tty. Then, after a moment, she looked at her
right-hand neighbor, the young politician to whom as yet she had
scarcely vouchsafed a word.

"What's his name?" she asked, under her breath. Ashe repeated it.

"Perhaps I ought to talk to him?"

"Of course you ought," said Ashe, with smiling decision, and turning to
the lady whom he had brought in he left her free.

* * * * *

When the ladies rose, Lady Grosville led the way to the large
drawing-room, a room which, like the library, had some character, and a
thin elegance of style, not, however, warmed and harmonized by the
delightful presence of books. The walls, blue and white in color, were
panelled in stucco relief. A few family portraits, stiff handlings of
stiff people, were placed each in the exact centre of its respective
panel. There were a few cases of china and a few polished tables. A
crimson Brussels carpet, chosen by Lady Grosville for its
"cheerfulness," covered the floor, and there was a large white sheepskin
rug before the fireplace. A few hyacinths in pots, and the bright fire
supplied the only gay and living notes--before the ladies arrived.

Still, for an English eye, the room had a certain cold charm, was
moreover full of <i>history</i>. It hardly deserved at any rate the shiver
with which Kitty Bristol looked round it.

But she had little time to dwell upon the room and its meanings, for
Lady Grosville approached her with a manner which still showed signs of
the catastrophe before dinner.

"Kitty, I think you don't know Miss Lyster yet--Mary Lyster--she wants
to be introduced to you."

Mary advanced smiling; Kitty held out a limp hand, and they exchanged a
few words standing in the centre of the floor, while the other guests
found seats.

"What a charming contrast!" said Lady Edith Manley in Lady Grosville's
ear. She nodded smiling towards the standing pair--struck by the fine
straight lines of Mary's satin dress, the roundness of her fine figure,
the oval of her head and face, and then by the little, vibrating,
tempestuous creature beside her, so distinguished, in spite of the
billowing flounces and ribbons, so direct and significant, amid all the
elaboration.

"Kitty is ridiculously overdressed," said Lady Grosville. "I hope we
shall soon change that. My girls are going to take her to their woman."

Lady Edith put up her eye-glass slowly and looked at the two Grosville
girls; then back at Kitty.

Meanwhi