discussion.

Therefore, it took no little courage for the Countess d'Alzette to
touch, with her dainty gloves, a subject which every scientist in
Europe, with scarcely an exception, had pronounced fraudulent and
unworthy of investigation. And to bring it before the great
International Congress required more courage still; for the person
who could face, in executive session, the most brilliant intellects in
the world, and openly profess faith in a Barnumized bird skin, either
had no scientific reputation to lose or was possessed of a bravery far
above that of the savants who composed the audience.

Now, when the pretty Countess caught a flash of encouragement in my
glance she turned rosy with gratification and surprise. Clearly, she
had not expected to find a single ally in the entire congress. Her
quick smile of gratitude touched me, and made me ashamed, too, for I
had encouraged her out of the pure love of mischief, hoping to hear
the whole matter threshed before the congress and so have it settled
once for all. It was a thoughtless thing to do on my part. I should
have remembered the consequences to the Countess if it were proven
that she had been championing a fraud. The ruffled dignity of the
congress would never forgive her; her scientific career would
practically be at an end, because her theories and observations could
no longer command respect or even the attention of those who knew that
she herself had once been deceived by a palpable fraud.

I looked at her guiltily, already ashamed of myself for encouraging
her to her destruction. How lovely and innocent she appeared, standing
there reading her notes in a low, clear voice, fresh as a child's,
with now and then a delicious upward sweep of her long, dark lashes.