Page 516 - swanns-way

illuminating them for a moment with a vague and senti-
mental gaze. Meanwhile Mme. de Gallardon had arrived
at the point of saying to herself how annoying it was that
she had so few opportunities of meeting the Princesse des
Laumes, for she meant to teach her a lesson by not acknowl-
edging her bow. She did not know that her cousin was in the
room. A movement of Mme. Franquetot’s head disclosed
the Princess. At once Mme. de Gallardon dashed towards
her, upsetting all her neighbours; although determined to
preserve a distant and glacial manner which should re-
mind everyone present that she had no desire to remain on
friendly terms with a person in whose house one might find
oneself, any day, cheek by jowl with the Princesse Mathilde,
and to whom it was not her duty to make advances since she
was not ‘of her generation,’ she felt bound to modify this
air of dignity and reserve by some non-committal remark
which would justify her overture and would force the Prin-
cess to engage in conversation; and so, when she reached her
cousin, Mme. de Gallardon, with a stern countenance and
one hand thrust out as though she were trying to ‘force’ a
card, began with: ‘How is your husband?’ in the same anx-
ious tone that she would have used if the Prince had been
seriously ill. The Princess, breaking into a laugh which was
one of her characteristics, and was intended at once to shew
the rest of an assembly that she was making fun of some
one and also to enhance her own beauty by concentrating
her features around her animated lips and sparkling eyes,
answered: ‘Why; he’s never been better in his life!’ And she
went on laughing.

516 Swann’s Way