The dinner itself was chatter about a jumble of places, personalities, plans, most of which had nothing to do withanything that Clyde had personally contacted here. However, by reason of his own charm, he soon managed toovercome the sense of strangeness and hence indifference in some quarters, more particularly the young womenof the group who were interested by the fact that Sondra Finchley liked him. And Jill Trumbull, sitting besidehim, wanted to know where he came from, what his own home life and connections were like, why he haddecided to come to Lycurgus, questions which, interjected as they were between silly banter concerning differentgirls and their beaus, gave Clyde pause. He did not feel that he could admit the truth in connection with hisfamily at all. So he announced that his father conducted a hotel in Denver--not so very large, but still a hotel.
Also that he had come to Lycurgus because his uncle had suggested to him in Chicago that he come to learn thecollar business. He was not sure that he was wholly interested in it or that he would continue indefinitely unlessit proved worth while; rather he was trying to find out what it might mean to his future, a remark which causedSondra, who was also listening, as well as Jill, to whom it was addressed, to consider that in spite of all rumorsattributed to Gilbert, Clyde must possess some means and position to which, in case he did not do so well here,he could return.
This in itself was important, not only to Sondra and Jill, but to all the others. For, despite his looks and charmand family connections here, the thought that he was a mere nobody, seeking, as Constance Wynant hadreported, to attach himself to his cousin's family, was disquieting. One couldn't ever be anything much more thanfriendly with a moneyless clerk or pensioner, whatever his family connections, whereas if he had a little moneyand some local station elsewhere, the situation was entirely different.
And now Sondra, relieved by this and the fact that he was proving more acceptable than she had imagined hewould, was inclined to make more of him than she otherwise would have done.
Are you going to let me dance with you after dinner?" was one of the first things he said to her, infringing on agenial smile given him in the midst of clatter concerning an approaching dance somewhere.
Why, yes, of course, if you want me to," she replied, coquettishly, seeking to intrigue him into furtherromanticisms in regard to her.
Just one?""How many do you want? There are a dozen boys here, you know. Did you get a program when you came in?""I didn't see any.""Never mind. After dinner you can get one. And you may put me down for three and eight. That will leave youroom for others." She smiled bewitchingly. "You have to be nice to everybody, you know.""Yes, I know." He was still looking at her. "But ever since I saw you at my uncle's last April, I've been wishing Imight see you again. I always look for your name in the papers."He looked at her seekingly and questioningly and in spite of herself, Sondra was captivated by this naiveconfession. Plainly he could not afford to go where or do what she did, but still he would trouble to follow hername and movements in print. She could not resist the desire to make something more of this.
Oh, do you?" she added. "Isn't that nice? But what do you read about me?""That you were at Twelfth and Greenwood Lakes and up at Sharon for the swimming contests. I saw where youwent up to Paul Smith's, too. The papers here seemed to think you were interested in some one from SchroonLake and that you might be going to marry him.""Oh, did they? How silly. The papers here always say such silly things." Her tone implied that he might beintruding. He looked embarrassed. This softened her and after a moment she took up the conversation in theformer vein.
Do you like to ride?" she asked sweetly and placatively.
I never have. You know I never had much chance at that, but I always thought I could if I tried.""Of course, it's not hard. If you took a lesson or two you could, and," she added in a somewhat lower tone, "wemight go for a canter sometime. There are lots of horses in our stable that you would like, I'm sure."Clyde's hair-roots tingled anticipatorily. He was actually being invited by Sondra to ride with her sometime andhe could use one of her horses in the bargain.
Oh, I would love that," he said. "That would be wonderful."The crowd was getting up from the table. Scarcely any one was interested in the dinner, because a chamberorchestra of four having arrived, the strains of a preliminary fox trot were already issuing from the adjacentliving room--a long, wide affair from which all obstructing furniture with the exception of wall chairs had beenremoved.
You had better see about your program and your dance before all the others are gone," cautioned Sondra.
Yes, I will right away," said Clyde, "but is two all I get with you?""Well, make it three, five and eight then, in the first half." She waved him gayly away and he hurried for a dancecard.
The dances were all of the eager fox-trotting type of the period with interpolations and variations according tothe moods and temperaments of the individual dancers. Having danced so much with Roberta during thepreceding month, Clyde was in excellent form and keyed to the breaking point by the thought that at last he was in social and even affectional contact with a girl as wonderful as Sondra.
And although wishing to seem courteous and interested in others with whom he was dancing, he was almostdizzied by passing contemplations of Sondra. She swayed so droopily and dreamily in the embrace of GrantCranston, the while without seeming to, looking in his direction when he was near, permitting him to sense howgraceful and romantic and poetic was her attitude toward all things--what a flower of life she really was. AndNina Temple, with whom he was now dancing for his benefit, just then observed: "She is graceful, isn't she?""Who?" asked Clyde, pretending an innocence he could not physically verify, for his cheek and forehead flushed.
I don't know who you mean.""Don't you? Then what are you blushing for?"He had realized that he was blushing. And that his attempted escape was ridiculous. He turned, but just then themusic stopped and the dancers drifted away to their chairs. Sondra moved off with Grant Cranston and Clyde ledNina toward a cushioned seat in a window in the library.
