stepped into the centre of the circle. She thought a moment, her lips moving as though she recalled the lines. Then she looked down at her bare arms and dress, frowned, and suddenly approached Lady Edith Manley.
"May I have that? she said, pointing to a lace cloak that lay on Lady Edith's knee. "I am rather cold."
Lady Edith handed it to her, and she threw it round her.
"Actress!" said Cliffe, under his breath, with a grin of amusement.
At any rate her impulse served her well. Her form and dress disappeared under a cloud of white. She became in a flash, so to speak, evangelized—a most innocent and spiritual apparition. Her beautiful head, her kindled and transfigured face, her little hand on the white folds, these alone remained to mingle their impression with the austere and moving tragedy which her lips recited. Her audience looked on at first with the embarrassed or hostile air which is the Englishman's natural protection against the great things of art; then for those who understood French the high passion and the noble verse began to tell, while those who could not follow were gradually enthralled by the gestures and tones with which the slight vibrating creature, whom, but ten minutes before, most of them had regarded as a mere noisy flirt, suggested and conveyed the finest and most compelling shades of love, faith, and sacrifice.
When she ceased, there was a moment's profound silence. Then Lady Edith, drawing a long breath, expressed the welcome commonplace which restored the atmosphere of daily life:
"How could you remember it all?"
Kitty sat down, her lip trembling scornfully.
"I had to say it every week at the convent."
"I understand," said Cliffe in Darrell's ear, "that last night she was Doña Sol. An accommodating young woman!"
Meanwhile Kitty looked up to find Ashe beside her. He said, "Magnificent!"—but it did not matter to her what he said. Her face told her that she had moved him, and that he was incapable of any foolish chatter about it. A smile of extraordinary sweetness sprang into her eyes; and when Lady Grosville came up to thank her, the girl impetuously rose, and, in the foreign way, kissed her hand, curtsying. Lord Grosville said, heartily, "Upon my word, Kitty, you ought to go on the stage!"—and she smiled upon him too in a flutter of feeling, forgetting his scolding and her own impertinence, before dinner. The revulsion indeed throughout the company—with two exceptions—was complete. For the rest of the evening Kitty basked in sunshine and flattery. She met it with a joyous gentleness, and the little figure, still bedraped in white, became the centre of the room's kindness.
The Dean was triumphant.
"My dear Miss Lyster," he said, presently, finding himself near that lady, "did you ever hear anything better done? A most remarkable talent!"
Mary smiled.
"I am wondering," she said, "what they teach you in French convents—and why! It is all so singular—isn't it?"
Late that night Ashe entered his room—before his usual time, however. He had tired even of Lord Grosville's chat, and had left the smoking-room still talking. Indeed he wished to be alone, and there was that in his veins which told him that a new motive had taken possession of his life.
He sat beside the open window reviewing the scenes and feelings of the day—his interview with Kitty in the morning—the teasing coquette of the afternoon—the inspired poetic child of the evening. Rapidly, but none the less strongly and steadfastly, he made up his mind. He would ask Kitty Bristol to marry him, and he would ask her immediately.
Why? He scarcely knew her. His mother, his family, would think it madness. No doubt it was madness. Yet, as far as he could explain his impulse himself, it depended on certain fundamental facts in his own nature,—it was in keeping with his deepest character. He had an inbred love of the difficult, the unconventional in life, of all that piqued and stimulated his own superabundant consciousness of resource and power. And he had a tenderness of feeling, a gift of chivalrous pity, only known to the few, which was in truth always hungrily on
