Consequences

on S

e very extravagance of her expecta

stood before the great pier glass in the drawing-room, under the chandelier which had be

nsoftened except for a small draping of pleated white chiffon held on the left shoulder with a cluster of dead-white roses, which were repeated at the side of the broad, white-ribbon belt. The most prominent feature of the dress was the immensity of the sleeves, sti

nd with a slight additional length of "tail," and a considerable additional fuln

y Isabel delightedly. "Better

o see Miss Clare in her ball-dress before she started, were grouped in the doorway, the

age, was right inside the draw

They've hid your failings something wonderful, and your hair and complexi

ng on enviously in her plain schoolroom frock and str

hite satin shoes pinched her feet or not

gazing through his double eye-glasses that made her flush more than ever

ngratulate you on your ap

next moment, with that sudden softened

my dear. You will be taken for sist

watching her mother's exquisite flush, felt a

she lacked the poise that added charm to her mother's beauty, an

is?" asked her mother critically. "Some girls wear pearls, I

d-back collar of swan-down adding to the already disproportionate width of

r of disarranging the light Princess-of

the daughters of her hostess and introduced in an unvarying formula, to which each responded by a bow and a polite request for the pleasure of a dance with her. Alex danced readily enough, but found conversation stran

several times, as Alex returned between each d

range, disconcerting experience that had been hers a year or two earlier, when

a next day, and said that she had been so busy dan

ls do that sort of thing at first, when they're foolish, and then the

the omega

n Alex did not go down to supper, someti

of her partners depended very largely upon the attentiveness of her hostess or of her hostess's daughters. Young men did not always claim dances f

man, Alex, at the very outside. It's such bad form to make yoursel

r expensive frocks, she thought would promote interest in her amongst her fellow-creatures, and to the same end she simulated an enthusiasm-which was so entirely foreign to her real feelings that it lacked any semblance of body-for the crazes of her immediate generation, centred in Planchette and in the publication

hess's ball on Tuesday already!" a very young, childi

d. What could the

and they've all asked me for dances, and some for

m of prattle. Yet she was asked to reserve the favour of her dances three days or four days in advance, and

e who gave Alex a further shock b

rance, a girl with very fair hair?

to her voice at the sudden memory of Queenie, who had left her

nce. "I know two or three who rave about her. Mother says she's rather inclined to be fast. I think people

nie's unpopular parent. She felt disloyal to Q

ns that Alex enjoyed least of any form of entertainm

th bated breath in financial circles, conveyed less to her inexperience than did the dark, glowing eyes, swarthy skin and the Se

ranslated the faint hint of servility in his deference, as did m

dmiration for the prettiness of some girl whose entry, preceded by that of an insignif

rk eyes which he kept upon her face, as though finding it mor

ful faces than hers, nev

liment, and she blushed. As though to cover her shyness, the young Jew wen

oaty voice lingered over

great friend

say so. I think I may say that I, also, have the privileg

left school," said Alex wistfu

deliberately. "To my mind Miss Torrance was the b

should think her jealous, although he had carefully em

other day how much

ker. "She is very much admired

Alex suggested, thinking that she

with calm assurance. "Are you going to the D

omage implied, rather than expressed, in

ill see Mis

d must have undoubtedly met with, to be so much admired, and she remembered with

Queenie Torrance, came out last year, and every o

her. I remember now," said Lady Isabel

ery one. That Mr. Golds

ittle while and then said, "I've heard about the Torrance girl. Men-of a sort-ad

, it had not occurred to her that she would be considered very pretty,

el was not with her. Excess of fatigue had unwillingly constrained her to stay at hom

he doorway, watching the kaleidoscopic scene of col

upon the broad stairway without, up and down which innumerable figures passed and re-passed. From the sudden lightning flash in his ardent black

as inaudible amid the crashing of dance music, bu

oldierly still, had changed less than Queenie. She looked much taller than Alex

ble "jug-handle" knot on the top of her head. She wore a wreath of tiny blue forget-me-nots that deepened the tint of her grey-blue eyes, and the colour was repeated freely in the deep frills and ruchings of he

ched her

up was pressing round her, claiming

heart-shaped mouth recalled to Alex with extraord

insolent security in his bearing, while she dispensed her favours

Goldstein imperiously approached Queenie. She swayed towards him, still smiling slight

ozen men would count the evening worth while for the privilege of dancing once w

e hand, her white, heavy eyelids cast down under her pure, open forehead, and Goldstein's arm encircling her waist as he guided

tty woman is, of whom young Golds

supposed Queenie to be of matur

th me," Alex repeated. "I've not seen her since she

dee

of masculine judgment made Ale

k she's pret

g-beautiful, in fact

ersonality was evidently as potent with older men as with young Goldstein and

he said deliberately, "that she is not-alt