She was seated there alone, slightly retired from the view of the house and in the shadow; but her arm, as it rested on the cushion, still swayed the black and yellow fan, and her diamonds sparkled lustrously as ever in the glare that beat into the box.  Her dress, as if to emphasise the hideousness of her skin and form a staring contrast with her wrinkled face and white hair, was of black and yellow, in which she seemed some grisly corpse masquerading as youth.

Struck dumb by this apparition, I took the seat into which she motioned me, while her wonderful eyes regarded my face with stony impassiveness.  I could hear the hoarse murmurs of the house and feel the stifling heat as it swept upwards from the pit.  The strange woman did not stir except to keep up the ceaseless motion of her wrist.

For a full five minutes, as it seemed to me, we sat there silently regarding each other.  Then at last she spoke, and the soft voice was as musically sympathetic as ever.

“You seem astonished to see me, Mr. Trenoweth, and yet I have been looking for you for a long time.”

I bowed.

“I have been expecting you to give me a chance of redeeming my defeat.”

“I am sorry,” stammered I, not fully recovered from my surprise, “but that is not likely.”

“No?  From my point of view it was extremely likely.  But somehow I had a suspicion that you would be different from the rest.  Perhaps it was because I had set my heart upon your coming.”

“I hope,” said I, “that the money—­”

She smiled and waved her hand slightly.

“Do not trouble about that.  Had I chosen, I could have gone on losing to you until this moment.  No, perhaps it was simply because you were least likely to do so, that I wished you to come back as all other young men would come back.  I hope you reached home safely with what you won; but I need not ask that.”

“Indeed you need.  I was attacked as I left the room, and but for a lucky accident, should now be dead.”

“Ah,” she said placidly; “you suspect me.  Don’t say ‘no,’ for I can see you do.  Nevertheless you are entirely wrong.  Why, Mr. Trenoweth, had I chosen, do you think I could not have had you robbed before you had gone three paces from the house?”

This was said with such composure, and her eyes were so absolutely void of emotion, that I could but sit and gasp.  Once more I recalled the moment when, as I fled down the dark passage, I had seen her sitting motionless and calm in the light of her countless candles.

“But do you think I sent for you to tell you that?” she continued.  “I sent for you because you interested me, and because I want a talk with you.  Hush! the curtain is rising for the second act.  Let us resume when it has finished; you will not deny me that favour at least.”