"So!" he said in a whisper--"so! What a trick for Fate to play me! And I
have been wondering where on earth you had disappeared to. Can you ever
forgive me?"
"Never!" I answered, as I went down the marble staircase side by side
with him.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE BARGAIN
The memory of that long, dragging, magnificent meal is like a nightmare
to me. I loathed it all, the vulgar display of gold plate--I heard
afterwards who it was that Garret Dawson had cheated out of it--the
number of men-servants, the exotic flowers that made the room sickly,
the fruits out of their season.
We are simple people and not accustomed to such banquets; but I was
surprised to see how greedy some of the ladies were over the turtle
soup, the ortolans and truffles, all the fine things which must have
been brought from far off for the dinner. There was an incessant popping
of champagne corks, and I wondered at the frequent refilling of the
glasses. I did not drink wine--my grandmother did not consider it
becoming in a girl--and it seemed the hardest thing in the world to
procure a glass of water, judging by the delay in bringing it when I
asked for it.
Lady Ardaragh sat nearly opposite to us.
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