Mrs. Rush-Marvelle and the Van Clupps are listening to the conversation
with straining ears. What strange person is this? She does not talk bad
grammar, though her manner of expressing herself is somewhat quaint and
foreign. But she is babyish--perfectly babyish! The idea of any
well-bred woman condescending to sing the praises of her own husband in
public! Absurd! "Deserves every-one's good wishes!"--pooh! her "great
desire is to make him always happy!"--what utter rubbish!--and he is a
"light-hearted boy!" Good gracious!--what next? Marcia Van Clupp is
strongly inclined to giggle, and Mrs. Van Clupp is indignantly conscious
that the Errington diamonds far surpass her own, both for size and
lustre.
At that moment Sir Philip approaches his wife, with George Lorimer and
Beau Lovelace. Thelma's smile at Lorimer is the greeting of an old
friend--a sun-bright glance that makes his heart beat a little quicker
than usual. He watches her as she turns to be introduced to
Lovelace,--while Miss Van Clupp, thinking of the relentless gift of
satire with which that brilliant writer is endowed, looks out for "some
fun"--for, as she confides in a low tone to Mrs.
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