lordship Baron Hatszegi wished to pay his respects to Mr. Lapussa.

Mr. Demetrius immediately raised himself on his elbows to read from Mr.
John's features what he was going to do. Would he tell the lacqueys to
turn Hatszegi out of the house? or would he send him word to wait in the
ante-chamber, as he himself had waited at Hatszegi's, and then put him
off till the morrow? Oh! John would be sure to do something of the sort,
for a very proud fellow was John.

But, so far from doing any of these things, Mr. John rushed to the door
to meet the arriving guest and greeted him aloud from afar in the most
obliging, not to say obsequious, terms, bidding him come in without
ceremony and not make a stranger of himself. And with that he passed his
arm through the arm of his distinguished guest and, radiant with joy,
drew him into the midst of the domestic sanctum sanctorum and presenting
him in a voice that trembled with emotion: "His lordship, Baron Leonard
Hatszegi, my very dear friend!"

And then he was guilty of the impropriety of introducing his guest first
of all to his father and his niece, simply because they happened to be
the nearest, only afterward he bethought him of turning towards Matilda
to introduce her, whereupon Matilda's face assumed a stony expression
like that of the marble maiden in Zampa, to the great confusion of John,
who felt bound to enquire in a half-whisper: "Why, what's the matter?"

"You dolt," she whispered back, "have you not learnt yet that the lady
of the house should be introduced to her guests not last, but first?"

John's first impulse was to be shocked, his second was to be furious,
but finally he thought it best to turn with a smile to Baron Hatszegi,
who courteously helped him out of his embarrassment by observing: "It is
my privilege to be able to greet your ladyship as an old acquaintance
already. Many a time have I had the opportunity of secretly admiring you
in your box at the theatre."

"Pray be seated, sir...!"

CHAPTER III

AN AMIABLE MAN

Baron Hatszegi was certainly a very amiable man. He had a handsome face
full of manly pride, sparkling eyes, and a powerful yet elegant figure.
He moved and spoke with graceful ease, bore himself nobly, picked his
words--in short, was a perfect gentleman. Mr. Demetrius was quite taken
with him, although Hatszegi hardly exchanged a word with him, naturally
devoting himself principally to the widowed lady who played the part of
ho