Judging from the isolation of the barbaric figure, it would seem
that society did not know the tiger-lady, but Deacon, seizing his
companion by the arm and almost dragging him into the small salon
which the lady had entered, turned in the doorway and looked into
Annesley's eyes. Annesley palpably sought to evade the glance.
"You know everybody," whispered Deacon. "You must be acquainted
with her."
A great number of people were now thronging into the room, not so
much because of the pictures it contained, but rather out of
curiosity respecting the beautiful unknown. Annesley tried to
withdraw; his uneasiness grew momentarily greater.
"I scarcely know her well enough," he protested, "to present you.
Moreover------"
"But she's smiling at you!" interrupted Deacon eagerly.
His handsome but rather weak face was flushed; he was, as an old
clubman had recently said of him, "so very young." He lacked the
restraint usual in cultured Englishmen, and had the frankly
passionate manner which one associates with the South. His
uncle, Colonel Deacon, a mordant wit, would say apologetically:
"Reggie" (Deacon's father) "married a Gascon woman. She was
delightfully pretty. Poor Reggie!"
Certainly Rene was impetuous to an embarrassing degree, nor
lightly to be thwarted.
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