ach individual could best thank the Marchesa on
his or her behalf.

There was a momentary silence when the Colonel ceased, and then a
clearing of the throat and a preliminary movement of the arms gave
warning that Mrs. Gradinger was going to speak. The unspoken passage
from Racine evidently sat heavily on her chest. Abstracted and
overwrought as he was, these symptoms aroused in Sir John a
consciousness of impending danger, and he rushed, incontinent, into the
breach, before the lady's opening sentence was ready.

"As Colonel Trestrail has just remarked, we, all of us, are in debt to
the Marchesa in no small degree; but, in my case, the debt is tenfold.
I am sure you all understand why. As a slight acknowledgment of the
sympathy I have received from every one here, during my late trial, I
beg to ask you all to dine with me this day week, when I will try to
set before you a repast a la Francaise, which I hope may equal, I cannot
hope that it will excel, the dinners all'Italiana we have tasted in this
happy retreat. Narcisse and I have already settled the menu."

"I am delighted to accept," said the Marchesa. "I have no engagement,
and if I had I would throw my best friend over."

"And this day fortnight you must all dine with me," said Mrs. Sinclair.
"I will spend the intervening days in teaching my new cook how to
reproduce the Marchesa's dishes. Then, perhaps, we may be in a better
position to decide on the success of the Marchesa's experiment."

* * * * *

The next morning witnessed the dispersal of the party. Sir John and
Narcisse left by an early train, and for the next few days the reforming
hand of the last-named was active in the kitchen. He arrived before the
departure of the temporary aide, and had not been half-an-hour in the
house before there came an outbreak which might easily have ended in the
second appearance of Narcisse at the bar of justice, as homicide, this
time to be dealt with by a prosaic British jury, which would probably
have doomed him to the halter. Sir John listened over the balusters to
the shrieks and howls of his recovered treasure, and wisely decided to
lunch at his club. But the club lunch, admirable as it was, seemed flat
and unappetising after the dainty yet simple dishes he had recently
tasted; and the following day he set forth to search for one of those
Italian restaurants, of which he had heard vague reports. Certainly the
repast would not be the same as at th