But Edouard was a little vain as we know; and the
Colonel jarred him terribly. His quick haughty eye jarred him. His
regimentals jarred him: they fitted like a glove. His mustache and his
manner jarred him, and, worst of all, his cool familiarity with Rose,
who seemed to court him rather than be courted by him. He put this act
of Rose's to the colonel's account, according to the custom of lovers,
and revenged himself in a small way by telling Josephine in her ear
"that the colonel produced on his mind the effect of an intolerable
puppy."
Josephine colored up and looked at him with a momentary surprise. She
said quietly, "Military men do give themselves some airs, but he is very
amiable at bottom. You must make a better acquaintance with him, and
then he will reveal to you his nobler qualities."--"Oh! I have no
particular desire," sneered unlucky Edouard. Sweet as Josephine was,
this was too much for her: she said nothing; but she quietly turned
Edouard over to Aubertin, and joined Rose, and under cover of her had a
sweet timid chat with her falsely accused.
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