Lady Augusta, not waiting for her sister's intervention, at once accepted the speech as addressed to herself, and spoke to him with much courtesy. “You are new to Rome, I believe?” said she. “Years ago I was here; but not in the society. I knew only the artists, and that Bohemian class who live with artists,” said he, quite easily. “Perhaps I might have the same difficulty still, but Baron de Limayrac and I served together in Africa, and he has been kind enough to present me to some of his friends.” The unaffected tone and the air of good-breeding with which these few words were uttered, went far to conciliate Lady Augusta in his favor; and after some further talk together she left him, promising, at some later period of the evening, to rejoin him and tell him something of the people who were there. “Do you know, _cara_, that he is downright charming?” whispered she to her sister, as they walked together through the rooms. “Of course I mean Pracontal; he is very witty, and not in the least ill-natured. I 'm so sorry the Culduffs have not come. I 'd have given anything to present Pracontal to his cousin--if she be his cousin. Oh, here they are: and is n't she splendid in pearls?” Lord and Lady Culduff moved up the salon as might a prince and princess royal, acknowledging blandly but condescendingly the salutations that met them. Knowing and known to every one, they distributed the little graceful greetings with that graduated benignity great people or would-be great people--for they are more alike than is generally believed--so well understand.