antage in
full toilette. The lucent rosy whiteness of arms and shoulders seemed to
dazzle him.

He extended both hands to her, and she came forward with her lithe gait
and a smile of great sweetness, and took them in her own.

'Gertrude!' he whispered, and she answered with the one word 'Paul!' and
had his life depended upon it, he could not have spoken further at that
instant.

'I am very glad to see you, Paul,' she said, 'very glad indeed.' She
released one of his hands, and by the other led him to a causeuse near
one of the splendidly curtained windows. 'But what has happened to you?
she asked. 'My poor Paul, you are ill! You are not yourself at all.
There are brown circles round your eyes, and your cheeks have fallen in,
and you are growing positively gray at the temples.'

'I am not ill,' Paul answered, trying to smile. 'I have had a somewhat
trying experience of late, and I am here to forget it.'

'May I know of it?' she asked

'No,' said Paul; 'the topic is forbidden.'

She laughed gaily and blushed a little.

'Now, that is very clever, and very wicked of you,' she purred. 'That
topic is not to be approached even elliptically. But really and truly,
my poor Paul, you are not well, and I shall see that you take proper
care of yourself. You will take a glass of wine at once.'

'No,' he said, waving a hand against her as she made a motion to rise.

'You used not to contradict my orders,' she told him, 'and you shall not
do it now. I can give you a really excellent glass of champagne--not a
lady's champagne, be it understood, a man's wine--a connoisseur's.'

He made no further protest, and she rang a small silver bell near her
hand. A grave serving-man appeared in answer to this summons, received
his mistress's order, and glided away again.

'I have all your news?' the Baroness asked, turning to her guest again.

'All,' he answered--' all there is to tell.'

He had known perfectly well at one time that she was not strictly a
beautiful woman. He had been able to analyze her, to admit very fine
eyes and teeth, and a clear, if somewhat florid, glow of complexion. He
had granted, further, fine hair, and very beautiful hands and arms. But
he wondered at himself, and could have laughed at his own blindness. The
power of analysis had gone out of him because he was in love. She was
merely a soft, dazzling splendour in aspect now, and every look and tone
and attitude was a witchery and a wonder.

'I have not