her and gave her a pretty little diamond brooch. Barty gave her a
gold cross and a hearty shake of the hand, and she seemed quite
heart-broken.

Then up came the long, full train, and their luggage was swallowed,
and they got in, and the two guards blew their horns, and they left
Malines behind them--with a mixed feeling of elation and regret.

They had not been very happy there, but many people had been very
kind; and the place, with all its dreariness, had a strange, still
charm, and was full of historic beauty and romantic associations.

Passing Louvain, Barty shook his fist at the Catholic University and
its scientific priestly professors, who condemned one so lightly to
a living death. He hated the aspect of the place, the very smell of
it.

At Verviers they left the Belgian train; they had reached the limits
of King Leopold's dominions. There was half an hour for lunch in the
big refreshment-room, over which his Majesty and the Queen of the
Belgians presided from the wall--nearly seven feet high each of
them, and in their regal robes.

Just as the Rohans ordered their repast another English party came
to their table and ordered theirs--a distinguished old gentleman of
naval bearing and aspect; a still young middle-aged lady, very
handsome, with blue spectacles; and an immensely tall, fair girl,
very fully developed, and so astonishingly beautiful that it almost
took one's breath away merely to catch sight of her; and people were
distracted from ordering their mid-day meal merely to stare at this
magnificent goddess, who was evidently born to be a mother of
heroes.

These British travellers had a valet, a courier, and two maids, and
were evidently people of consequence.

Suddenly the lady with the blue spectacles (who had seated herself
close to the Rohan party) got up and came round the table to Barty's
aunt and said:

"You don't remember me, Lady Caroline; Lady Jane Royce!"

And an old acquaintance was renewed in this informal
manner--possibly some old feud patched up.

Then everybody was introduced to everybody else, and they all
lunched together, a scramble!

It turned out that Lady Jane Royce was in some alarm about her eyes,
and was going to consult the famous Dr. Hasenclever, and had brought
her daughter with her, just as the London season had begun.

Her daughter was the "divine Julia" who had refused so many splendid
offers--among them the little hunchback Lord who was to have a
thousand a