The Awakening and Selected Short Stories - Page 75/161

There were one or two men whom she observed at the soiree musicale;

but she would never have felt moved to any kittenish display to attract

their notice--to any feline or feminine wiles to express herself toward

them. Their personality attracted her in an agreeable way. Her fancy

selected them, and she was glad when a lull in the music gave them

an opportunity to meet her and talk with her. Often on the street the

glance of strange eyes had lingered in her memory, and sometimes had

disturbed her.

Mr. Pontellier did not attend these soirees musicales. He considered

them bourgeois, and found more diversion at the club. To Madame

Ratignolle he said the music dispensed at her soirees was too "heavy,"

too far beyond his untrained comprehension. His excuse flattered her.

But she disapproved of Mr. Pontellier's club, and she was frank enough

to tell Edna so.

"It's a pity Mr. Pontellier doesn't stay home more in the evenings.

I think you would be more--well, if you don't mind my saying it--more

united, if he did."

"Oh! dear no!" said Edna, with a blank look in her eyes. "What should I

do if he stayed home? We wouldn't have anything to say to each other."

She had not much of anything to say to her father, for that matter; but

he did not antagonize her. She discovered that he interested her, though

she realized that he might not interest her long; and for the first time

in her life she felt as if she were thoroughly acquainted with him. He

kept her busy serving him and ministering to his wants. It amused her

to do so. She would not permit a servant or one of the children to do

anything for him which she might do herself. Her husband noticed, and

thought it was the expression of a deep filial attachment which he had

never suspected.

The Colonel drank numerous "toddies" during the course of the day, which

left him, however, imperturbed. He was an expert at concocting strong

drinks. He had even invented some, to which he had given fantastic

names, and for whose manufacture he required diverse ingredients that it

devolved upon Edna to procure for him.

When Doctor Mandelet dined with the Pontelliers on Thursday he could

discern in Mrs. Pontellier no trace of that morbid condition which her

husband had reported to him. She was excited and in a manner radiant.

She and her father had been to the race course, and their thoughts when

they seated themselves at table were still occupied with the events of

the afternoon, and their talk was still of the track. The Doctor had not

kept pace with turf affairs. He had certain recollections of racing

in what he called "the good old times" when the Lecompte stables

flourished, and he drew upon this fund of memories so that he might not

be left out and seem wholly devoid of the modern spirit. But he failed

to impose upon the Colonel, and was even far from impressing him with

this trumped-up knowledge of bygone days. Edna had staked her father

on his last venture, with the most gratifying results to both of them.

Besides, they had met some very charming people, according to the

Colonel's impressions. Mrs. Mortimer Merriman and Mrs. James Highcamp,

who were there with Alcee Arobin, had joined them and had enlivened the

hours in a fashion that warmed him to think of.