CHAPTER 8Animated
State Officer Stromer, who ushered Blanche Drummond into the studio, was a phlegmatic youth; but even he stood for a moment as if bedazzled, looking after the straight, tall, long-waisted figure, and the curled arrangement of gold-brown hair drawn up from the long white neck, before he withdrew and shut the vision out.
It was the new animation in her face that made it seem really beautiful, the unwonted color in her cheeks that brightened her eyes. But the brightness made the eyes seem harder, and the animation aged her by years. Gamadge had never seen her so handsome or so old.
She went quickly around the end of Mosson’s sofa and sat down beside him.
“Mr. Mosson,’“ she said, “isn’t this dreadful? Could you give me a drink? I really need one.”
Mosson began to pour th
