The Missioner Part 37

"You are a prince," Macheson exclaimed as they filed into their places.

"To-night we are going to prove to ourselves that we are indeed in Paris! Sommelier, the same wine--in magnums to-night! My friend is sleepy. We must wake him up. Ah, mademoiselle!" he waved his hand to the little short-skirted danseuse. "You must take a gla.s.s of wine with us, and afterwards--the Maxixe! Waiter, a gla.s.s, a chair for mademoiselle!"

Mademoiselle came pirouetting up to them. Monsieur was very kind. She would take a gla.s.s of champagne, and afterwards--yes! the Maxixe, if they desired it!

They sat with their backs to the wall, facing the little s.p.a.ce along which the visitors to the cafe came and went, and where, under difficulties, one danced. The leader of the orchestra came bowing and smiling towards them, playing an American waltz, and Macheson, with a laugh, sprang up and guided mademoiselle through the throng of people and hurrying waiters.

"Monsieur comes often to Paris?" she asked, as they whirled around.

"For the first time in my life," Macheson answered. "We are here on a quest! We want to understand what pleasure means!"

Mademoiselle sighed ever so slightly under the powder with which her pretty face was disfigured.

"One is gay here always," she said somewhat doubtfully, "but it is the people who come seldom who enjoy themselves the most."

Macheson laughed as he led her back to their table.

"You are right," he declared. "Pleasure is a subtle thing. It does not do to a.n.a.lyse."

Macheson filled her gla.s.s.

"Sit down," he said, "and tell us about the people. It is early yet, I suppose?"

She nodded.

"Yes," she answered. "There are many who come every night who have not yet arrived."

Ella leaned forward to ask a question, and mademoiselle nodded. Yes!

that was Bolero at the small table opposite. She sat with three men, one of whom was busy sketching on the back of the menu card. Bolero, with her wonderful string of pearls, smileless, stolid, with the boredom in her face of the woman who sees no more worlds to conquer. Monsieur with the ruffled hair and black eyes? Yes! a Russian certainly. Mademoiselle, with a smile which belied her words, was not sure of his name, but Francois spoke always of His Highness! The gentleman with the smooth-shaven face, who read a newspaper and supped alone? Mademoiselle looked around. She hesitated. After all, monsieur and his friends were only casual visitors. It was not for them to repeat it, but the gentleman was a detective--one of the most famous. He had watched for some one for many nights. In the end it would happen. Ah! Some one was asking for a cake-walk? Mademoiselle finished her wine hastily and sprang up. She will return? But certainly, if monsieur pleases!

The band struck up something American. Mademoiselle danced up and down the little s.p.a.ce between the tables. Ella laid her hand upon Macheson's shoulder.

"Why do you want to talk to every one?" she whispered. "I think you forget sometimes that you are not alone."

Macheson laughed impatiently.

"My dear young lady," he said, "you too forget that we are on a quest.

We are here to understand what pleasure means--how to win it. We must talk to every one, do everything everybody else does. It's no good looking on all the time."

"But you never talk to me at all," she objected.

"Rubbish!" he answered lightly. "You don't listen. Come, I am getting hungry. Davenant, we must order supper."

Davenant, whose hair Mademoiselle Rosine had been ruffling, whose tie was no longer immaculate, and who was beginning to realize that he had drunk a good deal of wine, leaned forward and regarded Macheson with admiration.

"Old man," he declared, "you're great! Order what you like. We will eat it--somehow, won't we, Rosine?"

She laughed a.s.sent.

"For me," she begged, "some caviare, and afterwards an omelette."

"Consomme and dry biscuits--and some fruit!" Ella suggested.

Macheson gave the order and filled their gla.s.ses. It was half-past two, and people were beginning to stream in. Unattached ladies strolled down the room--looking for a friend--or to make one. Their more fortunate sisters of the "haute demi-monde" were beginning to arrive with their escorts, from the restaurants and cafes. Greetings were shouted up and down the room. Suddenly Ella's face clouded over again. It was the girl in blue, with whom Macheson had danced at Lesueur's, who had just entered with a party of friends, women in lace coats and wonderful opera cloaks, the men all silk-hatted--the shiniest silk hats in Europe--white gloves, supercilious and immaculate. A burst of applause greeted her, as, with her blue skirts daringly lifted, she danced down the room to the table which was hastily being prepared for them. Her piquant face was wreathed with smiles, she shouted greetings everywhere, and when she saw Macheson, she threw him kisses with both hands, which he stood up and gallantly returned. She was the centre of attraction until Mademoiselle Anna from the Circus arrived, and to reach her place leaped lightly over an intervening table, with a wonderful display of red silk stocking and filmy lingerie. The place became gayer and noisier every moment. Greetings were shouted from table to table. The spirit of Bohemianism seemed to flash about the place like quicksilver. People who were complete strangers drank one another's health across the room. The hard-worked waiters were rushing frantically about. The popping of corks was almost incessant, a blue haze of tobacco smoke hung about the room.

