At length Mrs. Willoughby began to be dreadfully bored, and groaned in spirit over the situation in which Minnie had placed herself, and racked her brains to find some way of retreat from these two determined lovers, who thus set at naught the usages of society for their own convenience.  She grew indignant.  She wondered if they would ever go.  She wondered if it were not possible to engage the Count and the Baron in a conversation by themselves, and, under cover of it, withdraw.  Finally she began to think whether she would not be justified in being rude to them, since they were so inconsiderate.  She thought over this, and was rapidly coming to the decision that some act of rudeness was her only hope, when, to her immense relief, the servant entered and announced Lord Hawbury.

The entrance of the welcome guest into the room where the unwelcome ones were seated was to Mrs. Willoughby like light in a dark place.  To Minnie also it brought immense relief in her difficult position.  The ladies rose, and were about to greet the new-comer, when, to their amazement, the Baron sprang forward, caught Lord Hawbury’s hand, and wrung it over and over again with the most astonishing vehemence.

“Hawbury, as I’m a living sinner!  Thunderation!  Where did you come from?  Good again!  Darn it all, Hawbury, this is real good!  And how well you look! How are you?  All right, and right side up?  Who’d have thought it?  It ain’t you, really, now, is it?  Darn me if I ever was so astonished in my life!  You’re the last man I’d have expected.  Yes, Sir.  You may bet high on that.”

“Ah, really,” said Hawbury, “my dear fellow!  Flattered, I’m sure.  And how goes it with you?  Deuced odd place to find you, old boy.  And I’m deuced glad to see you, you know, and all that sort of thing.”

And he wrung the Baron’s hand quite as heartily as the other wrung his; and the expression on his face was of as much cordiality and pleasure as that upon the face of the other.  Then Hawbury greeted the ladies, and apologized by stating that the Baron was a very old and tried friend, whom he had not seen for years; which intelligence surprised Mrs. Willoughby greatly, and brought a faint ray of something like peace to poor Minnie.

The ladies were not imprisoned much longer.  Girasole threw a black look at Lord Hawbury, and retreated.  After a few moments’ chat Hawbury also retired, and made the Baron go with him.  And the Baron went without any urging.  He insisted, however, on shaking hands heartily with both of the ladies, especially Minnie, whose poor little hand he nearly crushed into a pulp; and to the latter he whispered the consoling assurance that he would come to see her on the following day.  After which he followed his friend out.

Then he took Hawbury over to his own quarters, and Hawbury made himself very much at home in a rocking-chair, which the Baron regarded as the pride and joy and glory of his room.