mind, she was resolved to have her will. Like all weak people, she could be cruel, and she was cruel now. When the midday chimes rang with music from the clock- tower, Lady Dolly went out of herown room down-stairs. It was the habit at Felicite for the guests to meet at a one o’clock breakfast: being in the country, they thought it well to rise early. Sergius Zouroff, as he met her, smiled. _ * Hh bien?” he asked. The smile made Lady Dolly feel sick and cold, but she looked softly into his eyes. ‘ Deke fiend: ad not be in haste. My child is such a child— she is flattered, deeply moved, but startled. She has no thought of any such ideas you know; she canscarcely understand. Leave her to me for a day or two. Do not hurry her, This morning, if you willlend me a pony-carriage, I will drive over with her to Le Caprice and stay a night, orso. I shall talk to her, and then——”* ir Zouroff laughed grimly. ‘¢ Ma belle, rie Ties ta detests me; but I don’t mind that. You may say it out; it will make no difference—to us.” ‘‘'You are wrong there,” said Lady Dolly, so blandly and se- renely that even he was deceived, and believed her for once to be speaking the truth. ‘‘ She neither likes you nor dislikes you, be- cause her mind is in its chrvselis state—isn’t it a chrysalis, the S é : ; ch ’ (eo palice 900 (¢ ate )