"
Polly made some sort of a reply, and greeted Fanny, as of old times, on
the steamer; but Mrs. Vanderburgh went on, all smiles and eagerness--so
rapidly in her friendly intentions, that it boded ill for the future
peace of Mr. King's party. So Mr. King broke into the torrent of words
at once, without any more scruple. "And now, Mrs. Vanderburgh, if you
will excuse us, we are quite tired, and are going to our rooms." And he
bowed himself off, and of course his family followed; the next moment
Fanny and her mother were alone.
"If this is to be the way," said Mrs. Vanderburgh, with a savage little
laugh, "we might much better have stayed in Paris, for I never should
have thought, as you know, Fanny, of coming to this out-of-the-way
place, seeing that I don't care for the music, if I hadn't heard them
say on the steamer that this was their date here."
"Well, I wish that I was at home," declared Fanny, passionately, "and I
never, never will come to Europe, Mamma, again as long as I live. You
are always chasing after people who run away from you, and those who
like me, you won't let me speak to."
"Well, I shall be thankful for the day when you are once in society,"
said her mother, every shred of self-control now gone; "and I shall
sell my tickets for this old Wagner festival, and go back to Paris
to-morrow morning."
At that, Fanny broke into a dismal fit of complaining, which continued
all the time they were dressing for dinner, and getting settled in
their room, and then at intervals through that meal.
Pages:
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181