He thought that in her
cheerful face there was an expression of devilish amusement.
He blushed. He furiously buttered his bread as Mrs. Arty
remarked to the assemblage:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want you all to meet Miss Istra Nash.
Miss Nash--you've met Mr. Wrenn; Miss Nelly Croubel, our baby;
Tom Poppins, the great Five-Hundred player; Mrs. Ebbitt, Mr.
Ebbitt, Miss Proudfoot."
Istra Nash lifted her bowed eyes with what seemed shyness,
hesitated, said "Thank you" in a clear voice with a precise
pronunciation, and returned to her soup, as though her pleasant
communion with it had been unpleasantly interrupted.
The others began talking and eating very fast and rather noisily.
Miss Mary Proudfoot's thin voice pierced the clamor:
"I hear you have just come to New York, Miss Nash."
"Yes."
"Is this your first visit to--"
"No."
Miss Proudfoot rancorously took a long drink of water.
Nelly attempted, bravely:
"Do you like New York, Miss Nash?"
"Yes."
Nelly and Miss Proudfoot and Tom Poppins began discussing
shoe-stores, all at once and very rapidly, while hot and
uncomfortable Mr.
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