‘I believe it most sincerely,’ said Venetia.

The critic stared at his neighbour.  ‘Hush!’ said he, ’his wife and daughter are here.  We must not talk of these things.  You know Lady Annabel Herbert?  There she is; a very fine woman too.  And that is his daughter there, I believe, that dark girl with a turned-up nose.  I cannot say she warrants the poetical address to her: 

  My precious pearl the false and glittering world
  Has ne’er polluted with, its garish light!

She does not look much like a pearl, does she?  She should keep in solitude, eh?’

The ladies rose and relieved Venetia from her embarrassment.

After dinner Lady Annabel introduced George Cadurcis to her daughter; and, seated by them both, he contrived without effort, and without the slightest consciousness of success, to confirm the pleasing impression in his favour which he had already made, and, when they parted, it was even with a mutual wish that they might meet again.

CHAPTER IX.

It was the night after the drawing-room.  Lord Cadurcis was at Brookes’ dining at midnight, having risen since only a few hours.  Being a malcontent, he had ceased to attend the Court, where his original reception had been most gracious, which he had returned by some factious votes, and a caustic lampoon.

A party of young men entered, from the Court Ball, which in those days always terminated at midnight, whence the guests generally proceeded to Ranelagh; one or two of them seated themselves at the table at which Cadurcis was sitting.  They were full of a new beauty who had been presented.  Their violent and even extravagant encomiums excited his curiosity.  Such a creature had never been seen, she was peerless, the most radiant of acknowledged charms had been dimmed before her.  Their Majesties had accorded to her the most marked reception.  A Prince of the blood had honoured her with his hand.  Then they began to expatiate with fresh enthusiasm on her unparalleled loveliness.

‘O Cadurcis,’ said a young noble, who was one of his extreme admirers, ’she is the only creature I ever beheld worthy of being one of your heroines.’

‘Whom are you talking about?’ asked Cadurcis in a rather listless tone.

‘The new beauty, of course.’

‘And who may she be?’

‘Miss Herbert, to be sure.  Who speaks or thinks of any one else?’

‘What, Ve——­, I mean Miss Herbert?’ exclaimed Cadurcis, with no little energy.

‘Yes.  Do you know her?’

‘Do you mean to say—­’ and Cadurcis stopped and rose from the table, and joined the party round the fire.  ‘What Miss Herbert is it?’ he added, after a short pause.

’Why the Miss Herbert; Herbert’s daughter, to be sure.  She was presented to-day by her mother.

‘Lady Annabel?’

‘The same.’

‘Presented to-day!’ said Cadurcis audibly, yet speaking as it were to himself.  ‘Presented to-day!  Presented!  How strange!’