He took such a calm high hand with her about it, that she submitted to leave it there; but from this moment the serpent doubt nibbled her.

It had one curious effect, though.  She left off complaining of trifles.

Now it happened one night that Lady Cicely Treherne and a friend were at a concert in Hanover Square.  The other lady felt rather faint, and Lady Cicely offered to take her home.  The carriages had not yet arrived, and Miss Macnamara said to walk a few steps would do her good:  a smart cabman saw them from a distance and drove up, and touching his hat said, “Cab, ladies?”

It seemed a very superior cab, and Miss Macnamara said “Yes” directly.

The cabman bustled down and opened the door; Miss Macnamara got in first, then Lady Cicely; her eye fell on the cabman’s face, which was lighted full by a street-lamp, and it was Christopher Staines!

He started and winced; but the woman of the world never moved a muscle.

“Where to?” said Staines, averting his head.

She told him where, and when they got out, said, “I’ll send it you by the servant.”

A flunkey soon after appeared with half-a-crown, and the amateur coachman drove away.  He said to himself, “Come, my mustache is a better disguise than I thought.”

Next day, and the day after, he asked Rosa, with affected carelessness, had she heard anything of Lady Cicely.

“No, dear; but I dare say she will call this afternoon:  it is her day.”

She did call at last, and after a few words with Rosa, became a little restless, and asked if she might consult Dr. Staines.

“Certainly, dear.  Come to his studio.”

“No; might I see him here?”

“Certainly.”  She rang the bell, and told the servant to ask Dr. Staines if he would be kind enough to step into the drawing-room.

Dr. Staines came in, and bowed to Lady Cicely, and eyed her a little uncomfortably.

She began, however, in a way that put him quite at his ease.  “You remember the advice you gave us about my little cousin Tadcastah.”

“Perfectly:  his life is very precarious; he is bilious, consumptive, and, if not watched, will be epileptical; and he has a fond, weak mother, who will let him kill himself.”

“Exactly:  and you wecommended a sea voyage, with a medical attendant to watch his diet, and contwol his habits.  Well, she took other advice, and the youth is worse; so now she is fwightened, and a month ago she asked me to pwopose to you to sail about with Tadcastah; and she offered me a thousand pounds a year.  I put on my stiff look, and said, ’Countess, with every desiah to oblige you, I must decline to cawwy that offah to a man of genius, learning, and weputation, who has the ball at his feet in London.’”

“Lord forgive you, Lady Cicely.”

“Lord bless her for standing up for my Christie.”