Her cheeks were flushed, and there was some disorder in
the mass of nut-brown hair that crowned her head. In her left hand
she carried an enormous bouquet of white camellias. On its middle
finger a diamond of great price drew almost at once by its effulgence
the eyes of all.
Her father sprang to meet her with an unusual display of paternal
tenderness. "At last, my child!"
He conducted her to the table. She sank into a chair, a little
wearily, a little nervelessly, but the smile did not leave her face,
not even when she glanced across at Scaramouche. It was only
Leandre, observing her closely, with hungry, scowling stare, who
detected something as of fear in the hazel eyes momentarily seen
between the fluttering of her lids.
Andre-Louis, however, still went on eating stolidly, without so
much as a look in her direction. Gradually the company came to
realize that just as surely as a scene was brooding, just so
surely would there be no scene as long as they remained. It was
Polichinelle, at last, who gave the signal by rising and withdrawing,
and within two minutes none remained in the room but M.
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