Macheson, leaning back in his place, watched with eyes that missed little. He saw the keen-faced little man whose ident.i.ty mademoiselle had disclosed, calmly fold up his paper, light a cigarette, and stroll across the room to a table nearly opposite. A man was sitting there with a couple of women--a big man with a flushed face and tumbled hair. The waiter was opening a magnum of champagne--everything seemed to promise a cheerful time for the trio. Then a word was whispered in his ear. The newcomer bowed apologetically to the ladies and accepted a gla.s.s of wine. But a moment later the two men left the place together--and neither returned.

"What are you staring at?" Ella demanded curiously.

Macheson looked away from the door and smiled quietly.

"I was wondering," he answered, "what it was like--outside?"

"Would you like to go?" she whispered eagerly in his ear. "I'm ready.

The others could come on afterwards."

"What, without supper?" he exclaimed. "My dear girl, I'm starving.

Besides--I didn't mean that altogether."

"It's rather hard to know what you do mean," she remarked with a sigh.

"Say, I don't understand you a little bit!"

"How should you," he answered, "when I'm in the same fix myself?"

"I wish you were like other boys," she remarked. "You're so difficult!"

He looked at her--without the mask--for a moment, and she drew back, wondering. For his eyes were very weary, and they spoke to her of things which she did not understand.

"Don't try," he said. "It wouldn't be any good."

Mademoiselle sank into her chair opposite to them, breathless and hot.

She accepted a gla.s.s of wine and begged for a cigarette. She whispered in Macheson's ear that the big man was a forger, an affair of the year before last. He was safe away from Paris, but the price of his liberty was more than he could pay. The man there to the left with the lady in pink, no! not the Vicomte, the one beyond, he was tried for murder a month ago. There was a witness missing--the case fell through, but--mademoiselle shook her shoulders significantly. The lady with fair hair and dark eyes, Macheson asked, was she English? But certainly, mademoiselle a.s.sured him. She was the divorced wife of an English n.o.bleman. "To-night she is alone," mademoiselle added, "but it is not often! Ah, monsieur!"

Mademoiselle shook her finger across the table. Macheson's too curious glance had provoked a smile of invitation from the lady!

"I really think you might remember that I am here," Ella remarked. "It is very interesting to hear you talk French, but I get tired of it!"

Mademoiselle took the hint and flitted away. Supper arrived and created a diversion. Nevertheless, Macheson alone of the little party seemed to have absorbed successfully the spirit of the place. He was almost recklessly gay. He drank toasts right and left. He was the centre from which the hilarity of the room seemed to radiate. Davenant was half muddled with wine, and sleepy. He sat with his arm about Rosine, who looked more often towards Macheson. Ella, who had refused to eat anything, was looking flushed and angry. She had tried to link her arm in her companion's, but he had gently disengaged it. She kept whispering in his ear, and sat with her eyes glued upon Mademoiselle Flossie, whose glances and smiles were all for Macheson. And soon after the end came.

The band began a waltz--"L'Amoureuse"--it was apparently mademoiselle herself who had commanded it. With the first bars, she sprang to her feet and came floating down the room, her arms stretched out towards Macheson. She leaned over the table, her body swaying towards him, her gesture of invitation piquant, bewitching. Macheson, springing at once to his feet, rested his hand for a moment upon the table which hemmed him in, and vaulted lightly into the room. A chorus of laughter and bravoes greeted his feat.

"But he is un homme galant, this Englishman," a Frenchwoman cried out, delighted. Every one was watching the couple. But Ella rose to her feet and called a waiter to move the table.

"I am going," she said angrily. "I have had enough of this. You people can come when you like."

They tried to stop her, but it was useless. She swept down the room, taking not the slightest notice of Macheson and his companion, a spot of angry colour burning in her cheeks. Davenant and Mademoiselle Rosine stood up, preparing to follow her. The former shouted to Macheson, who brought his partner up to their table and poured her out a gla.s.s of champagne.

"Ella's gone!" Davenant exclaimed. "You'll catch it!"

Macheson smiled.