He found the Chevalier inside, looking pale and anxious, while Wickham’s face bore the calmer expression of one whose mind was made up. Mr. St. Maur was also present, looking little less comfortable than the Chevalier, and the party was reinforced by the Hon. Gerald St. John and Mr. Basil Dyke. The Decadents were complete, with the one exception of Mendes, whose complaisance had never extended to the length of enrolling himself among the comrades or followers of the Comte des Louvres. Stuart had scarcely seated himself when Egerton Vane rose precipitately to his feet, to explain his position. Des Louvres had cruelly refrained from assigning anything more definite than “important business” as the object of the meeting; and when on their arrival they learned the character of the crisis, the brothers felt themselves entrapped. This was the moment of all others when they would have wished the Guild to practise the modesty of self-effacement; and if the Guild was going, on the contrary, to do anything rash, it was the moment which they would have chosen silently to sever their connection with the Guild. They knew better than the Frenchman the sentiment entertained by her subjects towards the dying Queen, and they had no desire to face the storm that would be provoked by any demonstration of disrespect. “Our secretary has called us together rather hastily,” the Chevalier began in a plaintive tone. “No doubt the news he has received is very important, if it is reliable.” “It is absolutely reliable,” interrupted the Count. The Chevalier drew a laboured sigh, as he resumed: “In that case, whatever our political views may be, I am sure we shall all feel that at such a moment we must share to a certain extent in the national mourning for the loss of a venerated and respected--er--personage. I am not sure that our secretary has acted altogether discreetly--though of course he meant it for the best--in summoning a meeting of the Guild at such a moment; but as we are here, I suggest that it would be a graceful act on our part to pass a resolution recording our--er--respect and--er--sympathy with the family of the--er--the Queen!” The speaker brought out the last word with a defiant jerk, and sat down hastily, hoping to evade a rebuke at the hands of Des Louvres. But he was agreeably surprised to see that astute schemer rise and second his proposition. The French Count had the sense to interpret the situation rightly, and to see that the fears of a man like Egerton Vane were a useful index to the state of English opinion. Evidently it would be wise to propitiate the public sentiment by such a resolution as Vane had suggested. The Chevalier had the gratification of seeing his proposition carried unanimously. But this concession made to policy, Des Louvres lost no time in coming to business.