Augusta laid her letter by her plate; she put one hand on the table, and presently took up the letter and glanced at it again. I did not dare to say, "Won't you read it?" for had I done so that would have provoked her into putting it into her pocket, and not glancing at it perhaps until the following morning, or goodness knows when. So, glancing at Hermione, I proposed that those who had finished supper should go and stand on the balcony for a little. We all went except Augusta, who remained behind. I kept one ear listening while I chatted with my companions. It seemed to me that I certainly _did_ hear the rustle of paper--the sort of rustle that somewhat stiff paper would make when it is taken out of its envelope. Then there was utter stillness, and afterwards a wild rush and a door slammed. I looked into the sitting-room. It was empty. "She has read it, has she not?" said Hermione. "Oh, hush, hush!" I whispered. "Don't say a word." "Are you talking about that queer, half-mad girl?" said Rosalind. "Oh, I'm sure she will be all right in the future," I said. Rosalind changed the conversation to something else. "By the way, Dumps, Comtesse Riki has taken a most violent fancy to you." "What! to me?" I asked. "Yes; and the Baroness Elfreda to Hermione." Now, Comtesse Riki was a very delicately made, exquisitely pretty girl, of the fairest German type. Elfreda, on the contrary, was short and exceedingly fat, with a perfectly square face, high cheek-bones, and a quantity of hay-coloured hair which she wore in two very tight plaits strained back from her face. Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "They're both awfully nice; don't you think so?" said Rosalind. "I have scarcely given them a thought," I answered. My mind was still dwelling on the letter which Augusta had received. Presently Rosalind left us, and Hermione and I wondered what the result would be. "Go to her door and knock, and see if she will come out and tell us; won't you, Dumps?" said Hermione. I did go and knock. "Yes, dear?" said Augusta's voice. It was quite bright and absolutely changed. "Aren't you coming out to stand on the balcony a little, and to chat? Do come, please." "Not to-night, dear; I am very busy." Still that new, wonderful, exceedingly cheerful voice. "The spell has worked," I said to Hermione when I returned to her.