Madame de Nézel was listening with a mournful expression in her eyes, and a kind-hearted smile, whilst as for M. de Clagny, it was as though all the sensitiveness and affection of his nature had gone out towards this pretty, fragile-looking, young creature. His eyes, beaming with tenderness, seemed to take in at the same time, the beautiful face, the little rosy fingers as they touched the strings of the guitar, and the slender, supple figure.
When Bijou had come to the end of her song, she went up to him, without paying any attention to the compliments that were being showered on her, and, in a pretty, coaxing way, she asked:
M. de Clagny could not answer for a moment. He felt choked with emotion.
"I shall often ask you for that song again," he said at last. "Yes, I shall come often, and you will sing me the 'Petit Soldat,' won't you?"
He had a great desire to hear Bijou sing for him--for him alone; he did not want to share her voice and her charm with all these people whom he now detested.
"You shall come as often as you please," she answered, looking delighted, "and I will sing you everything you like," and then gliding away she went across to Jean de Blaye, who was standing alone at the other end of the drawing-room. "It annoys you when I sing, doesn't it?" she asked him.
"Why, no!" he answered, surprised at the question, and surprised that Bijou should trouble about him. "Why should you think so?"
"Because I saw you just now--you were pulling your moustache in the most furious way, and you looked bored to death. Yes, you certainly did look bored!"
"Oh, no! it was not just my imagination. When I care about anyone I am always very clear-sighted! so, you see, it is quite the contrary. Why are you frowning now?"
"Oh, yes, you were, and it looks as though what I said just now had vexed you, too."
"That I am very clear-sighted. And you are vexed, because you are afraid that I shall see that something is the matter."
"Something the matter?" he asked uneasily. "What is it?"
"What is it? Ah! I don't know! But most certainly something is the matter with you--you are not at all like yourself ever since--why, ever since we have been at Bracieux."
"Really?" he said, putting on a joking tone. "I am different, am I--and the most extraordinary thing is, that I did not know myself about this difference."