X
HER EVENING
As he entered the studio he heard the telephone ringing. PresentlySelinda marched in:
"A lady, sir, who will not giff her name, desires to spik to Mr.Barres."
"I don't talk to anonymous people," he said curtly.
"I shall tell her, sir?"
"Certainly. Did you make Miss Dulcie comfortable?"
"Yess, sir."
"That's right. Now, take that dress of Miss Dulcie's, go out to someshop on Fifth Avenue, buy a pretty party gown of similar dimensions,and bring it back with you. Take a taxi both ways. Wait--take herstockings and slippers, too, and buy her some fine ones. And someunderwear suitable." He went to a desk, unlocked it, and handed themaid a flat packet of bank-notes. "Be sure the things are nice," heinsisted.
Selinda, starched, immaculate, frosty-eyed, marched out. She returneda few moments later, wearing jacket and hat.
"Sir, the lady on the telephone hass called again. The lady wouldinquire of Mr. Barres if perhaps he has recollection of the Fountainof Marie de Medicis."
Barres reddened with surprise and pleasure:
"Oh! Yes, indeed, I'll speak to _that_ lady. Hang up the servicereceiver, Selinda." And he stepped to the studio telephone.
"Nihla?" he exclaimed in a low, eager voice.
"C'est moi, Thessa! Have you a letter from me?"
"No, you little wretch! Oh, Thessa, you're certainly a piker! Fancy mynot hearing one word from you since April!--not a whisper, not a signto tell me that you are alive----"
"Garry, hush! It was not because I did not wish to see you----"
"Yes, it was! You knew bally well that I hadn't your address and thatyou had mine! Is that what you call friendship?"
"You don't understand what you are saying. I wanted to see you. It hasbeen impossible----"
"You are not singing and dancing anywhere in New York. I watched thepapers. I even went to the Palace of Mirrors to enquire if you hadsigned with them there."
"Wait! Be careful, please!----"
"Why?"
"Be careful what you say over the telephone. For my sake, Garry. Don'tuse my former name or say anything to identify me with any place orprofession. I've been in trouble. I'm in trouble still. Had you noletter from me this morning?"
"No."
"That is disquieting news. I posted a letter to you last night. Youshould have had it in your morning mail."
"No letter has come from you. I had no letters at all in the morningmail, and only one or two important business letters since."
"Then I'm deeply worried. I shall have to see you unless that letteris delivered to you by evening."
"Splendid! But you'll have to come to me, Thessa. I've invited a fewpeople to dine here and dance afterwards. If you'll dine with us, I'llget another man to balance the table. Will you?"
After a moment she said:
"Yes. What time?"
"Eight! This is wonderful of you, Thessa!" he said excitedly. "Ifyou're in trouble we'll clear it up between us. I'm so happy that youwill give me this proof of friendship."
"You dear boy," she said in a troubled voice. "I should be more of afriend if I kept away from you."
"Nonsense! You promise, don't you?"
"Yes ... Do you realise that to-night another summer moon is towitness our reunion?... I shall come to you once more under a fullJune moon.... And then, perhaps, no more.... Never.... Unless afterthe world ends I come to you through shadowy outer space--a ghostdrifting--a shred of mist across the moon, seeking you oncemore!----"
"My poor child," he said laughing, "you must be in no end of lowspirits to talk that way."
"It does sound morbid. But I have plenty of courage, Garry. I shallnot snivel on the starched bosom of your evening shirt when we meet.Donc, a bientot, monsieur. Soyez tranquille! You shall not be ashamedof me among your guests."
"Fancy!" he laughed happily. "Don't worry, Thessa. We'll fix upwhatever bothers you. Eight o'clock! Don't forget!"
"I am not likely to," she said.
* * * * *
Until Selinda returned from her foray along Fifth Avenue, Barresremained in the studio, lying in his armchair, still possessed by thedelightful spell, still excited by the prospect of seeing ThessalieDunois again, here, under his own roof.
But when the slant-eyed and spotlessly blond Finn arrived, he cameback out of his retrospective trance.
"Did you get some pretty things for Miss Soane?" he enquired.
"Yess, sir, be-ootiful." Selinda deposited on the table a sheaf ofpaid bills and the balance of the bank-notes. "Would Mr. Barres bekind enough to inspect the clothes for Miss Soane?"
"No, thanks. You say they're all right?"
"Yess, sir. They are heavenly be-ootiful."
"Very well. Tell Aristocrates to lay out my clothes after you havedressed Miss Dulcie. There will be two extra people to dinner. TellAristocrates. Is Miss Dulcie still asleep?"
"Yess, sir."
"All right. Wake her in time to dress her so she can come out here andgive me a chance----" He glanced at the clock "Better wake her now,Selinda. It's time for her to dress and evacuate my quarters. I'lltake forty winks here until she's ready."
* * * * *
Barres lay dozing on the sofa when Dulcie came in.
Selinda, enraptured by her own efficiency in grooming and attiring thegirl, marched behind her, unable to detach herself from her ownhandiwork.
From crown to heel the transfiguration was absolute--from the point ofher silk slipper to the topmost curl on the head which Selinda haddressed to perfection.
