spasmodic
movement with imperturbably pleasant eyes.

"My dear young lady," he said, with one of his courtliest bows, when at
last Miss Fitzmannering had had enough of it, "you have given us a great
treat--you have, indeed."

"A most unique performance," he continued, turning gravely to Lady
Cantourne, by whose side he had been standing; and, strange to say, her
ladyship made a reproving little movement of the lips, and tapped his
elbow surreptitiously, as if he were misbehaving himself.

He offered his arm with a murmur of refreshments, and she accepted.

"Well," he said, when they were alone, or nearly so, "do you not admit
that it was a most unique performance?"

"Hush!" replied the lady, either because she was a woman or because she
was a woman of the world. "The poor girl cannot help it. She is forced
into it by the exigencies of society, and her mother. It is not entirely
her fault."

"It will be entirely my fault," replied Sir John, "if I see her do it
again."

"It does not matter about a man," said Lady Cantourne, after a little
pause; "but a woman cannot afford to make a fool of herself. She ought
never to run the risk of being laughed at. And yet I am told that they
teach that elegant accomplishment at fashionable schools."

"Which proves that the schoolmistress is a knave as well as--the other
thing."

They passed down the long room together--a pattern, to the younger
generation, of politeness and mutual respect. And that which one or
other did not see was not worth comprehension.

"Who," asked Sir John, when they had passed into the other room, "who is
the tall fair girl who was sitting near the fireplace?"

He did not seem to think it necessary to ask Lady Cantourne whether she
had noticed the object of his curiosity.

"I was just wondering," replied Lady Cantourne, stirring her tea
comfortably. "I will find out. She interests me. She is different from
the rest."

"And she does not let it be seen--that is what I like," said Sir John.
"The great secret of success in the world is to be different from other
people and conceal the fact." He stood his full height, and looked round
with blinking, cynical eyes. "They are all very like each other, and
they fail to conceal that."

"I dislike a person," said Lady Cantourne in her tolerant way, "who
looks out of place anywhere. That girl would never look so."

Sir John was still looking round, seeing all that there was to be seen,
and much that was