"Only seven altogether: Bagration and his pretty niece; an Aldobrandini Countess,--bygone, but still handsome; Joseph Poniatowsky; Botrain of 'La Patrie;' and your humble servant. Fould, I think, was expected, but did not come. Fearfully hot, this sherry,--don't you think so?"
Maitland looked superbly defiant, and turned his head away without ceremony. Caffarelli, however, came quickly to the rescue by pushing over a bottle of Burgundy, and Baying, "And it was a pleasant party?"
"Yes, decidedly pleasant," said M'Caskey, with the air of one pronouncing a judicial opinion. "The women were nice, very well dressed,--the little Russian, especially; and then we talked away as people only do talk in Paris, where there is none of that rotten cant of London, and no subject discussed but the little trivialities of daily life."
Caffarelli's eyes sparkled with mischievous delight as he watched the expansive vanity in M'Caskey's face, and the disgust that darkened in Maitland's. "We had a little of everything," said M'Caskey, with his head thrown back and two fingers of one hand jauntily stuck in his waistcoat pocket. "We had politics,--Plon-Plon's own peculiar politics,--Europe a democracy, and himself the head of it. We discussed dinners and dinner-givers,--a race fast dying out We talked a little finance, and, lastly, women."
"Your own theme!" said Caffarelli, with a slight inclination of the head.
"Without vanity I might say it was. Poor old D'Orsay always said, 'Scratch M'Caskey, and I'll back myself for success against any man in Europe.'"
Maitland started as if a viper had bitten him; but by an effort he seemed to restrain himself, and, taking out his cigar-case, began a diligent search for a cigar.
"Ha, cheroots, I see?" cried M'Caskey; "cheroots are a weakness of mine. Pick me out a well-spotted one, will you?"
Maitland threw the case as it was across the table to him without a word.
M'Caskey selected some six or eight, and laid them beside him. "You are low, depressed, this evening, Maitland," said he; "what's the matter with you?"
"Ah, disgusted!" said M'Caskey, slowly; and his small eyes twinkled like two balls of fire. "Would it be indiscreet to ask the cause?"
"It would be very indiscreet, Count M'Caskey," interposed Caffarelli, "to forget that you are here purely on a grave matter of business,--far too grave to be compromised by any forgetfulness on the score of temper."