But he took more notice of Lady Agatha Slade than of any one else that
evening. She was placed next to him at dinner, and she really was
radiant to look upon in palest green chiffon. She had an exquisite
little head, with soft hair piled with wondrous lightness upon it, and
her long little neck swayed like the stem of a flower. She was lovely
enough to arouse in the beholder's mind the anticipation of her being
silly, but she was not silly at all.

Lady Maria commented upon that fact to Miss Fox-Seton when they met in
her bedroom late that night. Lady Maria liked to talk and be talked to
for half an hour after the day was over, and Emily Fox-Seton's admiring
interest in all she said she found at once stimulating and soothing. Her
Ladyship was an old woman who indulged and inspired herself with an
Epicurean wisdom. Though she would not have stupid people about her, she
did not always want very clever ones.

"They give me too much exercise," she said. "The epigrammatic ones keep
me always jumping over fences. Besides, I like to make all the epigrams
myself."

Emily Fox-Seton struck a happy mean, and she was a genuine admirer. She
was intelligent enough not to spoil the point of an epigram when she
repeated it, and she might be relied upon to repeat it and give all the
glory to its originator. Lady Maria knew there were people who, hearing
your good things, appropriated them without a scruple. To-night she said
a number of good things to Emily in summing up her guests and their
characteristics.

"Walderhurst has been to me three times when I made sure that he would
not escape without a new marchioness attached to him. I should think he