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"
"Her bow was a feeler to find out where she is, in society, or out,"
said Lady Esmondet; "and," she continued, "we are to blame; we show
her every day that the mighty god society accepts gold."


CHAPTER XXI.
LA BELLE VERNON.

The suite of apartments at the de Hauteville mansion in which the
family received, were a scene of almost unrivalled splendour. The
host, Monsieur Henri Eau Clair de Hauteville, as he stood beside
Madame, receiving and welcoming their guests, being a very small and
very pale, quiet-mannered man, was almost lost beside the large,
handsome woman and merely bowed like a Chinese Mandarin, looking like
a tired school-boy, who wanted to be in bed and tucked in comfortably.
"Poor little man, how refreshing the summons to supper will be," said
Lady Esmondet, as they waited in the crush to go forward to the smile,
bow, and contact of finger tips.
"See how Madame stands it all," remarked Lionel. "It's astonishing
what vim gentle women can throw into fatiguing social demonstrations."
"The fragile creature knows society is large-eyed," said Vaura.


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