To Bernard's observant eye, indeed, the Captain was
an altered man. His manner betrayed a certain restless desire to be
agreeable, to anticipate judgment--a disposition to smile, and be civil,
and entertain his auditor, a tendency to move about and look out of the
window and at the clock. He struck Bernard as a trifle nervous--as
less solidly planted on his feet than when he lounged along the Baden
gravel-walks by the side of his usual companion--a lady for whom,
apparently, his admiration was still considerable. Bernard was curious
to see whether he would ring the bell to inquire into the delay
attending the service of lunch; but before this sentiment, rather idle
under the circumstances, was gratified, Blanche passed into the room
from a neighboring apartment. To Bernard's perception Blanche, at least,
was always Blanche; she was a person in whom it would not have occurred
to him to expect any puzzling variation, and the tone of her little,
soft, thin voice instantly rang in his ear like an echo of yesterday's
talk. He had already remarked to himself that after however long
an interval one might see Blanche, she re-appeared with an air of
familiarity. This was in some sense, indeed, a proof of the agreeable
impression she made, and she looked exceedingly pretty as she now
suddenly stopped on seeing our two gentlemen, and gave a little cry of
surprise.
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