le pressure of the hand. "Everything
is perfect," she said. "The house and the wife, and all. I may call you
Lucy? You are so fresh and young. How do you keep that pretty bloom
after six years--did you say six years? Ah! the English are always those
that wear best. You are not afraid of a great deal of light--no? but it
is trying sometimes. Shades are an advantage. And he has not spoken to
you of me, that dear Tom? There was a time when he talked much of
me--oh, much--constantly! He was young then--and," she said with a
little sigh--"so was I. He was perhaps not handsome, but he was
distinguished. Many Englishmen are so who have no beauty, no
handsomeness, as you say, and English women also, though that is more
rare. And you are ver-r-y happy?" the Contessa asked again. She said it
with a smile that was quite dazzling, but yet had just the faintest
touch of ridicule in it, and rippled over into a little laugh. "When we
know each other better I will betray all his little secrets to you," she
said.

This was so very injudicious on the part of an old friend, that a wiser
person than Lucy would have divined some malign meaning in it. But Lucy,
though suppressing an instinctive distrust, took no notice, not even in
her thoughts. It was not necessary for her to divine or try to divine
what people meant; she took what they said, simply, without requiring
interpretation. "He has told me a great deal," she said. "I think I
almost know his journeys by heart." Then Lucy carried the war into the
enemy's country without realising what she was doing. "You will think it
very stupid of me," she said, "but I did not hear Mademoiselle,--the
young lady's name?"

The Contessa's eyes dwelt meditatively upon Lucy: she patted her hand
and smiled upon her, as if every other subject was irrelevant. "And he
has taken you into society?" she said, continuing her examination. "How
delightful is that English domesticity. You go everywhere together?" She
had no appearance of having so much as heard Lucy's question. "And you
do not fear that he will find it dull in the country? You have the
confidence of being enough for him? How sweet for me to find the
happiness of my friend so assured. And now I shall share it for a
little. You will make us all happy. Dear child!" said the lady with
enthusiasm, drawing Lucy to her and kissing her forehead. Then she broke
into a pretty laugh. "You will work for your poor, and I, who am good
for nothing--I shall ta