But he was not interesting to them, nor they to him;
Kitty was surrounded and unapproachable; and a flood of new arrivals
distracted Madame d'Estrees' attention. The Ricci, who had noticed the
restrained
empressement of his reception, pounced on the young man,
taming her ways and gestures to what she supposed to be his English
prudery, and produced an immediate effect upon him. Lord Magellan, who
was only dumb with English marriageable girls, allowed himself to be
amused, and threw himself into a low chair by the actress--a capture
apparently for the afternoon.
Louis Harman was sitting behind Kitty, a little to her right. He saw her
watching the actress and her companion; noticed a compression of the
lip, a flash in the eye. She sprang up, said she must go home, and
practically dissolved the party.
Mademoiselle Ricci, who had also risen, proposed to Lord Magellan that
she should take him in her gondola to the shop of a famous dealer on the
Canal.
"Thank you very much," said Lord Magellan, irresolute, and he looked at
Kitty. The look apparently decided him, for he immediately added that he
had unfortunately an engagement in the opposite direction.
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