Page:Orange Grove.djvu/221

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

and felt that he was listening to her admiringly, which fact contributed not a little to throw more spirit and fervor of soul into her performance. Its intimate association with their first meeting, brought to mind all the disagreeable incidents or the broken links of a once warm and generous friendship, which roused a greater alienation of feeling than before. She swept proudly by him, not so much as deigning to give him a look of condescension, displaying with such conscious intention as to arrest the attention of all eyes, which followed her as she rose. Rosalind looked wonderingly from her to Ernest, and from him to her. She saw an expression in his eyes which she never saw before, nor ever after. Hitherto, he had felt grieved, but not vexed. When his indignation was excited it was not easily quelled, until the cause was removed, if any existed, which he was determined to know in this instance, having been embarrassed by her enough, let it be what it might, and therefore resolved to seek the first opportunity to demand an explanation. He did not have to wait long. Evidently unhappy, the admiration she had excited was uncongenial to her feelings, and she stepped aside into a conservatory whither he followed her.

"Good evening Miss Blanche," said he, as he extended his hand, "I believe you did not recognize me as you passed by me."

Conventional in all her ways, she was surprised by this unexpected sally from one as conventional as herself. Mechanically giving him her hand, her eyes dropped, being too confused to reply.