Page:Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal, t. I.djvu/28

 head to foot. He seemed to be slowly drawing me to him, and I must confess the feeling was such a pleasant one that I yielded entirely to it.

"Just then Briancourt, who had not seen me, turned round, and recognizing me, nodded in his off-hand way. As he did so, the pianist's eyes brightened, and he whispered something to him, whereupon the General's son, without giving him any answer, turned towards me, and, taking me by the hand, said:

"'Camille, allow me to introduce you to my friend Réné. M. Réné Teleny—M. Camille Des Grieux.'

"I bowed, blushing. The pianist stretched forth his ungloved hand. In my fit of nervousness I had pulled off both my gloves, so that I now put my bare hand into his.

"He had a perfect hand for a man, rather large than small, strong yet soft, and with long, tapering fingers, so that his grasp was firm and steady.

"Who has not been sentient of the manifold feelings produced by the touch of a hand? Many persons seem to bear a temperature of