One morning the Rev. George Lind received a letter addressed in a handwriting which he did not remember and never thenceforth forgot.  Within the envelope he found a dainty little bag made of blue satin, secured by ribbons of the same material.  This contained a note written on scented paper, edged with gold, and decorated with a miniature representation of a pierrot, sitting cross-legged, conning a book, on the open pages of which appeared the letters L.V.  The clergyman recognized the monogram no more than the writing.  But as it was evidently from a lady, he felt a pleasant thrill of expectation as he unfolded the paper.

                                        “Laurel Grove West Kensington
                                             “Wednesday
  “Dear Mr. George

“I have made poor little Lucy believe that Kew is the most heavenly place on earth to spend a May morning so Bob has had to promise to row her down there to-morrow (Thursday) after breakfast and I shall be at home alone from eleven to one this is very short notice I know but opportunities are scarce and another might not present itself for a month.

“Believe me Dear Mr. George

“Yours sincerely
Lalage Virtue.”

The Rev. George became thoughtful, and absently put the note in a little rack over the mantelpiece.  Then, recollecting that a prying servant or landlady might misinterpret it, he transferred it to his pocket.  After breakfast, having satisfied himself before the mirror that his dress was faultless, and his expression saintly, he went out and travelled by rail from Sloane Square to West Kensington, whence he walked to Laurel Grove.  An elderly maid opened the gate.  It was a rule with the Rev. George not to look at strange women; and this morning the asceticism which he thought proper to his office was unusually prominent in his thoughts.  He did not look up once while the maid conducted him through the shrubbery to the house; and he fully believed that he had not seen at the first glance that she was remarkably plain, as Susanna took care that all her servants should be.  Passing by the drawing-room, where he had been on a previous occasion, they went on to a smaller apartment at the back of the house.

“What room is this?” he asked, uneasily.

“Missus’s Purjin bodoor, sir,” replied the main.

She opened the door; and the clergyman, entering, found himself in a small room, luxuriously decorated in sham Persian, but containing ornaments of all styles and periods, which had been purchased and introduced just as they had caught Susanna’s fancy.  She was seated on a ottoman, dressed in wide trousers, Turkish slippers, a voluminous sash, a short Greek jacket, a long silk robe with sleeves, and a turban, all of fine soft materials and rare colors.  Her face was skilfully painted, and her dark hair disposed so as not to overweight her small head.  The clergyman, foolishly resisting a natural impulse to admire her, felt like St. Anthony struggling with the fascination of a disguised devil.  He responded to her smile of welcome by a stiff bow.