d, walked backwards
before him, and was probably taken by the Emperor for some Court
Master of the Ceremonies especially selected to walk backwards on this
occasion. The Princes had all shaken hands with their host, and the
Princesses had bowed graciously. Nothing of the rumour had as yet been
whispered in royal palaces. Besides royalty the company allowed to
enter the room downstairs was very select. The Prime Minister, one
archbishop, two duchesses, and an ex-governor of India with whose
features the Emperor was supposed to be peculiarly familiar, were
alone there. The remainder of the company, under the superintendence
of Lord Alfred, were received in the drawing-room above. Everything
was going on well, and they who had come and had thought of not coming
were proud of their wisdom.

But when the company was seated at dinner the deficiencies were
visible enough, and were unfortunate. Who does not know the effect
made by the absence of one or two from a table intended for ten or
twelve,--how grievous are the empty places, how destructive of the
outward harmony and grace which the hostess has endeavoured to
preserve are these interstices, how the lady in her wrath declares to
herself that those guilty ones shall never have another opportunity of
filling a seat at her table? Some twenty, most of whom had been asked
to bring their wives, had slunk from their engagements, and the empty
spaces were sufficient to declare a united purpose. A week since it
had been understood that admission for the evening could not be had
for love or money, and that a seat at the dinner-table was as a seat
at some banquet of the gods! Now it looked as though the room were but
half-filled. There were six absences from the City. Another six of Mr
Melmotte's own political party were away. The archbishops and the
bishop were there, because bishops never hear worldly tidings till
after other people;--but that very Master of the Buckhounds for whom
so much pressure had been made did not come. Two or three peers were
absent, and so also was that editor who had been chosen to fill Mr
Alf's place. One poet, two painters, and a philosopher had received
timely notice at their clubs, and had gone home. The three independent
members of the House of Commons for once agreed in their policy, and
would not lend the encouragement of their presence to a man suspected
of forgery. Nearly forty places were vacant when the business of the
dinner commenced.

Mel