"Beautiful!" exclaimed Lord Fawn.
"I think her very beautiful," said Phineas.
"So do I," said Violet. "And she is a dear ally of mine. We were a
week together last winter, and swore an undying friendship. She told
me ever so much about Mr. Goesler."
"But she told you nothing of her second husband?" said Lord Fawn.
"Now that you have run into scandal, I shall have done," said Violet.
Half an hour after this, when Phineas was preparing to fight his way
out of the house, he was again close to Madame Max Goesler. He had
not found a single moment in which to ask Violet for an answer to his
old question, and was retiring from the field discomfited, but not
dispirited. Lord Fawn, he thought, was not a serious obstacle in his
way. Lady Laura had told him that there was no hope for him; but
then Lady Laura's mind on that subject was, he thought, prejudiced.
Violet Effingham certainly knew what were his wishes, and knowing
them, smiled on him and was gracious to him. Would she do so if his
pretensions were thoroughly objectionable to her?
"I saw that you were successful this evening," said Madame Max
Goesler to him.
"I was not aware of any success."
"I call it great success to be able to make your way where you will
through such a crowd as there is here.
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