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GREENBLOW IN GOTHAM. 469
n:
.“ Yes; from New Orleans; and he's
dying to know you.
Shall I introduce
him ?” - -
“As you please,” said the lady, as
curious feeling of interest stirring in her
usually placid breast. For he had been
a southerner--lze had come from New
Orleans-that well-remembered one, her
idol, Mr. Frezier. The South was her
fairy-land. Had Greenblow been an-
nounced asa Butterfield's Cornerser, she
would not have eondescended to feel the
slightest interest in him. But a comer
from that South so beloved in her
thoughts-that South whence had come
the fiery little Frezier, her lost love!
That was different. .
‘In a moment Darius was before her.
He was introduced-with a French ac-
cent upon his name, made by rolling the
9‘ a trifle, and converting Green, Ang-
lais, into'Gren, Francois. He seated
himself in a chair adjoining, and not
too near.
I “They’re getting ready for the Ger-
man, Frozie,”-said Bleake. "Do you
dance, Mr. Greenblow? But I sup-
pose--” I
He . supposed, indeed, that ‘Darius
knew asmuch about’ the German as‘ he
did about a Kickapoo war-dauee,but
Was interrupted with, .
' “ Oh, yes; I dance the German ;" and
Darius turned an inquiring look upon
Miss Bleake. ' i
“ Why, then,” said St. Gorge, “you'll
join US, won’t you ?"
“May I have the honor?” said Dari-
“3v who had learnt his lesson from Mons.
Trippit, and who jumped upon his ‘feet
to say it, and to bow as per instructions.
“ St. George,” said Frozena, languid-
].Ya without directly answering Green-
b10W at all, “ you know I never dance
that romping German.”
“ Well, then, I'll leave you together,”
and he kissed his glove gallantly, and
turned away. ‘I '
Left alone, Darius opened a conver-
sation with his charmer.
“Pleasant evening,” said he, as an
introductory observation.
" Very pleasant,” said Frozena, freez-
IDSLY‘-not that she designed to be freez-
VOL. III.-80.
4
ing, understand; but she could not ‘be
otherwise, and be herself. -
There was a pause; and then another
attempt on the part of the young man:
“Nice party.”
“ Rather nice," dropped from her lips
like an icicle.
“I saw you when you came in,” Dari- x
us proceeded desperately, “and I never
was- That is to say, there was such a
crowd that 1-”
He paused, to give the lady amop-
portunity to respond to this lucid obser-
vation, but she lent no helping hand,
and the sentence was left sprawling, so
to speak. She looked straight before
her, with a gaze that said, plainly enough,
that she was for the moment quite un-
conscious of his presence.
Miss Bleake was looking into the far-
away South; she was busy with memory;
she saw again the warm, dark face of
the little Creole, heard again his loving,
tones, feltagain the strong magnetism
of his presence, with its melting influence-
upon her iey nature. By and by she.
said, suddenly,
“ You are from New Orleans sir ?”
“ Yes,” said Darius, with a start.
“Did you ever meet Mr. Frezier ?"
“‘ Know him well,” said Darius, bold-
ly. “Frezier? Oh, yes. Keeps a fur-
store, don't he? Tall man-red whiskers.
One’ of histingers cut‘ oil"-lost it in a
thrashing-machine when he was a boy.
That the man ?”
“Not at all ; Mr. Frezier is dark, and
small, and his hands,” said Frozena, “ are
perfection-were, when I saw him last."
“ How long ago was that?”
“ Years.” .
“ Oh,. thhn, perhaps he’s moved away.
The population changes frequently in
New Orleans.” ,
After this the conversation became ex-
tremely monosyllabie on the lady’s part,
and in truth, not very voluble 011 the
part of her admirer. He felt the inde-
scribable chill of her presence, but it
only came to him as a strange and novel
influence, indicating the lady's lzaut (on,
her aristocratic blood and breeding, and
therefore her, to him, extreme desirabili-
ty. She was above him-on a pinnacle,