Perhaps he had been too bold in
interpreting her parable.
Yes, there was no doubt that this spoiled favorite of the public, who
lived amid the excitements, the flatteries, the gratifications of the
moment, with hardly a thought of the future, was dreadfully extravagant,
though it was rarely on himself that he lavished his reckless
expenditure. Nina's protests were of no avail; whenever he saw anything
pretty or odd or interesting, that he thought would please her, it was
purchased there and then, to be given to her on the first opportunity.
One day he was going through Vigo Street, and noticed in a shop-window a
pair of old-fashioned, silver-gilt loving-cups--those that interclasp;
and forthwith he went in and bought them: "I'll take those; how much are
they" being his way of bargaining. In the afternoon he carried them down
to Sloane Street.
"Here, Nina, I've brought you a little present; and I'll have to show
you how to use it, or you would never guess what it is for."
When he unrolled his pretty gift out of the pink tissue paper, Nina
threw up her hands in despair.
"Oh, it is too much of a folly!" she exclaimed. "Why do you do it, Leo?
What is the use of old silver to me?"
"Well, it's nice to look at," said he.
Pages:
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418