g diabolical could have
made her so well instructed, she who has never been in England before."

"Do you ask how I know all that?" the girl said laughing. "Then I
answer, novels. It is all Herr Tauchnitz and his pretty books."

"And so you really never were in England before--not even as a baby?"
Lady Randolph said.

The girl's gaiety had attracted even the pair at the other end of the
table, who had so much to say to each other. The Contessa and Sir Tom
exchanged a look, which Lucy remarked with a little surprise, and
remarked in spite of herself: and the great lady interfered to help her
young dependent out.

"How glad I am to give her that advantage, dear lady! It is the crown of
the petite's education. In England she finds the most fine manners, as
well as villages full of _objets-de-piete_. It is what is needful to
form her," the Contessa said.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE OPENING OF THE DRAMA.

"Come and sit beside me and tell me everything," said the Contessa. She
had appropriated the little sofa next the fire where Lady Randolph
generally sat in the evening. She had taken Lucy's arm on the way from
the dining-room, and drew her with her to this corner. Nothing could be
more caressing or tender than her manner. She seemed to be conferring
the most delightful of favours as she drew towards her the mistress of
the house. "You have been married--how long? Six years! But it is
impossible! And you have all the freshness of a child. And very happy?"
she said smiling upon Lucy. She had not a fault in her pronunciation,
but when she uttered these two words she gave a little roll of the "r"
as if she meant to assume a defect which she had not, and smiled with a
tender benevolence in which there was the faintest touch of derision.
Lucy did not make out what it was, but she felt that something lay under
the dazzling of that smile. She allowed the stranger to draw her to the
sofa, and sat down by her.

"Yes, it is six years," she said.

"And ver--r--y happy?" the Contessa repeated. "I am sure that dear Tom
is a model husband. I have known him a very long time. Has he told you
about me?"

"That you were an old friend," said Lucy, looking at her. "Oh yes! The
only thing is, that we are so much afraid you will find the country
dull."

The Contessa replied only with an eloquent look and a pressure of the
hand. Her eyes were quite capable of expressing their meaning without
words; and Lucy felt that she had guessed h