ntly fitted to shine in society, she went neither to the
opera nor the dance. As may be readily understood, she was soon the sole
topic of conversation in the hotel. Every one talked of her rare beauty,
elegance, and musical genius, and immediately after dinner, when she
retired to her room, many of the guests would steal upstairs after her,
and, stationing themselves outside her door, would remain there for
hours to listen to her singing.

Paul Nicholas's head was completely turned. To have such a neighbour,
with the face and voice of an angel, and yet not to know her! It was
enough to drive him wild. At last, to every one's surprise, the
mysterious lady, apparently so exclusive, permitted the advances of a
very commonplace, middle-aged gentleman with hardly a hair on his head
and a paunch that was voted quite disgusting.

The friendship between the two ripened fast. In defiance of all
conventionality, the lady took to sitting out late at night with her
elderly admirer, and, with an absolute disregard of decorum, accompanied
him on long excursions. Finally, she went away with him altogether. On
the occasion of this latter event every one in the hotel heaved a sigh
of relief, saving Paul.

Paul was disconsolate. He stayed on, hovering about the places she had
most frequented, and hoping to see in every fresh arrival at the hotel
his adored one come back. His pitiable condition gained no sympathy.

"Silly fellow!" was the general comment. "He is desperately in love! And
with such a creature! What an idiot!"

But Paul's patience was at length rewarded, his devotion apparently
justified, for the lady returned, unaccompanied; and so great was the
charm of her personality that within two days of her reappearance she
had completely won back the hearts of her fellow-guests. Again every
one raved of her.

Meanwhile, Paul Nicholas became more enamoured than ever. He bought a
guitar, and composed love lyrics--which he sang outside her door, from
morning till night, with all that wealth of tenderness so uniquely
expressible in a human voice--but it was all in vain. For the lady,
whose name had at last leaked out--it was Isabelle de Nurrez--had
yielded to the attentions of another stout, middle-aged gentleman, with
whom in due course she departed.

This was too much even for her most ardent admirers. Every guest in the
hotel protested, and petitioned that she might not be readmitted.

But mine host shook his head with scan