The decorations of the little room were very handsome. The hangings were of blue silk, the floor was polished oak, and the chairs were all lounges of blue velvet, but some of the statuettes on brackets and consoles were, to say the least of them, a little startling in design. 'This is a very strange place,' said Alison. 'I cannot imagine what induced Lord Cadbury to select it.' 'Have you been in this part of the world long?' asked Sir Jasper, as he divested himself of his light dust-coat. 'A few weeks--I was about to say years.' 'Poor girl! Has the time been so slow?' 'Well,' said Alison, haughtily, as she disliked his pitying tone, 'I have the old and ailing----' 'Cadbury to nurse--surely not?' 'Of course not, sir. How could you suppose that?' 'Pardon me.' Proud as Lucifer with all her sweetness, thought Sir Jasper, as Alison bowed haughtily, but no smile spread over the regular contour of her face. 'We have met before--at least, I remember now to have had the pleasure of seeing you,' said he. 'When?' 'This very day.' 'But where?' 'At the coiffeur's in the Rue des Tanneurs. I sat beside you, and saw your hair dressed, and lovely hair it is!' 'You sat beside me?' 'Yes, and watched you.' 'Why? 'I ought to apologise for making a lady's face a study; but need I say how deeply yours interested me?' He was bending over her chair now in perfect confidence. He thought he had her in his power, and felt 'How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds Makes ill deeds done.' Not that he thought there was much harm in 'levanting with old Cadbury's girl;' it seemed rather a joke, in fact! 'Won't you take off your hat and sealskin before Lord Cadbury comes?' he urged, in a low voice. 'No--excuse me; and I shall not take them off after he does come.' 'Why so? Will you sup with them on?' 'Yes--or I don't want supper at all.' 'A deuced decided little party,' thought Sir Jasper, who never took his _blasé_ eyes off her. 'Where can Lord Cadbury be?' she exclaimed, impatiently, after the waiter had gone twice in search of him in vain. 'Can't say for the life of me; are you anxious about him or yourself?' 'Myself, perhaps.' 'Oh, be assured I shall take the greatest care of you,' said Sir Jasper, noting with delight how perfect was the contour of her face, the form of her hands and ears. 'Thanks; but this situation is intolerable--he ought to be here.' 'I wonder he doesn't look better after his property.' 'What _do_ you mean?' asked Alison, at this impudent remark. 'I am not his property.' 'Oh--a relation, perhaps.' 'Not even a relation.' 'And you came to Antwerp some weeks ago?' 'Yes.' 'From Paris?' 'No; from Southampton in his yacht.' 'In his yacht--oh, by Jove! what other ladies were of his party?' asked Sir Jasper, quizzically, while stroking his tawny moustache. 'No lady but me.' 'In--deed!' There was profound insolence in his drawl, yet Alison never suspected it.