quick flash of the small white hands
against her dark dress, that his mind had not time to make out what she
meant.

Lucy on her side sat between her husband and the Contessa for some time,
listening to their conversation. That was more rapid, too, than she was
used to, and it was full of allusions, understood when they were
half-said by the others, which to her were all darkness. She tried to
follow them with a wistful sort of smile, a kind of painful homage to
the Contessa's soft laugh and the ready response of Sir Tom. She tried
too, to follow, and share the brightening interest of his face, the
amusement and eagerness of his listening; but by and by she got chilled,
she knew not how--the smile grew frozen upon her face, her comprehension
seemed to fail altogether. She got up softly after a while from her
corner of the sofa, and neither her husband nor her guest took any
particular notice. She came across the room to Lady Randolph, and drew a
low chair beside her, and asked her about the pictures in the magazine
which she was still holding in her hand.

CHAPTER XX.

AN ANXIOUS CRITIC.

In a few days after the arrival of Madame di Forno-Populo, there was
almost an entire change of aspect at the Hall. Nobody could tell how
this change had come about. It was involuntary, unconscious, yet
complete. The Contessa came quietly into the foreground. She made no
demonstration of power, and claimed no sort of authority. She never
accosted the mistress of the house without tender words and caresses.
Her attitude towards Lucy, indeed, was that of an admiring relation to a
delightful and promising child. She could not sufficiently praise and
applaud her. When she spoke, her visitor turned towards her with the
most tender of smiles. In whatsoever way the Contessa was occupied, she
never failed when she heard Lucy's voice to turn round upon her, to
bestow this smile, to murmur a word of affectionate approval. When they
were near enough to each other, she would take her hand and press it
with affectionate emotion. The other members of the household, except
Sir Tom, she scarcely noticed at all. The Dowager Lady Randolph
exchanged with her now and then a few words of polite defiance, but that
was all. And she had not been long at the Hall before her position there
was more commanding than that of Lady Randolph. Insensibly all the
customs of the house changed for her. There was no question as to who
was the centre of conver