I was awfully glad to see old Maurice again--he was looking brown and
less dilettante--though his socks and tie and eyes matched as well as
ever! He congratulated me on the improvement in health in myself too,
and then he gave me all the news--.
Odette has been "painting the lily," and used some new skin tightener
which has disfigured her for the moment, and she has retired to the
family place near Bordeaux to weep until her complexion is restored
again--.
"Very unfortunate for her," Maurice said--"because she had nearly
secured a roving English peer who had enjoyed 'cushy' jobs during the
war, and had been recruiting from the fatigues of red-taping at
Deauville--and now, with this whisper of a spoiled skin, he had
transferred his attentions to Coralie--and there was trouble among the
graces!"--Alice's plaintiveness had actually caught a very rich neutral
who was forwarding philanthropic schemes for great ladies--and she hoped
soon to wed.
Coralie seemed in the most secure and happy case, since she is already
established, and can enjoy herself without anxiety.--Maurice hinted that
but for her béguin for me, she could land the English peer, and
divorce poor René--her docile war husband--and become an English
Countess!
"Thou hast upset everything, Nicholas. Duquesnois is desolated--Coralie
changed directly she saw you here--he says--and then to divert herself
and forget you, took Lord Brockelbank from Odette!"
"Vieux coquin! Va!" and Maurice patted me on the back--.
They were enchanted with my presents to them lately, he added, and were
all longing to return to Paris soon and thank me.
The war was simply growing into a nuisance and the quicker it was over
the better for everyone.(!) Then he beat about the bush for a little longer and at last began to
grow nearer the vital subject!-He had seen some of my Mont Aubin relations--fortunately for me, they
have been far from Paris in this last year--and they had anxiously asked
him if I thought of, marrying?--What in fact was I doing with myself
now that my wounds were healing?
I laughed--.
"I am so glad my mother was an only child and they are none of them near
enough to have the right to bore me--they had better continue their good
works at Biarritz--I am told my cousin Marguerite's convalescent home is
a marvel! I have sent her frequent donations."
Then Maurice plunged in--.
"You are not--becoming entangled in any way with your secretary, are you
Mon ami?" he asked.
I had decided beforehand that I would not get angry at anything he
said--so I was ready for this.