ecame the
mother of three daughters. (They must be daughters!) Later enquiries
at the house elicited the news that the mother and family were all doing
well.'"

"Really, Grizel! really!" cried Martin, protesting. "You make me
blush."

"Oh, well!" Grizel sighed, and rose to her feet in one swift,
astonishingly agile movement. "Bear up. There's no use getting
agitated before the time. It might be only twins!"

She strolled out of the room, and seating herself on the chair before
her own mirror, gave herself into the hands of the waiting maid.

"Now then, Marie, make me look like a sweet young bride."

Marie looked complacent. It was easy to obey that order, since her
mistress was radiant with beauty and happiness, and there lay waiting on
the bed a gown, which looked as if it had been blown straight out of a
fairy tale for her adornment. The ordinary white satin was far too dull
and substantial to have a place in its concoction. It was a mass of
cobweb lace of extraordinary antiquity and frailness, mounted on a
lining of silver gauze. The fine folds accentuated the reed-like
slimness of Grizel's figure, the misty indefiniteness of shading suited
to a marvel the small face, with its white cheeks and amber eyes, that
face which was at once so colourless, and so aglow. Marie looking at
the reflection in the mirror, pushed aside the cases of jewels, and
lifting a piece of tulle swathed it lightly round her mistress' head,
allowing one long end to flow down the back. It was unconventional, it
was daring, but the effect was irresistible, and Marie stood aside
heaving a sigh of triumph.

"No jewels. Only the gauze. In effect--a veil!"

So it came to pass that when Mr and Mrs Beverley made their entrance
into the great drawing-room of the _Court_, there came to one and all of
the assembled guests the impression of a creature half human, half
fairy, poised midway between heaven and earth, aglow with that absolute,
unshadowed happiness, which is seldom given to mortals to see or to
enjoy. It was indeed the primitive note in Grizel's temperament, which
made such a condition possible. The least introspective of mortals, she
accepted happiness as manna from heaven, throve on to-day's supply, and
confidently expected the morrow's supply. The minor trials, which would
have dimmed the rapture of another bride, pricked her for the moment,
and were then cast aside, and dismissed from thought, as completely as
tho