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of Great Britain； in Comtesse de Vaurigard's salon。。。〃 〃An English
peeress of pronounced literary acumen has been giving me rather
confidentially her opinion of our American poets。。。〃
The inspiration of these promising fragments was a large； weary…
looking person； with no lack of powdered shoulder above her pink
bodice and a profusion of 〃undulated〃 hair of so decided a blond
that it might have been suspected that the decision had lain with
the lady herself。
〃Howjdo；〃 she said languidly； when Mellin's name was pronounced to
her。 〃There's a man behind you tryin' to give you something to
drink。〃
〃Who was it said these were Martinis？〃 snorted Pedlow。 〃They've
got perfumery in 'em。〃
〃Ah； what a bad lion it is！〃 Madame de Vaurigard lifted both hands
in mock horror。 〃Roar； lion； roar！〃 she cried。 〃An' think of the
emotion of our good Cavaliere Corni； who have come an hour early
jus' to make them for us！ I ask Monsieur Mellin if it is not good。〃
〃And I'll leave it to Cooley；〃 said Pedlow。 〃If he can drink all of
his I'll eat crow！〃
Thus challenged； the two young men smilingly accepted glasses from
the waiter； and lifted them on high。
〃Same toast；〃 said Cooley。 〃Queen！〃
~〃A la belle Marquise！〃~
Gallantly they drained the glasses at a gulp； and Madame de
Vaurigard clapped her hands。
〃Bravo！〃 she cried。 〃You see？ Corni and I； we win。〃
〃Look at their faces！〃 said Mr。 Pedlow； tactlessly drawing attention
to what was； for the moment； an undeniably painful sight。 〃Don't
tell me an Italian knows how to make a good Martini！〃
Mellin profoundly agreed； but； as he joined the small procession to
the Countess' dinner…table； he was certain that an Italian at least
knew how to make a strong one。
The light in the dining…room was provided by six heavily…shaded
candles on the table； the latter decorated with delicate lines
of orchids。 The chairs were large and comfortable； covered with
tapestry； the glass was old Venetian； and the servants； moving
like useful ghosts in the shadow outside the circle of mellow light；
were particularly efficient in the matter of keeping the wine…
glasses full。 Madame de Vaurigard had put Pedlow on her right；
Cooley on her left； with Mellin directly opposite her； next to Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke。 Mellin was pleased； because he thought he would
have the Countess's face toward him。 Anything would have pleased
him just then。
〃This is the kind of table ~everybody~ ought to have；〃 he observed
to the party in general； as he finished his first glass of champagne。
〃I'm going to have it like this at my place in the Statesif I ever
decide to go back。 I'll have six separate candlesticks like this；
not a candelabrum； and that will be the only light in the room。 And
I'll never have anything but orchids on my table〃
〃For my part；〃 Lady Mount…Rhyswicke interrupted in the loud； tired
monotone which seemed to be her only manner of speaking； 〃I like
more light。 I like all the light that's goin'。〃
〃If Lady Mount…Rhyswicke sat at ~my~ table；〃 returned Mellin
dashingly； 〃I should wish all the light in the world to shine upon
so happy an event。〃
〃Hear the man！〃 she drawled。 〃He's proposing to me。 Thinks I'm
a widow。〃
There was a chorus of laughter； over which rose the bellow of Mr。
Pedlow。
〃'He's game！' she saysand ~ain't~ he？〃
Across the table Madame de Vaurigard's eyes met Mellin's with a
mocking intelligence so complete that he caught her message without
need of the words she noiselessly formed with her lips： 〃I tol' you
you would be making love to her！〃
He laughed joyously in answer。 Why shouldn't he flirt with Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke？ He was thoroughly happy； his Helene； his ~belle
Marquise~； sat across the table from him sending messages to him
with her eyes。 He adored her； but he liked Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
…梙e liked everybody and everything in the world。 He liked Pedlow
particularly； and it no longer troubled him that the fat man should
be a friend of Madame de Vaurigard。 Pedlow was a 〃character〃 and
a wit as well。 Mellin laughed heartily at everything the Honorable
Chandler Pedlow said。
〃This is life；〃 remarked the young man to his fair neighbor。
〃What is？ Sittin' round a table； eatin' and drinkin'？〃
〃Ah； lovely skeptic！〃 She looked at him strangely； but he continued
with growing enthusiasm： 〃I mean to sit at such a table as this；
with such a chef； with such winesto know one crowded hour like
this is to live！ Not a thing is missing； all this swagger furniture；
