Our Own Set

s yet gave no sign of amalgamation into a "Monde gris." His Holiness the Pope had entrenched himself

solely in order to avail himself of the resources of the Vatican library in compiling that work on the History of Miracle which he has lately given to the world under a quaint pseudonym. He and his wife with a troup of red-haired Ils

ranch, in which--as we all know--the women are remarkable for their white eyebrows and their strict morality. The Ilsenbergh salon was much frequented;

ocratic-conservative tendencies, patronized by himself, taken in by his fellow-aristocrats, but read by absolutely no one--excepting the liberal newspaper writers when in search of reactionary perversities. Count Ilsenbergh was in great trouble; the Austrian Ministry had crowned their distinguished achievements by one even more distinguished--for the fourth time within three yea

m a circulating library. She was a tall, fair woman with a high color and apricot-colored hair, a languid figure, slender extremities and insignificant features; she spoke French and German alike with a strong Viennese accent, dressed unfashionably, an

alloping horse and a jockey bending over its mane; a work of art especially admired for the rapidity with which it was executed. Since then he had studied art in Paris, had three times had his pictures refused at the salon and had succeeded in persuading himself that this was a distinction--in which he found a parallel in Rousseau, Delacroix and fifty fellow-victims who had been obliged to submit to a similar rebuff. Then he had come to Rome, an unappreciated genius, and had established himself in a magnificent studio in the Piazza Navona, which he threw open to the public every

said the countess greeting him heartily; "it i

ld friend as you are will allow me to go on with my work; only a few lines--half a dozen words. These are grave times, when

musical soirée, and presently her husband ended his page with an emphatic flourish, excl

heard to draw u

terday," observed the countess, an

row in sublime superiority; his frigid exterior had won him a reputation for excessive pride, and totally belied the man. He was an uncommonly kind and noble-hearted soul, and what passed for pride was merely the shr

ow are you?" cried the cou

ver," repl

your wife?" as

not

still

poke his expression was cold

e countess, anxious to divert the con

s her," answered Truyn. His 'little companion' al

very soon," said the lady. "My Mim

so very shy she cannot bear strangers. But she has quite

s. "Do you mean that he has the pati

talent for it. He d

ure!" sighed the countess. "H

p was heard outside and Co

ula!" remarke

gaging smile, and by fine blue eyes with dark lashes and shaded lids. Under cover of that smile he could say the most audacious things, and whether the glance of those eyes were a lightning flash or a sunb

n enough, Nicki; and in society I hardly ever meet you," complained the countess i

the other world!" said Ilsenberg

ance from his wife w

or it," said Sempaly half lau

th his quiet irony.... "In dipl

on the great washing-basin question

question!" repeated

ct that he had not only to live in barracks, but to wash at the pump like a common soldier. This so outraged his mamma that she went to the Minister of War to petition that her son might h

uyn; Ilsenbergh shrugged his shoulde

immortal princ

Sempaly coolly. "Or if you prefer it, the first steps towards the abdicati

aliciously as he fanned himself with a Japanese screen,

added Truyn drily; he had not muc

esides, joking apart, I am really a liberal, though I own I am uneasy at the growing power of the radicals. By the bye, I had nearly forgotten to give you two ite

s, and she shuddered, "we shall s

yn, with his to

rotect it against the pestilential flood of democracy," said Sem

t of place," said the counte

aid Truyn. "Our people

re," interrupted Ilsenber

said Sempaly laughing, "and to them equality

and loyal!" exclaimed Ilse

es are opened your life will cease to be secure. If I had been a bricklayer I should certa

. No, you could not have been a socialist; your religious

piciously, and Truyn said

eligious; he might have found some difficulty in

mewhat anxiously to his cousin. "You

our comfortable little existence," said Truyn in a tone of grave and languid banter. For Sempaly was not burthened with religion, though, like many folks to whom life

untess still sunk in dark forebodings. "Thi

the papers and inundating us with new Acts which the crown w

gnashing their teeth a

at bottom; it will not bite till you forbid i

ther," said the countess, looking comp

y put a stop to your chances of promotion?" Sempaly was in fact an app

ut one of our secretaries here is to go to England, and the democrats are sendi

tess much interested. "If he is a protégé of t

; he comes from Teheran where he has dist

eated Ilsenbe

gust. "It is to be hoped he has

sure you," said the gener

rmured the countes

eplied the general, "and if he has grown up as he promised he mus

any rate," Ilsenberg

d Sempaly; "we require one ma

uld have the appointment," muttere

ation. "A foreign element is always intrusive;

table and the secretary and his infer