She found time, however, to bestow a little of it on Newman, in an occasional vague smile, the very vagueness of which pleased him, allowing him as it did to fill it out mentally, both at the time and afterwards, with such meanings as most pleased him.

He sat by without speaking, looking at the entrances and exits, the greetings and chatterings, of Madame de Cintre's visitors.

He felt as if he were at the play, and as if his own speaking would be an interruption; sometimes he wished he had a book, to follow the dialogue; he half expected to see a woman in a white cap and pink ribbons come and offer him one for two francs.

Some of the ladies looked at him very hard--or very soft, as you please; others seemed profoundly unconscious of his presence.

The men looked only at Madame de Cintre.