the rich atmosphere of smartness about the whole place； best of all；
the company。 It's a great thing to have the ~real~ people around
you； the right sort； you know； socially； people you'd ask to your
own table at home。 There are only seven； but every one ~distingue~；
every one〃
She leaned both elbows on the table with her hands palm to palm；
and； resting her cheek against the back of her left hand； looked
at him steadily。
〃And youare you distinguished； too？〃
〃Oh； I wouldn't be much known over ~here~；〃 he said modestly。
〃Do you write poetry？〃
〃Oh； not professionally； though it is published。 I suppose〃he
sipped his champagne with his head a little to one side as though
judging its quality〃I suppose I 've been more or less a dilettante。
I've knocked about the world a good bit。〃
〃Helene says you're one of these leisure American billionaires like
Mr。 Cooley there；〃 she said in her tired voice。
〃Oh； none of us are really quite billionaires。〃 He laughed
deprecatingly。
〃No； I suppose not？not really。 Go on and tell me some more about
life and this distinguished company。〃
〃Hey； folks！〃 Mr。 Pedlow's roar broke in upon this dialogue。
〃You two are gittin' mighty thick over there。 We're drinking a
toast； and you'll have to break away long enough to join in。〃
〃Queen！ That's what she is！〃 shouted Cooley。
Mellin lifted his glass with the others and drank to Madame de
Vaurigard； but the woman at his side did not change her attitude
and continued to sit with her elbows on the table； her cheek on
the back of her hand； watching him thoughtfully。
VI。 Rake's Progress
Many toasts were uproariously honored； the health of each member
of the party in turn； then the country of each： France and England
first； out of courtesy to the ladies； Italy next； since this
beautiful and extraordinary meeting of distinguished people （as
Mellin remarked in a short speech he felt called upon to make） took
place in that wonderful land； then the United States。 This last
toast the gentlemen felt it necessary to honor by standing in their
chairs。
＇~Song： The Star…Spangled Bannerwithout wordsby Mr。 Cooley and
chorus。~＇
When the cigars were brought； the ladies graciously remained； adding
tiny spirals of smoke from their cigarettes to the layers of blue
haze which soon overhung the table。 Through this haze； in the
gentle light （which seemed to grow softer and softer） Mellin saw the
face of Helene de Vaurigard； luminous as an angel's。 She ~was~ an
angeland the others were gods。 What could be more appropriate in
Rome？ Lady Mount…Rhyswicke was Juno； but more beautiful。 For
himself； he felt like a god too； Olympic in serenity。
He longed for mysterious dangers。 How debonair he would stroll
among them！ He wished to explore the unknown； felt the need of a
splendid adventure； and had a happy premonition that one was coming
nearer and nearer。 He favored himself with a hopeful vision of the
apartment on fire； Robert Russ Mellin smiling negligently among the
flames and Madame de Vaurigard kneeling before him in adoration。
Immersed in delight； he puffed his cigar and let his eyes rest
dreamily upon the face of Helene。 He was quite undisturbed by an
argument； more a commotion than a debate； between Mr。 Pedlow and
young Cooley。 It ended by their rising； the latter overturning a
chair in his haste。
〃I don't know the rudiments； don't I！〃 cried the boy。 〃You wait！
Ole Sneydie and I'II trim you down！ Corni says he'll play； too。
Come on； Mellin。〃
〃I won't go unless Helene goes；〃 said Mellin。 〃What are you going
to do when you get there？〃
〃Alas； my frien'！〃 exclaimed Madame de Vaurigard； rising； 〃is it
not what I tol' you？ Always you are never content wizout your play。
You come to dinner an' when it is finish' you play； play； play！〃
〃~Play~？〃 He sprang to his feet。 〃Bravo！ That's the very thing
I've been wanting to do。 I knew there was something I wanted to do；
but I couldn't think what it was。〃
Lady Mount…Rhyswicke followed the others into the salon； but Madame
de Vaurigard waited just inside the doorway for Mellin。
〃~High~ play！〃 he cried。 〃We must play high！ I won't play any
other way。I want to play ~high~！〃
〃Ah； wicked one！ What did I tell you？〃
He caught her hand。 〃And you must play too； Helene。〃
〃No； no；〃 she laughed breathlessly。
〃Then you'll watch。 Promise you'll watch me。 I won't let you go
till you promise to watch me。〃
〃I shall adore it； my frien'！〃
〃Mellin；〃 called Cooley from the other room。 〃You comin' or not？〃
〃Can't you see me？〃 answered Mellin hilariously； entering with
Madame de Vaurigard； who was rosy with laughter。