Mrs. Tilton's house was ablaze2 with light, for it was the evening of the great party. Ambitious of social distinction, she took care to do things on a handsome scale, though she was not averse3 to saving money where it would not attract attention.
Among the young ladies present were two with whom we are especially concerned. One of them was Arethusa Jayne, who was dressed with more splendor4 than taste. She made a profuse5 display of jewelry6, some of which, we may confidentially7 inform the reader, was borrowed from a well-known jeweler, who was handsomely paid for the favor. Of course no one suspected this, and the society young men were misled into thinking that the owner of so many diamonds must be very rich. This was precisely8 what Arethusa desired, for she [288] was in the market, and had been for more years than she liked to remember.
Another young lady, still better known to us, was Rose Beaufort. She was the most plainly dressed young lady in the handsome parlors9, yet she attracted an unusual share of attention.
"Who is that pretty young lady?" asked a middle-aged11 lady of Arethusa.
"She is very sweet-looking."
"Do you think so? I don't at all agree with you. To me she looks very artful, and I have reason to think that beneath her innocent exterior13 there is something quite different."
"That is a pity."
"It is not surprising. Still water runs deep, you know."
Rose kept in the background. She had no wish to make herself conspicuous14 at Mrs. Tilton's gay party. She would rather not have been there, but did not wish to disappoint her employer.
[289]
"Ah, here you are, Miss Beaufort," said a glad voice.
Rose looked up, and her face flushed with pleasure as she recognized Clinton Randall.
"I did not think you would find me," she said.
"I was sure to do it. I have been looking for you everywhere. Can't you spare a seat for me?"
Rose moved, and Clinton sat down beside her on the sofa. He had scarcely been there two minutes, however, when Arethusa discovered them. She went straightway to her aunt.
"Aunt Lucy," she said, in a low voice, "look at the sofa opposite."
"Well?" said Mrs. Tilton, who was rather short-sighted.
"There is your precious music-teacher monopolizing15 Clinton Randall. Didn't I tell you?"
"For goodness' sake, separate them before the whole room notices them."
[290]
"How can I do it?"
"Send her to the piano."
"Miss Beaufort," said Mrs. Tilton, coldly, "oblige me by sitting down to the piano. You may play a waltz."
"Certainly, Mrs. Tilton," said Rose.
"That woman speaks as if she owned Miss Beaufort," thought young Randall.
He was about to follow her to the piano when Arethusa came up, and with an insinuating17 smile, said:
"Don't look so mournful, Mr. Randall. Let me fill Miss Beaufort's place."
"I wasn't aware that you knew Miss Beaufort," said the young lady.
"I believe you saw me walking with her the other day."
"Yes, to be sure; it had escaped my mind."
Rose began to play. Her touch was fine, and her performance could hardly fail to attract attention.
"Miss Beaufort plays remarkably19 well," said Clinton Randall.
[291]
"Oh, it's her business," answered Arethusa, with careless hauteur20. "She gives lessons to my aunt's children, you know."
"Your aunt is fortunate to secure such an accomplished21 pianist."
"Oh, she is very well," said Arethusa, carelessly. "Do you feel like dancing?"
"I beg your pardon. I should have suggested it."
The two moved out upon the floor and took their places among the dancers. Arethusa danced passably, her partner remarkably well. At length he led her to her seat, and, with a bow, left her, much to her chagrin22.
Later in the evening some one relieved Rose at the piano. Clinton took the earliest opportunity to seek her out and ask her for a dance.
Rose hesitated.
"I have not danced for a long time," she said. "Circumstances have kept me out of society. I am afraid you won't find me a satisfactory partner."
"I will take the risk, Miss Beaufort. You won't refuse?"
[292]
She rose and took her place on the floor. Arethusa Jayne, who was dancing with one of the walking gentlemen of society, a young man who was merely invited to swell23 the number of guests, was not long in discovering Miss Beaufort's good luck, and her face showed her displeasure. It would have pleased her had Rose been awkward, but she was unusually graceful24, in spite of her want of practice. Miss Jayne was hot with jealousy.
"You shall repent25 this," she said to herself, and looked so stern that her partner asked, with alarm:
"Are you not well, Miss Jayne?"
"Certainly"—you fool! she would liked to have added. "Why do you ask?"
"I was only a little thoughtful," she said, with a constrained27 smile. "But I am fatigued28. Suppose we sit down."
He led her to her seat, nothing loth, and she had the satisfaction of following with her glance Clinton Randall and her rival five minutes more.
[293]
"Did you have a good time, Rose?" asked her sister Adeline, next morning, at the breakfast-table.
"Better than I dared to hope," answered Rose, with a smile.
"Did you dance?"
"Two or three times."
She had danced with two partners besides Clinton Randall, and with him a second time.
"It seemed quite like the old times," she said, after a pause, "when we were in society. Though I only appeared in the character of a governess, I enjoyed it."
"Don't you feel tired?"
"A little; but I don't go out to give lessons till afternoon."
At two o'clock Rose went to Mrs. Tilton's to give her regular lessons.
"Mrs. Tilton would like to see you," said the servant.
"I wish to speak to you, Miss Beaufort," said Mrs. Tilton, coldly, "about your conduct last evening."
[294]
"My conduct last evening!" repeated Rose, in utter surprise. "To what do you refer?"
"To your indelicate conduct with Mr. Clinton Randall and other gentlemen."
"What do you mean? I demand an explanation!" exclaimed Rose, indignantly.
"You seem to forget your position, Miss Beaufort. As the instructress of my children, I feel I must be exacting29. I do not approve of your bold flirtation30 with gentlemen above yourself in social position, and I beg to say that I must provide myself with another music-teacher for my girls."
"After your insulting remarks," said Rose, hotly, "nothing would induce me to remain in charge of them. Nothing in my conduct has called for such cruel charges."
"Doubtless you think so. I disagree with you," said Mrs. Tilton, coldly.
"Good-afternoon, Miss Beaufort."
It was like a thunderbolt to Rose, and mystified as well as made her indignant. She could recall nothing that had passed which [295] would justify32 Mrs. Tilton in her strange treatment.
It was the first blow, but not the last. Arethusa Jayne, with unappeased malice33, went the rounds of the families in which Rose was employed, and within a week she received notes from all the parents, expressing regret that they could no longer avail themselves of her services.
It began to look serious for poor Rose.
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1
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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2
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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3
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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4
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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5
profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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6
jewelry
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| n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝 | |
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7
confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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8
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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9
parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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11
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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12
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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13
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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14
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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15
monopolizing
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| v.垄断( monopolize的现在分词 )；独占；专卖；专营 | |
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16
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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17
insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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18
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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19
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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20
hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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21
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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22
chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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23
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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24
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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25
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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26
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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28
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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29
exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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30
flirtation
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| n.调情，调戏，挑逗 | |
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31
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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32
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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33
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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