! one could hardly tell you; as you look now, from the very commonest
tradesman--if you were not rather handsome and something of a figure.
It's a disguise, Evan--do you know that?'

'And I 've parted with it--that 's all,' said Evan. 'No more disguises
for me!'

The Countess immediately took his arm, and walked with him to a window.
His face was certainly changed. Murmuring that the air of Lymport was bad
for him, and that he must leave it instantly, she bade him sit and attend
to what she was about to say.

While you have been here, degenerating, Evan, day by day--as you always
do out of my sight--degenerating! no less a word!--I have been slaving in
your interests. Yes; I have forced the Jocelyns socially to acknowledge
us. I have not slept; I have eaten bare morsels. Do abstinence and vigils
clear the wits? I know not! but indeed they have enabled me to do more in
a week than would suffice for a lifetime. Hark to me. I have discovered
Rose's secret. Si! It is so! Rose loves you. You blush; you blush like a
girl. She loves you, and you have let yourself be seen in a shop!
Contrast me the two things. Oh! in verity, dreadful as it is, one could
almost laugh. But the moment I lose sight of you, my instructions vanish
as quickly as that hair on your superior lip, which took such time to
perfect. Alas! you must grow it again immediately. Use any perfumer's
contrivance. Rowland! I have great faith in Rowland. Without him, I
believe, there would have been many bald women committing suicide! You
remember the bottle I gave to the Count de Villa Flor? "Countess," he
said to me, "you have saved this egg-shell from a crack by helping to
cover it"--for so he called his head--the top, you know, was beginning to
shine like an egg. And I do fear me he would have done it. Ah! you do not
conceive what the dread of baldness is! To a woman death--death is
preferable to baldness! Baldness is death! And a wig--a wig! Oh, horror!
total extinction is better than to rise again in a wig! But you are
young, and play with hair. But I was saying, I went to see the Jocelyns.
I was introduced to Sir Franks and his lady and the wealthy grandmother.
And I have an invitation for you, Evan--you unmannered boy, that you do
not bow! A gentle incline forward of the shoulders, and the eyes fixed
softly, your upper lids drooping triflingly, as if you thanked with
gentle sincerity, but were indifferent. Well, well, if you will not! An
invitation for you t