d
Ambassador, who was walking second in the red and yellow line, grinned
openly at each other, while the ex-Viceroy in front, who had been
agreeably flattered by the effect produced by his girl-cousin in the
august circles of the day before, nodded and smiled at the young lady in
the white plumes and pale mauve dress.

"Do you know my cousin, Lady Constance Bledlow?--the girl in mauve
there?" he said, complacently in the ear of the Public Orator, as they
stood waiting till the mingled din from the organ and the
undergraduates' gallery overhead should subside sufficiently to allow
that official to begin his arduous task of introducing the
doctors-elect.

The Public Orator, in a panic lest one of the Latin puns in his
forthcoming address should escape him, said hurriedly--"Yes!"--and then
"No"--being quite uncertain to which girl in mauve the great man
referred, and far too nervous to find out. The great man smiled, and
looked up blandly at the shrieking gallery overhead, wondering--as all
persons in his position do wonder in each succeeding generation--whether
the undergraduates were allowed to make quite such an infernal noise
when he was "up."

Meanwhile, Constance herself was only conscious of one face and figure
in the crowded theatre. Falloden had borrowed a master's gown, and as
the general throng closed up behind the doctors' procession, he took up
a position in the rear, just in front of the great doors under the organ
loft, which, as the day was very hot, remained unclosed. His dark head
and athlete's figure, scarcely disguised by the ampler folds of the
borrowed gown, showed in picturesque relief against the grey and sunlit
background of the beautiful Divinity School, which could be seen through
the doorway. Constance knew that his eyes were on her; and she guessed
that he was only conscious of her, as she at that moment was only
conscious of him. And again that tremor, that premonition of some coming
attack upon her will which she half dreaded, and half desired, swept
over her. What was there in the grave and slightly frowning face that
drew her through all repulsion? She studied it. Surely the brow and eyes
were beautiful--shaped for high thought, and generous feeling? It was
the disdainful sulky mouth, the haughty carriage of the head, that
spoilt a noble aspect. Yet she had seen the mouth quiver into softness;
and those broad shoulders had once stood between her and
danger--possibly death. Her heart tre