Lady Rose's Daughter

l, it is Jacob! Why, Delafield

self out of his cab, which had just stopped before a house in Bruton Street, and hastily went to meet a

he younger met him with an equal cordiality, expressed

ere announced, I saw. But I thought

are dead, and the rest are uncivil. Well, and h

back with him, along a line of carriages, towards a house which s

eems to be to spend some one el

thought you w

ered me the care of his Essex estates. I like the co

regular income, and no anxieties.

the young man, tranquilly. "Of cou

se. Here

ervants waiting at the door, and spoke in

rather more infirm, generally. But she is at home, as usual--eve

r is there any relatio

o. She detes

ept

wering smile. "Yes, she is good enough to exce

dy Henry herself never writes a letter she can help. I really have heard next to nothing about her for more

Well, there is a lady who has been wi

year. Mademoiselle Le Breton--isn't that her name? What--she

after a moment's hesitation. "Wasn't that a

r the party within was not a "crush." The hostess who had collected it was of opinion that the chief obj

ur uncle rebuilt it. And before that, I remember his mother, the old Duchess he

d, regarding the lights, the house, the guests, w

Delafield, laughing. "But let'

ho is that at the

dozen guests were ascending, and as many coming down. At t

eld lo

elle Le Breton,"

recei

hes herself in the back drawing-room. It doesn't do for he

more helpless that I remember her," mur

of it! Otherwise you won't find mu

-white, in which, so to speak, the head and face were drawn, the life, the animation of the whole--were these not beauty, or more than beauty? As for the eyes, the carriage of the head, the rich magnificence of hair, arranged with an artful eighteenth-century freedom, as Madame Vigée Le Brun might have worn it-

r Wilfrid Bury," said Jacob

old diplomat, puzzled. "And--

eable voice. "You are one of the old friends,

est touch of stiffness in Sir Wilfrid's tone, of which the next moment he was ashamed. "I a

wo or three people go in to see her

"one more device of milady's for

k which passed between him and Mademoiselle Le Breto

that I'm here?" He turned

ws me. Ah, here comes the Duchess!

ead with Sir Wilfrid Bury, turned hastily. A slight, small woman, delic

a look at you. But Freddie says that I've got to meet him at that tiresome Foreign Office! So I can only stay ten minutes. H

and shoulders for a moment, then,

ow afternoon?" said the Duch

hink I can

have some air and exercise! J

ung man, turning away. "Duchess

idn't," said that gentleman, smiling. "She may

chess turned

ht for sair een. Wh

erfunctory--Sir Wilfrid was well aware of it. He was possessed of a fine, straw-colored mustache, and long eyelashes of the same color. Both eyelashes and mustache made a screen behind which, as was well

The voice is magnificent--but she has some tiresome tricks!--and I didn't know what to say to her. As to the other music on the 16th--I say, can't we f

g. Her tone, delicately free and allusive, once more drew Sir Wilfrid's curious eyes to

ound to himself. "Here is Mr. Montresor--going on, too, I suppose, to th

seemed, in so doing, by a pronounced and disfiguring short-sight. He was a strongly built man of more than middle height. His iron-gray hair, deeply carved features, and cavernous black eyes gave him the air of power t

ith wild beasts in Whitehall--worse luck! Ah, Du

Le Breton and smiled upon the Duchess--both actions b

ry?" said Mademoiselle Le

t a skin left. Ah, Sir Wilfrid!--very glad to see you! When did you

ere presently,"

selle--send him in! He's fresh--let him take his turn." And the Minister, grinning, pointed backward over his shoulder towards an inn

e Le Breton, with a laughing shake of th

o my gray hairs. The rating she has just given me for my speech of last

e lady to whom he was speaking; and immediately afterwards Sir Wilfrid, wh

en you want me

d her beautiful eyes to the

he moved away. "Upon my word, for a dame de compagnie that young woman is

ing leading to the inner room. The fair, clouded head of a girl, by Romney, looked down from the panelling above the hearth. A gowned abbé, by Vandyck, made the centre of another wall, facing the Gainsboroughs. The pictures were all famous, and had been associated for generations with the Delafield name. Beneath them the carpets were covered by fine eighteenth-century furniture, much of it of a florid Italian type subdued to a delicate and faded beauty by time an

