ude of splendid toilette, sailed proudly by, glittering
with jewels and filmy in costly lace.

While the Countess Balderoni was exchanging salutations with a
distinguished guest, the Baron de Limayrac stood respectfully waiting
his time to be recognized.

"My friend, Count Pracontal, madame," said he, presenting the stranger,
and, though a most frigid bow from the hostess acknowledged the
presentation, Pracontal's easy assurance remained unabashed, and, with
the coolest imaginable air, he begged he might have the great honor of
being presented to Lady Augusta Bramleigh.

Lady Augusta, not waiting for her sister's intervention, at once
accepted the speech as addressed to herself, and spoke to him with much
courtesy.

"You are new to Rome, I believe?" said she.

"Years ago I was here; but not in the society. I knew only the artists,
and that Bohemian class who live with artists," said he, quite easily.
"Perhaps I might have the same difficulty still, but Baron de Limayrac
and I served together in Africa, and he has been kind enough to present
me to some of his friends."

The unaffected tone and the air of good-breeding with which these few
words were uttered, went far to conciliate Lady Augusta in his favor;
and after some further talk together she left him, promising, at some
later period of the evening, to rejoin him and tell him something of the
people who were there.

"Do you know, _cara_, that he is downright charming?" whispered she to
her sister, as they walked together through the rooms. "Of course I mean
Pracontal; he is very witty, and not in the least ill-natured. I 'm so
sorry the Culduffs have not come. I 'd have given anything to present
Pracontal to his cousin--if she be his cousin. Oh, here they are: and is
n't she splendid in pearls?"

Lord and Lady Culduff moved up the salon as might a prince and princess
royal, acknowledging blandly but condescendingly the salutations that
met them. Knowing and known to every one, they distributed the little
graceful greetings with that graduated benignity great people or
would-be great people--for they are more alike than is generally
believed--so well understand.

Although Lady Augusta and Lady Culduff had exchanged cards, they had not
yet met at Rome, and now, as the proud peer moved along triumphant in
the homage rendered to his own claims and to his wife's beauty, Lady
Augusta stepped quietly forward, and in a tone familiarly easy said,
"Oh, we 've met