ministered to her wants with the help of a tea-basket containing the
delicious novelty of English bread and butter. In half an hour's time
they were steaming hurriedly towards London. She was to lodge at a
small hotel in Jermyn Street; and on that first evening even this
seemed perfect to her. The badness of the cooking was a thing she
refused to notice; and the astonishing hills and valleys of the bed
caused in her no sensation beyond that of surprise. She was young,
strong and healthy, and there was no reason that trifling discomforts
of this kind should affect her enjoyment. To the shortcomings of the
bed, indeed, she shut her eyes in more senses than one, for she was
asleep three minutes after her head touched the pillow, nor did she
wake till her maid roused her the next morning.

She got up at once and looked out of the window. It was a fine day again;
over the roofs of the houses opposite she could see a blue streak of sky.
Already the air had lost the touch of freshness which comes, even to
London in August, during the first hours of the morning; and the heat in
the low-ceilinged room on the third floor which Juliet occupied for the
sake of economy, was oppressive in spite of the small sash windows being
opened to their utmost capacity. But Juliet only laughed to herself with
pleasure at the brilliancy of the day. She felt that the weather was
playing up to the occasion, as became this important morning of her life.
For that it was important she did not doubt. She was going to hear
tremendous news that day; make wonderful discoveries about her birth;
hear undreamt-of things. Of this she felt absolutely convinced, and it
would not have astonished her to find herself claimed as daughter by any
of the reigning families of Europe. She was prepared for anything, or so
she said to herself, however astounding; and, that being so, she was
excited in proportion. Anyone could have told her that, by this attitude
of mind towards the future, she was laying up for herself disappointment