was held by two of the
narrowest bands on her shoulders. In the deep _decollete_ she pushed
two rosebuds from the big bunch, and hung round her neck a pendant of
mother-of-pearl and silver. She wore no other jewellery, and she needed
none. She faced him, a vision of loveliness.

They went down the stairs together and out into the crush of people, some
of the women in evening dress, but few of the men. The many uniforms
looked better, Peter thought, despite the drab khaki. They had to stand
for awhile while a taxi was found, Julie laughing and chatting
vivaciously. She had a wrap for her shoulders that she had bought in Port
Said, set with small metallic points, and it sparkled about her in the
blaze of light. She flattered him by seeming unconscious of anyone else,
and put her hand on his arm as they went out.

They drove swiftly through back-streets to the restaurant that Peter had
selected, and stopped in a quiet, dark, narrow road off Greek Street.
Julie got out and looked around with pretended fear. "Where in the world
have you brought me?" she demanded. "However did you find the place?
It's worse than some of your favourite places in Havre."

Inside, however, she looked round appreciatively. "Really, Peter, it's
splendid," she said under her breath--"just the place," and smiled
sweetly on the padrone who came forward, bowing. Peter had engaged a
table, and they were led to it.

"I had almost given you up, sir," said the man, "but by good fortune,
some of our patrons are late too."

They sat down opposite to each other, and studied the menu held out to
them by a waiter. "I don't know the meaning of half the dishes," laughed
Julie. "You order. It'll be more fun if I don't know what's coming."

"We must drink Chianti," said Peter, and ordered a bottle. "You can think
you are in Italy."

Elbows on the table as she waited, Julie looked round. In the far corner
a gay party of four were halfway through dinner. Two officers, an elderly
lady and a young one, she found rather hard to place, but Julie decided
the girl was the fiancee of one who had brought his friend to meet her.
At other tables were mostly couples, and across the room from her, with
an elderly officer, sat a well-made-up woman, very plainly _demimonde_.
Immediately before her were four men, two of them foreigners, in morning
dress, talking and eating hare. It was evidently a professional party,
and one of the four now and again hummed out a little air