ere was a subdued thrill amongst the audience. There was not the
full-throated applause that had greeted him at Covent Garden; but he
made allowance for that. The pit and the gallery had had something to
say last evening: they were always ready to recognise a new genius.
This assembly was too _blase_, it was no longer capable of great
emotion, even in the case of an artist of the first rank. But, in a
way, they were subtly appreciative. At least, he had pleased them.

Nello Corsini, with his keen Latin mind, grasped the situation.
Princess Zouroff had set the fashion. There were many more fashionable
concerts at which he would be invited to play, at remunerative fees.
But he also remembered that both Papa Peron and Degraux had pointed
out to him the uncertain tenure of public favour.

Unobtrusively, he made his way out, but not before Princess Zouroff
had thanked him warmly for the pleasure he had given them, and
introduced him to a few notable persons, some of them hostesses as
popular as herself, who had spoken gracious words.

And while he was talking to one of these exalted ladies, there had
floated to him a vision of youthful beauty, the lovely young Princess
Nada, attired in an exquisite dress of white satin, a single diamond
star in her dark-brown hair, round her slim neck a row of pearls.
These were her only ornaments. She reached out her slender hand.

"Thank you so much, Signor. That exquisite little romance brought the
tears to my eyes. We shall meet many times again, I trust, and I shall
often ask you, as a special request, to play that to me."

"Enchanted, Mademoiselle," answered Corsini, bowing low, and blushing
a little. He was rather overwhelmed with these compliments from great
ladies. The person to whom he was talking when Nada intervened was a
popular Countess, the chatelaine of an historic house in Piccadilly.
She had spoken of a concert in a few days' time which she had invited
the young violinist to attend.

"A great artist and a very handsome young man also," murmured the
great lady to Nada, as soon as Nello was out of earshot. "He will very
soon be the rage. Bauquel will want to commit suicide."

The Prince, who was talking to the Prime Minister, and always saw
everything that was going on, had observed the brief conversation
between his sister and the violinist. A scowl settled on his handsome
face.

As soon as he was disengaged, he overtook the young Princess as she
was on her way to s