on account of some embroilment with the supreme police authorities at
Scotland Yard, and that one of the inmates, a Miss Nickall, the poor young
lady who had had her arm broken and was scarcely convalescent, had need of
quietude and sea air. Mr. Spatt had instantly offered the hospitality of
his home to Miss Nickall, whom he had seen in a cab and who was very sweet.
Miss Nickall had said that she must consult her companion. It now appeared
that the companion was gone to the Midlands. This episode had occurred
immediately before the receipt of the telegram from head-quarters asking
for shelter for Miss Jane Foley and Mrs. Moncreiff.

Mr. Spatt's excitement had now communicated itself to everybody except Mr.
Ziegler and Siegfried Spatt. Jane Foley almost recovered her presence of
mind, and Mrs. Spatt was extraordinarily interested to learn that Miss
Nickall was an American painter who had lived long in Paris, and that
Audrey had first made her acquaintance in Paris, and knew Paris well.
Audrey's motor-car had produced a considerable impression on Aurora Spatt,
and this impression was deepened by the touch about Paris. After breathing
mysterious orders into the ear of the parlourmaid Mrs. Spatt began to talk
at large about music in Paris, and Mr. Spatt made comparisons between the
principal opera houses in Europe. He proclaimed for the Scala at Milan; but
Mr. Ziegler, who had methodically according to a fixed plan lived in all
European capitals except Paris--whither he was soon going, said that Mr.
Spatt was quite wrong, and that Milan could not hold a candle to Munich.
Mrs. Spatt inquired whether Audrey had heard Strauss's _Elektra_ at the
Paris Opera House. Audrey replied that Strauss's _Elektra_ had not been
given at the Paris Opera House.

"Oh!" said Mrs. Spatt. "This prejudice against the greatest modern
masterpieces because they are German is a very sad sign in Paris. I have
noticed it for a long time."

Audrey, who most irrationally had begun to be annoyed by the blandness of
Mr. Ziegler's smile, answered with a rival blandness:

"In Paris they do not reproach Strauss because he is German, but because he
is vulgar."

Mrs. Spatt had a martyrised expression. In her heart she felt a sick
trembling of her religious belief that _Elektra_ was the greatest opera
ever composed. For Audrey had the prestige of Paris and of the automobile.
Mrs. Spatt, however, said not a word. Mr. Ziegler, on the other hand, after
shuffli