His one desire was to make the acquaintance of those persons who
could advance his career, ignore those who could not, and get out
before his deep-seated hatred of the rich caused him to do or say
something he would later regret.
But during the meal he found himself seated across from a beautiful
and fragile young woman who for some reason looked down, blushing,
each time his eyes fell upon her. There was something in her face. .
.he had never been able to describe it. . .that made him curious about
her. He felt drawn to her somehow. He did not know why, nor did he
think to ask. Thinking and asking, outside the pale of his ambition,
were a thing almost forgotten.
So when the company moved to the ballroom he stayed on, and after
watching her for several minutes from a distance, approached her and
asked her to dance. She flushed more deeply than before, looked up at
him with pleading eyes. She started to say yes, then fell into a
swoon.
Oblivious to all else in the room, indeed, in all the world, he caught
her up and carried her to the freer air of the balcony.
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