Man and Maid

The days go slowly on, my preparations are complete. My good friend

Nelson arrived on Monday and took charge of the affair. He was entirely

aware of the Bulteel story, it was the great scandal of twenty-five

years ago. He expressed no opinion as to my marrying into such a family,

but went about the business end with diligence. I made a very nice

settlement upon Alathea, more than he thought was necessary. Then he

spoke of arrangements for possible children, and fixed that, too. I

wonder what she will say when she reads that part! I have settled with

the Duchesse, who is entering into the spirit of the thing with her

usual delicious whimsical understanding, that some time soon after the

wedding she shall ask about ten of our principal mutual friends to come

in the afternoon, and she will present Alathea to them, and if anyone

makes comments upon the matter, she will say that she is the daughter of

an old English friend, and even if Coralie recognizes her as the girl

who was with me at Versailles, she will not dare to say a word about any

protegée of the Duchesse's. She is much too afraid of offending her,

being received at the Hotel de Courville herself on sufferance only

because of her birth and family. As for Maurice, I can manage him! Now I

am beginning to wonder what Alathea would prefer to do? I don't want to

see her until the ceremony, but I suppose I must.

The Duchesse has arranged that I should meet my fiancée in her

sitting-room and sign the contract there on the day before the wedding,

five days from now. Alathea, she tells me is like a frozen image, but

faithful to her promise to me, my dear old friend has not made any

comment or tried to aid matters. I think she rejoices that I shall have

such an interesting time in the breaking down of the barrier.

Nina writes heartbrokenly; Johnnie was very dear to her; sorrow seems to

have brought out all that is best in her. She says she feels that she

just drifted along, taking all good and happiness for granted, and not

doing enough for other people, and that now she is going to devote her

life to making Jim happy and contented, and hopes some day, not too far

off, to have another child to care for. Darling old Nina! She always was

the best sort in the world.

Of Suzette I have heard nothing, although Burton says he caught sight of

her on the stairs just whisking into the flat above mine, which has been

taken by a lovely actress, a cousin of hers, who has married a rich

retired Jew antiquaire!