She was of a light, frivolous character, loving life for the
satisfactions and pleasures which it brought her, appearing to accept
with smiling conformity the silent and grave adoration of her husband.
She could not well do less with a man of his merits. Besides, she had
brought to the marriage a dowry of three hundred thousand francs, a
capital which had enabled the engineer to enlarge his business. The
senator had been instrumental in arranging this marriage. He was
interested in Laurier because he was the son of an old friend.
Upon Marguerite Laurier the presence of Julio flashed like a ray of
sunlight in the tiresome salon of Lacour. She was dancing the fad of the
hour and frequenting the tango teas where reigned the adored Desnoyers.
And to think that she was being entertained with this celebrated and
interesting man that the other women were raving about! . . . In order
that he might not take her for a mere middle-class woman like the other
guests at the senator's party, she spoke of her modistes, all from the
rue de la Paix, declaring gravely that no woman who had any self-respect
could possibly walk through the streets wearing a gown costing less than
eight hundred francs, and that the hat of a thousand francs--but a few
years ago, an astonishing novelty--was nowadays a very ordinary affair.
This acquaintanceship made the "little Laurier," as her friends called
her notwithstanding her tallness, much sought by the master of the
dance, in spite of the looks of wrath and envy hurled at her by the
others.
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