s a ghost! But it is a vastly pretty
gown. Lucky for you it did not suit my complexion; dead white never
does. But perhaps you are too white--all white. For my part I vow I like
colour. Your servant, madam! How do you fancy my new curtshey?" and the
little lady went through elaborate steps with her tiny twinkling feet,
and made a bow, which, however, she was careful should not be too low to
run any risk of disarranging her high coiffure, the erection of which
had cost so much trouble and sorrow of heart.

CHAPTER II.

THE TIDE OF FASHION.

Wiltshire's Rooms were illuminated by many wax-candles, shedding a
softened and subdued light over the gay crowd which assembled there on
this December night. Lady Betty was soon surrounded by her admirers, and
showing off her dainty figure in the minuet and Saraband.

There were three apartments in Wiltshire's Rooms--one for cards and
conversation or scandal, as the case might be, and one for refreshments,
and the larger one for dancing.

Griselda was left very much to herself by her gay chaperon, and it was
well for her that she had so much self-respect, and a bearing and manner
wonderfully composed for her years. She was anxious to make her escape
from the ball-room to the inner room beyond; and she was just seating
herself on a lounge, as she hoped, out of sight, when a young man made
his way to her, and, leaning over the back of the sofa, said:

"I could not get near you at the concert at Mrs. Colebrook's last
evening. Nor could I even be so happy as to speak to you afterwards.
Less happy than another, madam, I accounted myself."

Though the speaker was dressed like the other fashionable beaux who
haunted the balls and reunions at Bath, and adopted the usual formality
of address as he spake to Griselda, there was yet something which
separated him a little from the rest. His clear blue eyes knew no guile,
and there was an air of refinement about him which inspired Griselda
with confidence. While she shrank from the bold flatteries and broad
jests of many of the gentlemen to whom she had been introduced by Lady
Betty, she did not feel the same aversion to this young Mr. Travers. He
had come for his health to take the Bath waters, and a certain delicacy
about his appearance gave him an attraction in Griselda's eye.

Lady Betty Longueville called him dull and stupid, and had declared that
a man whose greatest delight was scraping on a violoncello, ought to
have respe