m-chair, the latter standing so as to
display her majestic height, with an arm laden with jewels leaning on
the mantelpiece. She saw the young girl come in; but the other persons
present were turned from the door, and none heard the light footfall on
the thick carpet till the childlike form, all fair and white, stood
close to her aunt, contrasting strangely with the haughty lady in her
dark velvet robes.

Lilias looked up; so strange is the power of a few brief human words,
that, as she gazed from face to face, it was with the question in her
heart, "Which of you is to be my enemy?" Before her stood two young men,
both strikingly handsome, but most unlike: one, who appeared to be the
eldest, was a noble specimen of joyous, hardy youth--a fine open
countenance, from which the dark had been dashed away as with a free
hand, a gay smile, a bold, clear eye, a mellow voice--these were all
indications of what he truly was--a frank, generous-hearted man, with
great nobility of sentiment and a rare sincerity. The other were less
easily described, and seemed of a very different stamp; slighter of
make, and with a fairer face, he seemed the very embodiment of meekness
and gentleness, and his large, almond-shaped blue eyes were seldom
raised when he spoke; and yet there was a refined intelligence beaming
in every line of his countenance: the soft silken hair and delicate
hands might have graced a woman, and Lilias inwardly decided, as she
looked on him, that he must be a gentle spirit, easily broken; little
fitted to battle with the rough world. He, at least, could never be one
of whom any should beware, nor yet could the beaming countenance of that
bolder man hide aught but a noble heart; where then was her future
enemy? it must be the third of her unknown cousins. Lady Randolph now
named these to her: Walter was the elder, son to Sir Michael's soldier
brother, who died heroically on the field of battle; Gabriel, the child
of one who had disgraced his family by a concealed marriage with a woman
of low rank. She stated these circumstances as calmly as though the
offspring of this person had not been standing before her: he listened
to the contemptuous allusion to his mother without a word or movement;
but Lilias saw the slight hands tremble violently and the chest heave.
Was it with anger or shame?

"This is not all," said Sir Michael, who had watched the scene; he
turned to Lady Randolph--"Will she come?"

His wife made no answ