, "though reserved."

"I admire deep-blue eyes with dark lashes," said the duchess.

Notwithstanding the decision of Lady Montairy, Lothair was scarcely free
from embarrassment when he rejoined the ladies; and was so afraid of
standing alone, or talking only to men, that he was almost on the point
of finding refuge in his dinner-companions, had not he instinctively
felt that this would have been a social blunder. But the duchess
relieved him: her gracious glance caught his at the right moment, and
she rose and met him some way as he advanced. The friends had arrived
so late, that Lothair had had only time to make a reverence of ceremony
before dinner.

"It is not our first meeting," said her grace; "but that you cannot
remember."

"Indeed I do," said Lothair, "and your grace gave me a golden heart."

"How can you remember such things," exclaimed the duchess, "which I had
myself forgotten!"

"I have rather a good memory," replied Lothair; "and it is not wonderful
that I should remember this, for it is the only present that ever was
made me."

The evenings at Brentham were short, but they were sweet. It was a
musical family, without being fanatical on the subject. There was always
music, but it was not permitted that the guests should be deprived of
other amusements. But music was the basis of the evening's campaigns.
The duke himself sometimes took a second; the four married daughters
warbled sweetly; but the great performer was Lady Corisande. When her
impassioned tones sounded, there was a hushed silence in every chamber;
otherwise, many things were said and done amid accompanying melodies,
that animated without distracting even a whistplayer. The duke himself
rather preferred a game of piquet or cart with Captain Mildmay,
and sometimes retired with a troop to a distant, but still visible,
apartment, where they played with billiard-balls games which were not
billiards.

The ladies had retired, the duke had taken his glass of seltzer-water,
and had disappeared. The gentry lingered and looked at each other, as if
they were an assembly of poachers gathering for an expedition, and then
Lord St. Aldegonde, tall, fair, and languid, said to Lothair, "do you
smoke?"

"No!"

"I should have thought Bertram would have seduced you by this time. Then
let us try. Montairy will give you one of his cigarettes, so mild that
his wife never finds him out."

CHAPTER 4

The breakfast-room at Brentham was very bright.