And in connection with Bertine with whom he next danced, he found himself slightly flustered by the cool,cynical aloofness with which she accepted and entertained his attention. Her chief interest in Clyde was the factthat Sondra appeared to find him interesting.
You do dance well, don't you? I suppose you must have done a lot of dancing before you came here--inChicago, wasn't it, or where?"She talked slowly and indifferently.
I was in Chicago before I came here, but I didn't do so very much dancing. I had to work." He was thinking howsuch girls as she had everything, as contrasted with girls like Roberta, who had nothing. And yet, as he now feltin this instance, he liked Roberta better. She was sweeter and warmer and kinder--not so cold.
When the music started again with the sonorous melancholy of a single saxophone interjected at times, Sondracame over to him and placed her right hand in his left and allowed him to put his arm about her waist, an easy,genial and unembarrassed approach which, in the midst of Clyde's dream of her, was thrilling.
And then in her coquettish and artful way she smiled up in his eyes, a bland, deceptive and yet seeminglypromising smile, which caused his heart to beat faster and his throat to tighten. Some delicate perfume that shewas using thrilled in his nostrils as might have the fragrance of spring.
Having a good time?""Yes--looking at you.""When there are so many other nice girls to look at?""Oh, there are no other girls as nice as you.""And I dance better than any other girl, and I'm much the best-looking of any other girl here. Now--I've said itall for you. Now what are you going to say?"She looked up at him teasingly, and Clyde realizing that he had a very different type to Roberta to deal with, waspuzzled and flushed.
I see," he said, seriously. "Every fellow tells you that, so you don't want me to.""Oh, no, not every fellow." Sondra was at once intrigued and checkmated by the simplicity of his retort. "Thereare lots of people who don't think I'm very pretty.""Oh, don't they, though?" he returned quite gayly, for at once he saw that she was not making fun of him. Andyet he was almost afraid to venture another compliment. Instead he cast about for something else to say, andgoing back to the conversation at the table concerning riding and tennis, he now asked: "You like everything outof-doors and athletic, don't you?""Oh, do I?" was her quick and enthusiastic response. "There isn't anything I like as much, really. I'm just crazyabout riding, tennis, swimming, motor-boating, aqua-planing. You swim, don't you?""Oh, sure," said Clyde, grandly.
Do you play tennis?""Well, I've just taken it up," he said, fearing to admit that he did not play at all.
Oh, I just love tennis. We might play sometime together." Clyde's spirits were completely restored by this. Andtripping as lightly as dawn to the mournful strains of a popular love song, she went right on. "Bella Griffiths andStuart and Grant and I play fine doubles. We won nearly all the finals at Greenwood and Twelfth Lake lastsummer. And when it comes to aqua-planing and high diving you just ought to see me. We have the swiftestmotor- boat up at Twelfth Lake now--Stuart has. It can do sixty miles an hour."At once Clyde realized that he had hit upon the one subject that not only fascinated, but even excited her. For notonly did it involve outdoor exercise, in which obviously she reveled, but also the power to triumph and soachieve laurels in such phases of sport as most interested those with whom she was socially connected. Andlastly, although this was something which he did not so clearly realize until later, she was fairly dizzied by theopportunity all this provided for frequent changes of costume and hence social show, which was the one thingabove all others that did interest her. How she looked in a bathing suit--a riding or tennis or dancing orautomobile costume
They danced on together, thrilled for the moment at least, by this mutual recognition of the identity and reality ofthis interest each felt for the other--a certain momentary warmth or enthusiasm which took the form of genial andseeking glances into each other's eyes, hints on the part of Sondra that, assuming that Clyde could fit himself athletically, financially and in other ways for such a world as this, it might be possible that he would be invitedhere and there by her; broad and for the moment self-deluding notions on his part that such could and would bethe case, while in reality just below the surface of his outward or seeming conviction and assurance ran a deepercurrent of self-distrust which showed as a decidedly eager and yet slightly mournful light in his eye, a certainvigor and assurance in his voice, which was nevertheless touched, had she been able to define it, with somethingthat was not assurance by any means.
Oh, the dance is done," he said sadly.
Let's try to make them encore," she said, applauding. The orchestra struck up a lively tune and they glided offtogether once more, dipping and swaying here and there--harmoniously abandoning themselves to the rhythm ofthe music--like two small chips being tossed about on a rough but friendly sea.
Oh, I'm so glad to be with you again--to be dancing with you. It's so wonderful . . . Sondra.""But you mustn't call me that, you know. You don't know me well enough.""I mean Miss Finchley. But you're not going to be mad at me again, are you?"His face was very pale and sad again.
She noticed it.
No. Was I mad at you? I wasn't really. I like you some . . . when you're not sentimental."The music stopped. The light tripping feet became walking ones.
I'd like to see if it's still snowing outside, wouldn't you?" It was Sondra asking.
Oh, yes. Let's go."Through the moving couples they hurried out a side-door to a world that was covered thick with soft, cottony,silent snow. The air was filled with it silently eddying down.