Desiree excused herself for her absence and frankly gave the cause.
She was disposed to make light of the incident. It was natural to
her to be optimistic. Both she and Mathilde made a practice of
withholding from their father's knowledge the smaller worries of
daily life which sour so many women and make them whine on platforms
to be given the larger woes.
She was glad to note that her father did not attach much importance
to the arrival of Papa Barlasch; though Mathilde found opportunity
to convey her displeasure at the news by a movement of the eyebrows.
Antoine Sebastian had applied himself seriously now to his role of
host, so rarely played in the Frauengasse. He was courteous and
quick to see a want or a possible desire of any one of his guests.
It was part of his sense of hospitality to dismiss all personal
matters, and especially a personal trouble, from public attention.
"They will attend to him in the kitchen, no doubt," he said with
that grand air which the dancing academy tried to imitate.
Charles hardly noted what Desiree said. So sunny a nature as his
might have been expected to make light of a minor trouble, more
especially the minor trouble of another. He was unusually
thoughtful. Some event of the morning had, it would appear, given
him pause on his primrose path. He glanced more than once over his
shoulder towards the window, which stood open. He seemed at times
to listen.
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