too the other night. She's quite
beautiful. I don't believe they know what to do with her."

"What on earth do you mean?" said Woodville.

"My dear boy, I have my faults, but I have one little gift, and that is
a _flair_ for success. It will be all very well for Miss Sylvia to marry
the Greek man to begin with----"

"Do you propose she should marry any one else to go on with then?"

"Don't be absurd. I mean, of course, that would start her, and so on.
He's a friend of exalted personages and that sort of thing, and it would
certainly bring her forward. Although I think she could do better. But
she ought to come out in tableaux or something and be really seen,
quite soon; while she's a novelty."

"I really think there's something wrong with your tonneau," said
Woodville.

Bertie smiled cheerfully. "Don't worry, my chauffeur's one of the best
drivers in London. But, about tableaux; next month at Worcester
House----"

"Miss Crofton doesn't care about that sort of thing," said Woodville.

"No? I heard she had rather a line of her own. What is her pose? She
ought to settle on it. You know there is nothing so uncomfortable as not
having settled on one's pose. Oh!" Bertie gave a start. "I beg your
pardon. I see the whole thing! But of course! You're in love with her.
What a fool I am!"

"You are indeed. I see very little of Miss Crofton. You're generally
positive, and always wrong."

"Oh, is it as bad as that? My dear Woodville, I'm so sorry! What a
tactless idiot I am! But Lady Chetwode, now. Her great friend, Vera
Ogilvie, I know very well indeed. I met her last Tuesday, so she's quite
an old friend. Mrs. Ogilvie's the pretty woman who thinks she has a
Byzantine profile. She's all over strange jewels and scarabs, and uncut
turquoises and things. She has a box on the second tier, and it was
there that it all happened."

"That what happened?"

"Why, my falling in love at first sight; I mean, with Lady Chetwode, of
course; and what makes me so bad is that I hear of her everywhere.
Nothing worse than that! Her frocks and her mots,--it seems she's very
clever, I hear, and says the most delightful things. And there's another
thing, if I don't make a dash for it this season, I shan't have a chance
next. I see that."

"Didn't I tell you she's simply wrapped up in her husband?"

"Of course. That's just the point. I don't know Chetwode, but he's the
fellow who has the wonderful collection. First Empire things, and chi