e
staircase at one of the ducal mansions, where a grand dinner-party
preceded a _soiree_, and the crowd was so great they were unable to
stir. It is possible to be quite alone in a great crowd, as these two
were now.

Leone had on a dress of white satin trimmed with myrtle, the rich folds
of which trailed on the ground. They shook hands in silence; it was Lord
Chandos who spoke first.

"I am so glad to see you, Leone; but you are looking ill--you must not
look like that. Has anything happened to distress you?"

He saw great trouble in the dark eyes raised to his.

"Is Lady Marion here?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "She was to have come with my mother, but at the last
moment she declined; I do not know why."

She was debating in her own mind whether she would tell him about his
mother's visit or not; then she decided it would be better. He bent over
her.

"I came," he said, "in the hope of seeing you. I heard you say last
night that you should be here."

In a low tone she said to him:

"Your mother has been to see me; talk about dramatic scenes, we had one.
Has she told you anything about it?"

"No," he replied: "she does not speak to me; I am in disgrace; my lady
passes me in silent dignity. She was just going to Lady Marion's room
when I came away, but she did not speak to me. What was the object of
her visit, Leone?"

"It was about Berlin," she said, in a low voice.

He started.

"Has she been to you about that?" he asked. "I thought she had exhausted
all the remarks she had to make on that subject."

The green foliage and crimson flowers of a huge camellia bent over them.
Lord Chandos pushed aside the crimson flowers so that he might more
clearly see his companion's face.

"What has my mother said to you about Berlin, Leone?" he asked.

"She came to beg of me to forbid you to go. She says if you go either
with me or after me you will be a ruined man."

"It will be a most sweet ruin," he whispered.

"Lance," said Leone, "do you know that while Lady Lanswell was talking
to me I went mad--I am quite sure of it. I said such dreadful things to
her; did I mean them?"

"How should I know, my--Leone; but we will not talk about it; never mind
what my mother says, I do not wish to hear it. She came between us once,
but she never will again. She parted us once, she shall never part us
again--never. There can be no harm in my going to Berlin, and there I
shall go--that is, always with your consent and