"Well! Have you made friends? Ah!--I see you have! Mutual intelligence, mutual comprehension! Jocelyn, will you bring Miss Innocent in to supper?--I leave her in your charge." "Miss Innocent?" repeated Jocelyn, doubtful as to whether this was said by way of a joke or not. "Yes--some people call her Ena--but her real name is Innocent. Isn't it, little lady?" She smiled and coloured. Jocelyn looked at her with a curious intentness. "Really? Your name is Innocent?" he asked. "Yes," she answered him--"I'm afraid it's a very unusual name--" "It is indeed!" he said with emphasis. "Innocent by name and by nature! Will you come?" She rose at once, and they moved away together. CHAPTER II Chance and coincidence play curious pranks with human affairs, and one of the most obvious facts of daily experience is that the merest trifle, occurring in the most haphazard way, will often suffice to change the whole intention and career of a life for good or for evil. It is as though a musician in the composition of a symphony should suddenly bethink himself of a new and strange melody, and, pleasing his fancy with the innovation, should wilfully introduce it at the last moment, thereby creating more or less of a surprise for the audience. Something of this kind happened to Innocent after her meeting with the painter who bore the name of her long idealised knight of France, Amadis de Jocelin. She soon learned that he was a somewhat famous personage,--famous for his genius, his scorn of accepted rules, and his contempt for all "puffery," push and patronage, as well as for his brusquerie in society and carelessness of conventions. She also heard that his works had been rejected twice by the Royal Academy Council, a reason he deemed all-sufficient for never appealing to that exclusive school of favouritism again,--while everything he chose to send was eagerly accepted by the French Salon, and purchased as soon as exhibited. His name had begun to stand very high--and his original character and personality made him somewhat of a curiosity among men--one more feared than favoured. He took a certain pleasure in analysing his own disposition for the benefit of any of his acquaintances who chose to listen,--and the harsh judgment he passed on himself was not altogether without justice or truth.