Lady Grosville, who had risen impatiently, sat down again.  There was a general movement; chairs were turned or drawn forward till a circle formed.  Meanwhile the Dean consulted with Kitty and resumed: 

“Lady Kitty will recite a scene from Corneille’s beautiful tragedy of ’Polyeucte’—­the scene in which Pauline, after witnessing the martyrdom of her husband, who has been beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the gods, returns from the place of execution so melted by the love and sacrifice she has beheld that she opens her heart then and there to the same august faith and pleads for the same death.”

The Dean seated himself, and Kitty stepped into the centre of the circle.  She thought a moment, her lips moving, as though she recalled the lines.  Then she looked down at her bare arms, and dress, frowned, and suddenly approached Lady Edith Manley.

“May I have that?” she said, pointing to a lace cloak that lay on Lady Edith’s knee.  “I am rather cold.”

Lady Edith handed it to her, and she threw it round her.

“Actress!” said Cliffe, under his breath, with a grin of amusement.

At any rate, her impulse served her well.  Her form and dress disappeared under a cloud of white.  She became in a flash, so to speak, evangelized—­a most innocent and spiritual apparition.  Her beautiful head, her kindled and transfigured face, her little hand on the white folds, these alone remained to mingle their impression with the austere and moving tragedy which her lips recited.  Her audience looked on at first with the embarrassed or hostile air which is the Englishman’s natural protection against the great things of art; then for those who understood French the high passion and the noble verse began to tell; while those who could not follow were gradually enthralled by the gestures and tones with which the slight, vibrating creature, whom but ten minutes before most of them had regarded as a mere noisy flirt, suggested and conveyed the finest and most compelling shades of love, faith, and sacrifice.

When she ceased, there was a moment’s profound silence.  Then Lady Edith, drawing a long breath, expressed the welcome commonplace which restored the atmosphere of daily life.

“How could you remember it all?”

Kitty sat down, her lip trembling scornfully.

“I had to say it every week at the convent.”

“I understand,” said Cliffe in Darrell’s ear—­“that last night she was Dona Sol.  An accommodating young woman.”

Meanwhile Kitty looked up to find Ashe beside her.  He said, “Magnificent!”—­but it did not matter to her what he said.  His face told her that she had moved him, and that he was incapable of any foolish chatter about it.  A smile of extraordinary sweetness sprang into her eyes; and when Lady Grosville came up to thank her, the girl impetuously rose, and, in the foreign way, kissed her hand, courtesying.  Lord Grosville said, heartily, “Upon my word,