You had so cultivated her mind and polished her manners that her attractions were doubled, and I fell an easy victim to them." He uttered these words with an exaggerated solemnity, the result of which was to produce, for a moment, an almost embarrassing silence.
Bernard was rapidly becoming more and more impatient of his own embarrassment, and now he exclaimed, in a loud and jovial voice-- "Blanche makes victims by the dozen! I was a victim last winter; we are all victims!" "Dear little Blanche!" Mrs.Vivian murmured again.
Angela had said nothing; she had simply stood there, making no attempt to address herself to Gordon, and yet with no affectation of reserve or of indifference.

Now she seemed to feel the impulse to speak to him.
"When Blanche comes to see us, you must be sure to come with her," she said, with a friendly smile.
Gordon looked at her, but he said nothing.
"We were so sorry to hear she is out of health," Angela went on.
Still Gordon was silent, with his eyes fixed on her expressive and charming face.
"It is not serious," he murmured at last.
"She used to be so well--so bright," said Angela, who also appeared to have the desire to say something kind and comfortable.
Gordon made no response to this; he only looked at her.
"I hope you are well, Miss Vivian," he broke out at last.
"Very well, thank you." "Do you live in Paris ?" "We have pitched our tent here for the present." "Do you like it ?" "I find it no worse than other places." Gordon appeared to desire to talk with her; but he could think of nothing to say.

Talking with her was a pretext for looking at her; and Bernard, who thought she had never been so handsome as at that particular moment, smiling at her troubled ex-lover, could easily conceive that his friend should desire to prolong this privilege.
"Have you been sitting here long ?" Gordon asked, thinking of something at last.
"Half an hour.

We came out to walk, and my mother felt tired.

It is time we should turn homeward," Angela added.
"Yes, I am tired, my daughter.