ustained
stillness, which were more striking than gesticulation. All that could
be done by art was there, and if inspiration was wanting nobody missed
it.

It was in performing this feat that Ethelberta seemed first to discover
in herself the full power of that self-command which further onward in
her career more and more impressed her as a singular possession, until at
last she was tempted to make of it many fantastic uses, leading to
results that affected more households than her own. A talent for
demureness under difficulties without the cold-bloodedness which renders
such a bearing natural and easy, a face and hand reigning unmoved outside
a heart by nature turbulent as a wave, is a constitutional arrangement
much to be desired by people in general; yet, had Ethelberta been framed
with less of that gift in her, her life might have been more comfortable
as an experience, and brighter as an example, though perhaps duller as a
story.

'Ladywell, how came this Mrs. Petherwin to think of such a queer trick as
telling romances, after doing so well as a poet?' said a man in the
stalls to his friend, who had been gazing at the Story-teller with a rapt
face.

'What--don't you know?--everybody did, I thought,' said the painter.

'A mistake. Indeed, I should not have come here at all had I not heard
the subject mentioned by accident yesterday at Grey's; and then I
remembered her to be the same woman I had met at some place--Belmaine's I
think it was--last year, when I thought her just getting on for handsome
and clever, not to put it too strongly.'

'Ah! naturally you would not know much,' replied Ladywell, in an eager
whisper. 'Perhaps I am judging others by myself a little more than--but,
as you have heard, she is an acquaintance of mine. I know her very well,
and, in fact, I originally suggested the scheme to her as a pleasant way
of adding to her fame. "Depend upon it, dear Mrs. Petherwin," I said,
during a pause in one of our dances together some time ago, "any public
appearance of yours would be successful beyond description."'

'O, I had no idea that you knew her so well! Then it is quite through
you that she has adopted this course?'

'Well, not entirely--I could not say entirely. She said that some day,
perhaps, she might do such a thing; and, in short, I reduced her vague
ideas to form.'

'I should not mind knowing her better--I must get you to throw us
together in some way,' said Neigh, with some i