The night was dark and still—­so dark that above the tree-tops all was a soft, abysmal blank, so still that the Japanese lanterns scarcely swung on their strings among the apple-trees, and the leaves almost forgot to rustle.  From the tent in the corner of the little garden (little, but large for a garden in London) the quaint, rapturous music of the Hungarian band floated in fitful extravagance, now wildly dominating, now graciously accompanying the murmur of many voices, the mingled pace of feet, and the lingering sweep of silken skirts upon the shadowed grass.  The light streamed in broad, electric rays from the open windows of the low, wide house, and from the tall double doors of the studio, which had been added at the side, broken continually by the silhouettes of guests who entered the rooms or sought the cooler air outside, and dulling to the quiet glow of old stained glass the rich radiance of the fantastic coloured lanterns.

It was one of the series of summer evenings on which, according to the cards which had been so widely circulated, Mr. and Mrs. Lightmark were “at home” to their friends and to their friends’ friends; and Rainham, who was a late arrival at the elaborate house in Grove Road, was able after a time to recognise many familiar faces, some of them almost forgotten, among those who had elected to be present.  The rooms, in spite of the outlet afforded by the garden, were all surprisingly full; and after a hurried exchange of greetings, which Eve’s duties as hostess had compelled her to curtail, he had passed through a jungle of brilliant toilettes and unfamiliar figures into the newly-built, bright studio, where he had been told that he would find his friend.  He had abundant leisure to corroborate the first impression of a splendour for which he was hardly prepared, which had seized him when he entered the hall and surrendered his coat to a courteous servant in livery, before Lightmark, radiant and flushed with success, singled him out in the corner to which he had retreated in loneliness.

“So glad to see you, old man! we were hoping you would turn up.  Better late than never.  Isn’t it a crush?  I assure you our evenings are becoming quite an institution.  You will find scores of people you know here.  Excuse my leaving you.  Not much like the old studio days, eh?  Afternoon tea with Copal’s cups and saucers, and Mrs. Thingumy’s tea-cakes.  Your friend Lady Garnett is here somewhere—­I’ll be shot if I know where.  Try the garden; you can get out this way.  See you again later.”

“All right, Dick,” he answered with equanimity, smiling with a little inward amusement; “you look after your people.  I will find my way about.”