owever cultured and refined the individuals may be, a _mass_ of
human beings is like some wild animal--awkward, ungainly, horribly cruel,
ready to gloat over the discomfiture of friend or foe.

The flickering of the candles in the silver candlesticks seemed to become
a noisy flaring, and through the large room the falling of a waxen flake
on the polished table rang out distinctly; the string of a violin broke,
and it sounded like a pistol-shot in the stillness. Her Highness remained
unmoved, with eyes fixed upon the musicians. The tension was almost
intolerable. The victory seemed to belong to the stern hostess, and yet
it was upon Wilhelmine standing in the doorway that every eye was fixed.
She stood perfectly motionless, one hand upon the lintel of the door, the
other holding her fan; her head was poised imperiously, chin tilted as
when she sang; her lips were parted in a half-smile, and her eyes were
fixed upon her Highness with her strange compelling look. Was the Duchess
victorious? surely not--the homage of the whole company was to the beauty
of the woman on the threshold.

At length the Duke, in desperation, boldly touched her Highness's
shoulder. 'Your Highness has not observed your Highness's newly appointed
lady-in-waiting!'

He spoke so clearly that the audience heard each carefully pronounced
syllable.

'Your Highness will remember summoning Mademoiselle de Graevenitz to
attend upon your Highness this evening for the first time in her new
capacity?'

Johanna Elizabetha turned. For a tick of the clock she deliberately
measured her adversary with her protuberant eyes, then slowly she bent
her head in formal greeting. Wilhelmine stepped forward, then sank to the
ground in the elaborate court courtesy; rising, she walked a few steps,
and again swept her Highness the usual obeisance, and calmly assumed her
appointed place as lady-in-waiting behind the Duchess's chair.

The musicians recommenced to play; her Highness stared stonily before
her; the Duke leaned back drumming with nervous fingers on the gilt arm
of his chair; the audience murmured together conjectures and remarks.
Wilhelmine was almost as motionless as her Highness; her eyes were fixed
upon the musicians, and her face was inscrutable. The concert came to an
end, and the Duchess rose; she turned towards Madame de Stafforth,
summoning her as lady-in-waiting-extraordinary to accompany her, thereby
entirely ignoring Wilhelmine, the newly appointed