onfidence?'

'The strength I draw from you.'

One of the Beauties at a garden-party is lucky to get as many minutes
as had passed in quietness. Diana was met and captured. But those last
words of Percy's renewed her pride in him by suddenly building a firm
faith in herself. Noblest of lovers! she thought, and brooded on the
little that had been spoken, the much conveyed, for a proof of perfect
truthfulness.

The world had watched them. It pronounced them discreet if culpable;
probably cold to the passion both. Of Dacier's coldness it had no doubt,
and Diana's was presumed from her comical flights of speech. She was
given to him because of the known failure of her other adorers. He
in the front rank of politicians attracted her with the lustre of his
ambition; she him with her mingling of talent and beauty. An astute
world; right in the main, owing to perceptions based upon brute nature;
utterly astray in particulars, for the reason that it takes no count
of the soul of man or woman. Hence its glee at a catastrophe; its poor
stock of mercy. And when no catastrophe follows, the prophet, for the
honour of the profession, must decry her as cunning beyond aught yet
revealed of a serpent sex.

Save for a word or two, the watchman might have overheard and trumpeted
his report of their interview at Diana's house. After the first pained
breathing, when they found themselves alone in that room where they
had plighted their fortunes, they talked allusively to define the terms
imposed on them by Reason. The thwarted step was unmentioned; it was a
past madness. But Wisdom being recognized, they could meet. It would
be hard if that were denied! They talked very little of their position;
both understood the mutual acceptance of it; and now that he had seen
her and was again under the spell, Dacier's rational mind, together
with his delight in her presence, compelled him honourably to bow to the
terms. Only, as these were severe upon lovers, the innocence of their
meetings demanded indemnification in frequency.

'Come whenever you think I can be useful,' said Diana.

They pressed hands at parting, firmly and briefly, not for the ordinary
dactylology of lovers, but in sign of the treaty of amity.

She soon learnt that she had tied herself to her costly household.

CHAPTER XXVIII. DIALOGUE ROUND THE SUBJECT OF A PORTRAIT, WITH SOME
INDICATIONS OF THE TASK FOR DIANA

An enamoured Egeria who is not a princess in her worldly