For Selinda had been a lady's maid in great houses, and also had amania for grooming herself with the minute and thorough devotion of apedigreed cat. And Dulcie emerged from her hands like some youthfulsea-nymph out of a bath of foam, snowy-sweet as some fresh andslender flower.
With a shy courage born with her own transfiguration, she went toBarres, where he lay on the sofa, and bent over him.
She had made no sound; perhaps her nearness awoke him, for he openedhis eyes.
"Dulcie!" he exclaimed.
"Do I please you?" she whispered.
He sat up abruptly.
"You wonderful child!" he said, frankly astonished. Whereupon he gotoff the sofa, walked all around her inspecting her.
"What a get-up! What a girl!" he murmured. "You lovely little thing,you astound me! Selinda, you certainly know a thing or two. Take itfrom me, you do Miss Soane and yourself more credit in your way than Ido with paint and canvas."
Dulcie blushed vividly; the white skin of Selinda also reddened withpleasure at her master's enthusiasm.
"Tell Aristocrates to fix my bath and lay out my clothes," he said."I've guests coming and I've got to hustle!" And to Dulcie: "We'regoing to have a little party in honour of your graduation. That's whatI have to tell you, dear. Does it please you? Do your pretty clothesplease you?"
The girl, overwhelmed, could only look at him. Her lips, vivid andslightly parted, quivered as her breath came irregularly. But shefound no words--nothing to say except in the passionate gratitude ofher grey eyes.
"You dear child," he said gently. Then, after a moment's silence, heeased the tension with his quick smile: "Wonder-child, go and seatyourself very carefully, and be jolly careful you don't rumple yourfrock, because I want you to astonish one or two people thisevening."
Dulcie found her voice:
"I--I'm so astonished at myself that I don't seem real. I seem to besomebody else--long ago!" She stepped close to him, opened her locketfor his inspection, holding it out to him as far as the chainpermitted. It framed a miniature of a red-haired, grey-eyed girl ofsixteen.
"Your mother, Dulcie?"
"Yes. How perfectly it fits into my locket! I carry it always in mypurse."
"It might easily be yourself, Dulcie," he said in a low voice. "Youare her living image."
"Yes. That is what astonishes me. To-nigh
t, for the first time in mylife, it occurred to me that I look like this girl picture of mymother."
"You never thought so before?"
"Never." She stood looking down at the laughing face in the locket fora few moments, then, lifting her eyes to his:
"I've been made over, in a day, to look like this.... You did it!"
"Nonsense! Selinda and her curling iron did it."
They laughed a little.
"No," she said, "you have made me. You began to make me all over threemonths ago--oh, longer ago than that!--you began to remake me thefirst time you ever spoke to me--the first time you opened your doorto me. That was nearly two years ago. And ever since I have beenslowly becoming somebody quite new--inside and outside--untilto-night, you see, I begin to look like my mother." She smiled at him,drew a deep breath, closed the locket, dropped it on her breast.
"I mustn't keep you," she said. "I wanted to show the picture--so youcan understand what you have done for me to make me look like that."
* * * * *
When Barres returned to the studio, freshened and groomed for theevening, he found Dulcie at the piano, playing the little song she hadsung that morning, and singing the words under her breath. But sheceased as he came up, and swung around on the piano-stool to confronthim with the most radiant smile he had ever seen on a human face.
"What a day this has been!" she said, clasping her hands tightly. "Isimply cannot make it seem real."
He laughed:
"It isn't ended yet, either. There's a night to every day, you know.And your graduation party will begin in a few moments."
"I know. I'm fearfully excited. You'll stay near me, won't you?"
"You bet! Did I tell you who are coming? Well, then, you won't feelstrange, because I've merely asked two or three men who live in DragonCourt--men you see every day--Mr. Trenor, Mr. Mandel, and Mr.Westmore."
"Oh," she said, relieved.
"Also," he said, "I have asked Miss Souval--that tall, pretty girl whosometimes sits for Mr. Trenor--Damaris Souval. You remember her?"
"Yes."
"Also," he continued, "Mr. Mandel wishes to bring a young marriedwoman who has developed a violent desire for the artistic andinformal, but who belongs in the Social Register." He laughed. "It'sall right if Corot Mandel wants her. Her name is Mrs. Helmund--ElsenaHelmund. Mr. Trenor is painting her."
Dulcie's face was serious but calm.
"And then, to even the table," concluded Barres smilingly, "I inviteda girl I knew long ago in Paris. Her name is Thessalie Dunois; andshe's very lovely to look upon, Dulcie. I am very sure you will likeher."
There was a silence; then the electric bell rang in the corridor,announcing the arrival of the first guest. As Barres rose, Dulcie laidher hand on his arm--a swift, involuntary gesture--as though the girlwere depending on his protection.
The winning appeal touched him and amused him, too.
"Don't worry, dear," he said. "You'll have the prettiest frock in thestudio--if you need that knowledge to reassure you----"
The corridor door opened and closed. Somebody went into his bedroomwith Selinda--that being the only available cloak-room for women.