ple who had suffered
from a severe attack of love.

Lord Chandos found the time pass very pleasantly; he said to himself he
might as well remain in Rome and enjoy himself, as go back to England
and be miserable. Wherever he went, he could not see Leone. He would not
trust himself; he loved her too much, if he were in the same land, not
to be near her.

Being in Rome, he did as the Romans did; he amused himself to the very
utmost of his power; he seized every golden hour that passed, and though
he loved Leone as much as ever, he ceased to feel the keen pain which
their separation had caused him at first. One morning, from the Countess
of Lanswell to Lady Jane Cambrey, there passed a little note. It said,
simply:

"Shall we take the first step to-night? Bring Lady Marion to the
Princess Galza's concert, and leave the rest to me."

Lady Cambrey lost no time. She sought her ward and said so much to her
about the concert, for which they both had invitations, that Lady Marion
was eager to go.

"I must superintend your toilet, Marion; as it is your first appearance
in Roman society, you must make a favorable impression."

She selected one of the loveliest toilets that could have been chosen--a
white brocade, embroidered with flowers of the palest blue.

"You must wear pearls and pale-blue flowers," she said, "and you will
find that to-morrow every one will be talking of the new beauty that has
risen over Rome."

Lady Marion looked perfectly beautiful; she was perfect in her style,
the very queen of blondes, with her soft, shining hair, and eyes blue as
the summer skies. Her face was the purest mixture of rose and white,
with the dainty, delicate color described in that one line:

"Crimson shell, with white sea foam."

She had a beautiful, fresh mouth, a dimpled chin, a neck and shoulders
white as ivory, arms so rounded and white it was a treat to see them.
She was of the queenly type--tall, with the promise of a grand
womanhood; her white throat was firm, her arms rounded and strong; she
was the ideal of an English gentlewoman; her pure, proud face, clear
eyes, and sweet lips were beautiful beyond words. When she was dressed
that evening for the princess' concert she looked most charming. Lady
Cambrey had said truly that among the dark-eyed daughters of Italy she
would shine white and fair as a white dove among colored ones.

Her dress was the perfection of taste--it was trimmed with pale-blue
forge