Magdalena sat amidst iridescent billows of ballgowns, dinner-gowns,tea-gowns, negliges, demi-toilettes, calling-frocks, street-frocks,yachting-frocks, summer-frocks. She had never seen so many clothesoutside of a dry-goods shop, and marvelled that any one woman shouldwant so many. They were on the bed, the chairs, the tables, the divan.Two mammoth trunks were but half unpacked. Others, empty, made the hallimpassable.
"I love dress," said Helena, superfluously. "And women forgive yourbeauty and brains so much more willingly if you divert their attentionby the one thing their soul can admire without bitterness."
"You have not grown cynical, Helena?" asked Magdalena, anxiously.
"A little. It's a phase of extreme youth which must run its course withthe down on the peach. I fought against it because I want to beoriginal, but you might as well fight against a desire to sing at thetop of your voice when you are happy. But, you darling! I'm so glad tosee you again."
She flung herself on her knees beside Magdalena and demanded to bekissed. Magdalena, who could hardly realise that she was back, and whoseloves were as fixed as the roots of the redwoods, gave her a great hug.
"Tell me, 'Lena, am I improved? Am I beautiful? Am I a great beauty?"
"You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Of course I havenot seen the great beauties of Europe--"
"They are not a patch to ours. When I was presented, there were eightprofessionals standing round, and I walked away from the lot of them. AmI more beautiful than Tiny, or Ila, or Caro, or Mrs. Washington?"
"Oh, yes! yes!"
"How? They are really very beautiful."
"I know; but you are--you know I never could express myself."
"I am Helena Belmont," replied that young woman, serenely. "Besides,I've got the will to be beautiful as well as the outside. Tiny hasn't. Ihave real audacity, and Ila only a make-believe. Caro shows her cardsevery time she rolls her eyes, and Mrs. Washington never had a particleof dash. I'm going to be the belle. I'm going to turn the head of everyman in San Francisco."
"I'm afraid you will, Helena."
"Afraid? You know you want me to. It wouldn't be half such fun if youweren't approving and applauding."
"I don't want you to hurt anybody."
"Hurt?" Helena opened her dark-blue pellucid eyes. "The idea ofbothering about a trifle like that. Men expect to get a scratch or twofor the privilege of knowing us. It will be something for a man toremember for the rest of his life that I've 'hurt' him."
"I am afraid you're a spoilt beauty already, Helena."
"I've got the world at my feet. That's a lovely sensation. You can'tthink--it's a wonderful sensation."
"I can imagine it." Magdalena spoke without bitterness. Helena realisedall her old ambitions but one, but she was too happy for envy.
"Describe Mr. Trennahan all over again."
"I am such a bad hand at describing."
"Well, never mind. Fancy your being engaged! Tell me everything. How didyou feel the first moment you met him? When did you find yourself going?It must be such a jolly sensation to be in love--for a week or so. Now!Tell me all."
"I'd rather not, Helena. I love you better than anyone besides, but I amnot the kind that can talk--"
"Well, perhaps I couldn't talk about it, myself, but I think I could. Ican't imagine not talking about anything. But of course you are the sameold 'Lena. Will you let me read his letters?"
"Oh, no! no!"
"I'll show you every letter I get. I never could be so stingy."
"I could not do that. I should feel as if I had lost something."
"You were always so romantic. There never was any romance about me. PoorMr. Trennahan will have something to do to live up to you. An altitudeof eleven thousand feet is trying to most masculine constitutions. But Isuppose he likes the variety of it, after twenty years of society girls.Well, let him rest."
A door shut heavily in the hall below. Helena sprang to her feet.
"There's papa. I must go down. I never leave him a minute alone if I canhelp it. That's my only crumpled rose-leaf,--he is so pale and seems sodepressed at times. You know how jolly and dashing he used to be. Hehasn't a thing to worry him, and I can't think what is the matter. I beghim to tell me, but he says a man at his age can't expect to be well allthe time. I can always amuse him, and I like to be with him all I can.He's such a darling! He'd build me a house of gold if I asked for it."