n awed him a little at first, but it was not till
afterwards, in the broken night following such occasions as this, that
they had power over his imagination; then he saw them, drawn upon
darkness, their beauty without that halo of worldly grandeur which
would not allow him to forget the gulf between them. The hostess
herself shone by quality of intellect rather than by charm of feature;
she greeted him with subtlest flattery, a word or two of simple
friendliness in her own language, and was presenting him to her
husband, when, from the doorway, sounded a name which made Otway's
heart leap, and left him tongue-tied.

"Mrs. Borisoff and Miss Derwent."

He turned, but with eyes downcast: for a moment he durst not raise
them. He moved, insensibly, a few steps backward, shadowed himself
behind two men who were conversing together. And at length he looked.

With thrill of marvelling and rapture, with chill of self-abasement.
When, years ago, he saw Irene in the dress of ceremony, she seemed to
him peerlessly radiant; but it was the beauty and the dignity of one
still girlish. What he now beheld was the exquisite fulfilment of that
bright promise. He had not erred in worship; she who had ever been to
him the light of life, the beacon of his passionate soul, shone before
him supreme among women. What head so noble in its unconscious royalty!
What form so faultless in its mould and bearing! He heard her
speak--the graceful nothings of introduction and recognition; it was
Irene's voice toned to a fuller music. Then her face dazzled, grew
distant; he turned away to command himself.

Mrs. Borisoff spoke beside him.

"Have you no good-evening for me?"

"So this is what you meant?"

"You have a way of speaking in riddles."

"And you--a way of acting divinely. Tell me," his voice sank, and his
words were hurried. "May I go up to her as any acquaintance would? May
I presume that she knows me?"

"You mean Miss Derwent? But--why not? I don't understand you."

"No--I forget--it seems to you absurd. Of course--she wrote and
introduced me to you----"

"You are amusing--which is more than can be said of everyone."

She bent her head and turned to speak with someone else. Piers, with
what courage he knew not, stepped across the carpet to where Miss
Derwent was sitting. She saw his approach, and held her hand to him as
if they had met only the other day. That her complexion was a little
warmer than its wont, Piers had no power o