rettiest and most proper, if she
be ever called on to relate it to the world.

She has a talent at putting such stories so nicely in order that
anything which may be objectionable in them is altogether invisible, as
a clever _faiseur_ will so arrange old laces on a court train that the
darns and stains in them are wholly hidden away. She likes exercising
her ingenuity in this way; and, although the narrative given her by
Gervase has certainly seemed to her objectionable, and one which places
the hero of it in an unpleasant light, it may with tact be turned so as
to show nothing but what is interesting. And to this end she also begins
to drop little hints, little phrases suggestive of that virtue of
blameless and long constancy with which it is necessary to invest her
cousin Alan, if he is to be made a centre of romance. She even essays
these very delicately on the ear of Xenia Sabaroff; but they are met
with so absolute a lack of response, so discouraging and cold an absence
of all understanding, that she cannot continue to try them in that
direction.

"If that odious Brandolin were not here!" she thinks, irritably.

The attentions of Brandolin are very marked to the Princess Sabaroff,
and are characterized by that carelessness of comment and that color of
romance which have always marked his interest in any woman. He is not a
rival _a plaisanter_, she knows; but then she knows, too, that he never
is serious in these matters. When she first hears the story of Gervase,
she heartily wishes that there were any pretence to get rid of Xenia
Sabaroff, and hastily wonders what excuse she could make to break up her
Surrenden circle. But on reflection she desires as strongly to retain
her there; and, as there is to be a child's costume ball on the occasion
of the Babe's birthday a fortnight hence, she makes the children entreat
their friend to stay for it, and adds her own solicitation to theirs.
Madame Sabaroff hesitates, is inclined to refuse, but at length
acquiesces.

Unfortunately, Usk, who always to his wife's mind represents the bull in
the china-shop with regard to any of her delicate and intricate
combinations, insists that Brandolin shall not leave either. So the
situation remains unchanged, though many guests come and go, some
staying two days, some three or four.

Xenia Sabaroff has seen and suffered enough to make her not lightly won
or easily impressed. She knows enough of the world to know her own value
in i