"You are terrified," he said kindly. "Do not fear; we are safe, and soon shall meet some of our friends. I must indeed be accused of great forgetfulness, when I admit I have no recollection or idea who you can be. May I not know?" "We are strangers," she uttered again, in a tone scarcely audible, still in French. "I do not understand English." "Well, as you will," he replied gaily. "I like it thus--'tis in keeping with the place--this mystery. Only pardon me for reminding you, for consistency sake, that your first words were decidedly not in French; and though you cannot _understand English_, you have been replying to all my questions addressed to you in that tongue. However, as you prefer the other, _changeons_," and he commenced a fluent conversation in Gallic. She had visibly started when he pointed out to her the error of her confused mind. For some time their conversation was merely monosyllabic on her part. "Some silly young English girl Lady Lysson has brought with her," thought he, "who thinks she must sustain a character, and this very stupid attempt at intriguing me is the result. How can she have lost her party?--scarcely prudent in Lady Lysson to leave her so unguarded; she is evidently young. Who can she be?" In a few minutes more, he was fain to admit that the lady _did_ however intrigue him, and considerably; for, by an evident effort over herself, she overcame some cause of trepidation, and, if not easy in manner, was sufficiently ingenuous and pleasing in her remarks to interest him much. "Where have I heard her voice?" he mentally said. "It is evidently subdued and disguised, and 'tis only when an unguarded tone escapes, that I seem to hear a remembered one; yet 'tis too imperfectly uttered to convey memory to my ear. Certainly she has intrigued me! Were she the veriest Frenchwoman that ever made a vow to miss no one _bal masqué_, and perfect in the amusements and mystifications of all, she could not have more cleverly accomplished her purpose than this girl; for she has called me by name, and I can guess no one she can be!" "Here is a seat," he said, after a moment's pause in their conversation; "shall we take advantage of it, or would you prefer going to Lady Lysson's box?" "Oh, not there!" she whispered shrinkingly. "Why not there? On my life, lady, you puzzle me much. Come, confide in me: I am addressing some one--some fair, young, unexpected guest, who, having heard of the projected party, has escaped from governesses, etc., to come hither also--am I not right?" This was the only solution he could find for the enigma, engendered by her strange fear at the proposal he made, to go to Lady Lysson's box. "You are wrong," she uttered. "I have no one to restrain my wishes. I came here to-night for a purpose, but _alone_!" "Alone!" and he started. "Then why this signal?" and he pointed to the rose. "I cannot tell you. Is Lady Dora Vaughan here to-night?"