t two
antiquated female hearts.

But meanwhile the cloth was being removed, and the port wine and old
Madeira placed before the elder hostess.

"Our father's cellar was famous for its port," she said, "and we have a
few bottles of the '47 left."

But now she felt it was only manners to turn to Mr. Carlyon upon her
other hand, so John Derringham was left in silence, no obligation to
talk to Halcyone making itself felt. She turned and looked at him, he
interested her very much. Mr. Carlyon had quantities of books of
photographs of all the famous statues in Europe and especially in Italy
and Greece, but she could not find any likeness to him in any of her
recollection of them. Alas! his face was not at all Greek. His nose was
high and aquiline, his forehead high and broad, and there was something
noble and dominating in his fearless regard. His hair even did not grow
very prettily, though it was thick and dark--and there was not an ounce
of superfluous flesh upon his whole person. He never for a moment
suggested repose, he gave the impression of vivid, nervous force and
action, a young knight going out to fight any impossible dragon with his
good sword and shield--unabashed by the smoke from its flaming nostrils,
undaunted by any fear of death.

Halcyone watched him, and her prejudice slept.

The silence had lasted quite five minutes when he allowed his natural
good manners, which he was quite aware he had kept in abeyance in regard
to her, to come uppermost.

"The Professor has been telling me how wonderfully you work with him,"
he said; "we under him at Oxford were not half so diligent it seems. I
wonder what good it will be to you at all."

"If a thing gives pleasure, it is good," she answered gravely. "I wanted
to learn Greek because I had a book when I was little which told me
about those splendid heroes, and I thought I could read more about them
when I am grown up if I knew it--than if I did not."

"There is something in that. What was the book?" he asked.

Her steady eyes looked straight into his as she replied: "It was
Kingsley's 'Heroes' and if only I were a boy I would be like Perseus and
go and kill the Gorgon and rescue Andromeda from the sea monster. Pallas
Athene said some fine things to him--do you remember?--when she asked
him the question of which sort of man he would be."

"No, I don't remember," said John Derringham. "You must tell me now."

Then Halcyone began in a soft dream voice while h