The madame touched a small bell, and its silvery cadence had scarcely died away when the servant attached to the house entered. "Bring down Adéle," she exclaimed. The domestic bowed and departed. "Oh!" said Lena, under her breath. "Her name is Adéle." Presently Adéle Bellefontaine, pale and delicate, entered the room, with an absent air. She did not seem to notice any one. "Child," exclaimed Madame Levine. Adéle started and pressed her hand to her head as if in pain. It was clear that the clairvoyant possessed a strange influence over her. "You called me," she replied. "I did. Show that lady your locket." Adéle walked with a childish manner and offered the locket to Lena, who, with trembling fingers, opened it. A cry of astonishment escaped her, for the surface of the locket was perfectly plain. "There is nothing there," she said. "Is not that precisely what I told you?" replied Mme. Levine. Like one in a dream Lena put her hand on her head, shuddered, and quitted the house. "How beautiful she is!" she muttered, thinking of Adéle. She was completely mystified, for it did not occur to her that the madame, seeing the peculiar effect the portrait in the locket had upon her, had taken the precaution to remove it while she was lying senseless in the adjoining room. Lena reached home a short time before her mother returned from the opera, and waited in the drawing-room to receive her. Mrs. Van Hoosen did not come back alone. She was accompanied by Lord Maltravers. "You look _distraite_, my dear," said Mrs. Van Hoosen. "I hope your head is better?" "A little, mamma," replied Lena, flushing, as she extended her hand to Maltravers, adding, "How do you do? it is some time since we met." "Yes, indeed. It seems an age to me." "Did you like the opera, mamma?" "I cannot say I did. It was Lohengrin. Wagner may have his admirers, but for my part I do not care for the music of the future." Saying this, Mrs. Van Hoosen retired to take off her bonnet and left the young people together. Lena sat on the sofa, and toyed with a fan. "I hope you do not consider my presence an intrusion, Miss Van Hoosen," exclaimed Maltravers. "Oh, no; any friend of my mother's is welcome to me," she answered. "Is not your reception a little cold?" "Not that I am aware of." He left the chair in which he was sitting, and ventured to take a seat by her side on the sofa. Lena moved away, and pulled up the skirts of her dress as if she were afraid of his touching them. "May I take this opportunity of telling you how dear you are to me?" he said. "I have heard that before, my lord," she replied. "Lena--let me call you Lena--I love you madly, passionately, and I offer you my hand, my heart, my coronet and my fortune." "I wish to remain single," she answered. "It is your mother's wish that you should marry me. We have had a conversation about it."