papoosh disappeared entirely) completed her costume. She had three
necklaces on, each of which would have dowered a Princess--her fingers
glistened with rings to their rosy tips, and priceless bracelets,
bangles, and armlets wound round an arm that was whiter than the ivory
grand piano on which it leaned.

As Miriam de Mendoza greeted the stranger, turning upon him the solemn
welcome of her eyes, Codlingsby swooned almost in the brightness of
her beauty. It was well she spoke; the sweet kind voice restored him to
consciousness. Muttering a few words of incoherent recognition, he sank
upon a sandalwood settee, as Goliath, the little slave, brought aromatic
coffee in cups of opal, and alabaster spittoons, and pipes of the
fragrant Gibelly.

"My lord's pipe is out," said Miriam with a smile, remarking the
bewilderment of her guest--who in truth forgot to smoke--and taking up
a thousand pound note from a bundle on the piano, she lighted it at
the taper and proceeded to re-illumine the extinguished chibouk of Lord
Codlingsby.


IV.


When Miriam, returning to the mother-of-pearl music-stool, at a signal
from her brother, touched the silver and enamelled keys of the ivory
piano, and began to sing, Lord Codlingsby felt as if he were listening
at the gates of Paradise, or were hearing Jenny Lind.

"Lind is the name of the Hebrew race; so is Mendelssohn, the son of