“The eyes of a Circe, or at times the eyes of a tigress.”
“She is magnificent!” murmured Deacon rapturously. “I have never seen so beautiful a woman.”
His glance followed the tall figure as it passed into a smaller salon1 on the left; nor was he alone in his regard. Fashionable society was well represented in the gallery—where a collection of pictures by a celebrated2 artist was being shown; and prior to the entrance of the lady in the strangely fashioned tiger-skin cloak, the somewhat extraordinary works of art had engaged the interest even of the most fickle3, but, from the moment the tiger-lady made her appearance, even the most daring canvases were forgotten.
“She wears tiger-skin shoes!” whispered one.
“She is like a design for a poster!” laughed another.
“What a dazzlingly beautiful woman!” remarked another—this one a man. While:
“Who is she?” arose upon all sides.
Judging from the isolation5 of the barbaric figure, it would seem that society did not know the tiger-lady, but Deacon, seizing his companion by the arm and almost dragging him into the small salon which the lady had entered, turned in the doorway6 and looked into Annesley's eyes. Annesley palpably sought to evade7 the glance.
“You know everybody,” whispered Deacon. “You must be acquainted with her.”
A great number of people were now thronging8 into the room, not so much because of the pictures it contained, but rather out of curiosity respecting the beautiful unknown. Annesley tried to withdraw; his uneasiness grew momentarily greater.
“I scarcely know her well enough,” he protested, “to present you. Moreover———”
“But she's smiling at you!” interrupted Deacon eagerly.
His handsome but rather weak face was flushed; he was, as an old clubman had recently said of him, “so very young.” He lacked the restraint usual in cultured Englishmen, and had the frankly9 passionate10 manner which one associates with the South. His uncle, Colonel Deacon, a mordant11 wit, would say apologetically:
“Reggie” (Deacon's father) “married a Gascon woman. She was delightfully12 pretty. Poor Reggie!”
Certainly Rene was impetuous to an embarrassing degree, nor lightly to be thwarted13. Boldly meeting the glance of the woman of the amber14 eyes, he pushed Annesley forward, not troubling to disguise his anxiety to be presented to the tiger-lady. She turned her head languidly, with that wild-animal grace of hers, and unsmiling now, regarded Annesley.
“So you forget me so soon, Mr. Annesley,” she murmured, “or is it that you play the good shepherd?”
“My dear Madame,” said Annesley, recovering with an effort his wonted sang-froid, “I was merely endeavouring to calm the rhapsodies of my friend, who seemed disposed to throw himself at your feet in knight-errant fashion.”
“He is a very handsome boy,” murmured Madame; and as the great eyes were turned upon Deacon the carmine15 lips curved again in the Cleopatrian smile.
She was indeed wonderful, for while she spoke16 as the woman of the world to the boy, there was nothing maternal17 in her patronage18, and her eyes were twin flambeaux, luring—luring, and her sweet voice was a siren's song.
“May I beg leave to present my friend, Mr. Rene Deacon, Madame de Medici?” said Annesley; and as the two exchanged glances—the boy's a glance of undisguised passionate admiration19, the woman's a glance unfathomable—he slightly shrugged20 his shoulders and stood aside.
There were others in the salon, who, perceiving that the unknown beauty was acquainted with Annesley, began to move from canvas to canvas toward that end of the room where the trio stood. But Madame did not appear anxious to make new acquaintances.
“I have seen quite enough of this very entertaining exhibition,” she said languidly, toying with a great unset emerald which swung by a thin gold chain about her neck. “Might I entreat21 you to take pity upon a very lonely woman and return with me to tea?”
Annesley seemed on the point of refusing, when:
“I have acquired a reputed Leonardo,” continued Madame, “and I wish you to see it.”
There was something so like a command in the words that Deacon stared at his companion in frank surprise. The latter avoided his glance, and:
“Come!” said Madame de Medici.
As of old the great Catherine of her name might have withdrawn22 with her suite23, so now the lady of the tiger skins withdrew from the gallery, the two men following obediently, and one of them at least a happy courtier.
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1
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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2
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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3
fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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4
acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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5
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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6
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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7
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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8
thronging
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 ) | |
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9
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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10
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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11
mordant
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| adj.讽刺的；尖酸的 | |
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12
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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13
thwarted
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| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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14
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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15
carmine
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| n.深红色，洋红色 | |
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16
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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17
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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18
patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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19
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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20
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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21
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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22
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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23
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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