Julia's reply:
"DEAR MR. FITZROY,--I am not at all fond of jealousy, but I am very fond
of dancing. I shall come.
"Yours sincerely,
"JULIA CLIFFORD."
And she did come with a vengeance. She showed them what a dark beauty can
do in a blaze of light with a red rose, and a few thousand pounds' worth
of diamonds artfully placed.
She danced with several partners, and took Percy in his turn. She was
gracious to him, but nothing more.
Percy asked leave to call next day.
She assented, rather coldly.
His sister prepared Percy for the call. The first thing he did was to
stammer intolerably.
"Oh," said Julia, "if you have nothing more to say than that, I
have--Where is my bracelet?"
"It's here," said Percy, producing it eagerly. Julia smiled.
"My necklace?"
"Here!"
"My charms?"
"Here!"
"My specimens of your spelling? Love spells, eh?"
"Here--all here."
"No, they are not," said Julia, snatching them, "they are here." And she
stuffed both her pockets with them.
"And the engaged ring," said Percy, radiant now, and producing it,
"d-d-don't forget that.
Pages:
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505