Volume II Part 20 (1/2)
Through the antechamber to the decorated hall we passed, and then a lapse of music half restored me to myself,--only half, despite the overture of his, with choral relief, with intersong, that I had never heard before, and that he had written only for us: despite his presence, his conducting charm
In little more than an hour we returned, pell- calls to order and the pulses of the h that sea-like resonance she whispered,--
”Do not be surprised, Carl, if the Chevalier presents you with a prize”
”I have not tried for one, Maria”
”I know that, but he will nevertheless distinguish you, I am certain of it”
”I hope not Keep near lad to be near you! Is that a lyre above the table? for I can scarcely see”
She was, as I expected, pale,--not paler than ever; for it was very long since she had been paler than any one I ever saw, except the Chevalier But his was as the lustre of the whitest glowing fire,--hers was as the light of snow She was all pale except her eyes, and that strange halo she had never lost shone dim as the darkliest violets, a soft yet awful hue I had replied to her question hurriedly, ”Yes; and it arden”
And last of all, she said tothan all her air: ”I wish I were one of those roses”
The table, when the rich cover was removed, presented a spectacle of fascination scarcely to be appreciated except by those inificently bound volumes, painted and carved instrument-cases, busts and portraits of the hierarchy ofcontrast For, as I have not yet mentioned, the Chevalier had carried out his abolition of the badges to the utmost; there was not a medal to be seen But these prizes were beyond the worth of any medal, each by each One after another left the table in those delicate hands, wafted to its fortunate possessor by a compliment more delicate still, and I fancied no more remained
Maria still stood near me; and as the ined pervaded her, a marbled quietness crept over every muscle; and as I met her exquisite countenance in profile, with the eyes doard and fixed, and not an eyelash stirring, she enius of enraptured hope
I saw that the Chevalier had proceeded to toss over and over the flohich had strewn the gifts,--as if it were all, also, over now,--and he so long continued to trifle with them that I felt as if he saw Maria, and desired to attract frohtly, laughingly, with an air of the ayety, to those about him, and to every one except ourselves
In a few athered up, with a handful of flowers that he let slip through his fingers directly, so which he retained in his hand, and which it now struck me that he had concealed, whatever it was, by that flower-play of his all along; for it was even diffidently, certainly with reserve of soether and did not stir
”These,” said he to h aerially joyous, ”are too small to make speeches about; but in memory of several secrets we have between us, I hope you will sometimes wear them”
He then looked full at Maria; but she responded not even to that electric force that is itself the touch of light,--her eyes still downcast, her lips unmoved He turned to me, and softly, seriously, yet half surprised, as it were, shook his head, placing in her hand the first of the unknown caskets he had brought, and the other inher thanks; still, immediately as he returned to the table, I forced it froht to occasion a revulsion of sensation, however slight
It succeeded so far as that she gazed, still bending doards, upon what I held in my own hand now, and exhibited to her It was a full-blown rose of beaten silver, white as snoithout a leaf, but exquisitely set upon a silver stee dewdrop of the living dia resigned to her her own
This was a breastpin of purest gold, with the head--a great violet cut frole amethyst--as perfectly executed as hers I thrust it into my pocket, for I could not at that instant even rejoice in its possession And now soon, very soon, the flower-lighted space was cleared, and we, the chosen few, alone remained
My heart felt as if it could only break, so violent was the pulse that shook it I knew that Iall, or I should lose my power to handle the bow; and at least I achieved composure of behavior Anastase, I can reed, with all loosened passion, for so like sympathy, looked into aze,--it was inquisitive to scrutiny, yet dim with unutterable forecast
The flowers in the concert-hall were already withering when, after a short separation for refreshment, we returned there, and were shut in safely by the closed doors froht, those deserted seats in front, where now none rested saving only the Chevalier, who, after hovering amidst the orchestra until all the ranks were filled, had descended, as was arranged, into the void space, that he ht be prepared to criticise the performance He did not seehtening with exciteht near: that hectic fire, that tremulous blaze were both for her
As he retreated, and folding his slender arlorious head, still stood, Maria entered with Anastase Florimond led her forward in her white dress, as he had promised himself to lead her captive on the day of her espousals; neither hurried nor abashed, she cain paleness But as they stood for one moment at the foot of the orchestra, he paused, arrested her, his hand was raised; and in a moment, with a smile whose tenderness for that moment triumphed, he had placed the silver rose in her dark hair, where it glistened, an angelic synition of every one present She did not smile in return, nor raise her eyes, but mounted instantly and stood amidst us
I had no idea, until, indeed, she stood there, a girl aht of which she herself was light,--how very shtly fraility of her forht afternoon from many s poured upon the polish of her forehead, so arched, so euors also that had woven their awfulnow but the language of sleep in infancy, so gently parted, but not as in inspiration As she raised that arm so calard her, nor until a rest occurred Then I saw her the saain, except that her eyes were filled with tears, and over all her face that there was a shadow playing as froery of surass