inflamed her anew, and she turned upon him savagely, but with some
attempt at self-restraint.

"You wished to see Caroline? the ingrate! the viper! the raven with a
nightingale's voice! You wish to see her? Why? This is singular. I
thought she was a stranger to you. No! Then, where did you meet?"

"I have seen the young lady frequently in Italy. Will you please to have
her informed that I am here?"

"Informed--I! Well, my lord, this is droll! No such person is in my
house. I could no longer tolerate her. She is gone."

"What! Your daughter?"

"My daughter! Did I ever say that? Ah, I remember--it was after one of
our little suppers, when one gets liberal! But this ingrate was no
daughter of mine, but my protege--something to fasten the heart on, as
one loves a Skye terrier. Her father was a poor man--very poor, almost
degraded, you understand--so, in my unfortunate munificence, I lifted
her out of her poverty, gave her some of my own genius, and took her to
my bosom, as Cleopatra took the asp; and she stung me, just in the same
way, villainous ingrate! This girl has treated me shamefully. I had made
_such_ an engagement for her--such concessions--carriage for herself,
dressing-maid always in attendance, a boudoir for her retirement,
private box, everything that a princess might ask; bills almost made
out, and when I come home, she is gone. Read that note, my lord; it lies
there at your feet. Read it, and tell me if you ever heard of such base
ingratitude."

Lord Hilton took up the crumpled and trodden paper. His eyes eagerly ran
over its contents, and brightened as they read; while Olympia prowled
around her boudoir, like a newly-caged leopardess.

"Read! read!" she said, "and then say if anything so ungrateful ever
lived. No, no, my lord, she is no child of mine. I wash my hands of
her--I wash my hands of her!"

Here Olympia laved her white hands in the air, and went through a
process of dry washing in the heat of her promenade up and down the
room.

"And have you no idea where the young lady has gone?"

"An idea! How should I have ideas? You have read her letter. Well, that
is all."

Lord Hilton folded the note, and softly closed his hand over it.

"Then I will no longer trouble you, madam," he said, holding back the
curtain, while he bowed himself through the entrance.

Olympia watched the crimson curtains close over him, standing, with some
effort at self-control, in the middle of the room. Then she