cys, Villierses, Butlers, Osbornes--soft slips of girls
bearing the names of England's rough and turbulent youth, bearing
themselves to-night with a shy or laughing dignity, as though the touch
of history and romance were on them. And facing them, the youths of the
same families, no less handsome than their sisters and brides--in
Romney's blue coats, or the splendid red of Reynolds and Gainsborough.

To and fro swayed the dancers, under the innumerable candles that filled
the arched roof and upper walls of the ballroom; and each time the lines
parted they disclosed at the farther end another pageant, to which that
of the dance was in truth subordinate--a dais hung with blue and silver,
and upon it a royal lady whose beauty, then in its first bloom, has been
a national possession, since as, the "sea-king's daughter" she brought
it in dowry to her adopted country. To-night she blazed in jewels as a
Valois queen, with her court around her, and as the dancers receded,
each youth and maiden seemed instinctively to turn towards her as roses
to the sun.

"Oh, beautiful, beautiful world!" said Kitty to herself, in an ecstasy,
pressing her small hands together; "how I love you!--<i>love</i> you!"

* * * * *

Meanwhile Darrell and Harman stood side by side near the doorway of the
ballroom, looking in when the crowd allowed.

"A strange sight," said Harman. "Perhaps they take it too seriously."

"Ah! that is our English upper class," said Darrell, with a sneer. "Is
there anything they take lightly?--<i>par exemple!</i> It seems to me they
carry off this amusement better than most. They may be stupid, but they
are good-looking. I say, Ashe"--he turned towards the new-comer who had
just sauntered up to them--"on this exceptional occasion, is it allowed
to congratulate you on Lady Kitty's gown?"

For Kitty, raised upon her step, was at the moment in full view.

Ashe made some slight reply, the slightest of which indeed annoyed the
thin-skinned and morbid Darrell, always on the lookout for affronts. But
Louis Harman, who happened to observe the Under-Secretary's glance at
his wife, said to himself, "By George! that queer marriage is turning
out well, after all."

* * * * *

The Tudor and Marie Antoinette quadrilles had been danced. There was a
rumor of supper in the air.

"William!" said Kitty, in his ear, as she came across him in one of the
drawing-rooms, "Lor