ew every one; her rule appeared to be at once absolute and welcome. Presently, when she herself accepted a seat, she became, as Sir Wilfrid perceived in the intervals of his own conversation, the leader of the most animated circle in the room. The Duchess, with one delicate arm stretched along the back of Mademoiselle Le Breton's chair, laughed and chattered; two young girls in virginal white placed themselves on big gilt fo

reeches and silver-buckled shoes emerged from the back drawing-

an old general to Sir Wilfrid Bury. "And h

from the lady thus described, and followed her

de, as they approached the penetralia where reigned the mistress

orth," said Mademoiselle Le

n who distinguished himself in the Mahsud ex

e Breton smile

ined and gracious, that Sir Wilfrid had already observed in her. It was the

inistry. I remember the man," wa

ound. Over her wrinkled face, now parchment-white, there

Wil

e from her chair, which was checked

s dressing, I had a feeling that something agreeable was going to happen at last--and then your note came.

nts that it is impossible to make much of any one of them. And the man on the farther side of Lady Henry rose and bowed. He was handsome, and slenderly built. The to

aid the Captain, pleasantly.

oiselle Le Breton, in a low tone, as she s

ned abruptly

sharp, lowered also, but imperious, like the drawin

ld be so

comédie, ma chère

m. Shall I tell h

. Meanwhile, as I particularly desire

Mademoiselle Le Breton. "I thought while the Bish

r vous souvenir de mes instructions--voilà la vérité! Dr. Meredith," the whole imperious form swung round agai

he startled journalist, raising appealing hands, while Lady Henry, delighted with

s anxiety. And now, as she stood a moment behind Lady Henry's chair, one trembling hand steadying the other, Sir Wilfrid was suddenly aware of yet another impression. Lady Henry had treated her companion with a contemptuous and haughty ill-humor. Face to face with her mistress, Mademoiselle Le Breto

an his thought, while aloud he was talking Central Asian

together to the larger drawing-room, and before long Dr. Meredi

es you more than of old," said Sir Wilfrid

re than of old. There is one disease from which no one recove

itied for that," said Sir Wilfrid, smiling. "Many

dy Henry, with energy. "Why should any one exchange with me--a poor, blind,

house as thronged as ever, in the old way. I see half the most distinguished people in London in your drawing-room. It is sad

. She laid one of her wr

quick undertone. Sir Wilfrid was touched by the vague

we are qu

" she said, quivering, with a motion of

iend, what

a woman--whom I took in, in a moment of lunacy--who is now ro

n his ear. Sir Wilfrid, startled and repelled, hesitated for his reply. Meanwhile, La

king, hungering, for your return. You have helped me through emergencies before now. And I am in that state at present that I trust no one, ta

arrassed; then, after a pause, "Who

n shut her strong mouth o

id; "and it would upset me. But, when yo

panion after a pause, "that y

laugh. "That's one way of putting it. But

d pondered

hen I first saw it. But--no;

a little snort o

on to the Foreign Office, as I suppose you are, you'll probably see him to-night. She is uncannily like him.

father?" said Sir Wilfrid

mother and her father," sai

f one doe

ase hold yo

completely mystified

y for such things. Anyway, I can't tell you anything now. But w

you be

unch as I please, and with whom I please. Who

ning of the whole frame, an instinctive and passionate dignity

nt of the Parma violets she wore in profusion at her breast and waist. Her eye glanc

I must have j

eld-out three fingers to the new-comer. "You promised yesterday to come and give me a f

embarrassed. "But you seemed so well empl

said Lady Henry, with a

id the other, in the atti

ing her hand. "We all know how

frid, she bade him farewell with an air which seemed to him intended to avenge upon his neutral perso

sparkle of jewels, the scarlet of the uniforms, the noise and movement of the well-dressed crowd. Then, after this first physical thrill, began the second stage of pleasure--the recognitions and the greetings, after long absence, which show a man where he stands in the great world, which sum up his past and forecast his future. Sir Wilfrid had no

im from whom he had been separated in the crush. Sir Wilfrid recognized old Lord Lackington, the veteran of marvellous youth, painter, poet, and sailor, who as a gay naval lieutenant had entertaine

te hair searched the crowd with the animation of a lad of twenty. Through the energy of his aspect the flame of life still burned, as the evening sun throug

enry had tried to put him on the track. His mind ran over past years, and pieced together the recollections of a long-past scandal. "Of course