I went in between a major of the Dragoons and the wife of a Court Councillor, and neither of them said a single word to me during the meal. The band of the 182nd played in the Council Chamber in the intervals between the courses. I could not see the Grand Duchess, the King, or the Dukes, as the top table was completely hidden from me by a forest of flowers. In the hubbub of toasts and champagne I slipped out, and went through the Council Chamber to the Great Hall, hoping to get a good view of the entrance of the royalties. A charming voice drew me from the well of my reflections: "Well, Monsieur Vignerte, why so solitary?" I was alone in the great room with Fräulein von Graffenfried. "What about yourself, Fräulein?" "I? Oh, that's a different matter. The Grand Duchess has asked me to have a look round before the others come in. The waiters are so stupid. She is most anxious that the flowers should be well arranged." I looked around at the tasteful floral display about us. Purple iris alternated with yellow roses, larger and finer than anything I have ever seen, before or since. "These flowers are from her own home," Melusine explained; "iris from the Volga and roses from Daghestan. She has a waggon-load sent every month, as she thinks the flowers here very poor. They are beautiful, aren't they?" she added, with her face buried in a large bunch. "Not more so than she!" I murmured, not knowing what I said. Melusine gave me a smiling glance. She was dressed in a gown of ivory satin under a tunic of tulle embroidered with iridescent pearls. No jewels, save for a necklace of pink pearls round her smooth throat. Her whole personality, elegant, languid and perfumed, spoke in that smile. "Yes, she is," was all she said. Then with sudden irony: "So it was her flowers that suggested herself? I shall tell her." "I beg of you, Fräulein ..." "No, no! I want you to know her. You must come and see us. We get bored, you know, seeing no one but little Hagen. He isn't always amusing." "He is in love with her, I suppose," I said, drawing close up to her. Melusine laughed. "He's quite tiresome enough for that." "And she?" "Monsieur Vignerte," said Melusine, smiling again. "You go from one extreme to the other, the depths of modesty to the heights of indiscretion. Don't you realize that, to say the least, your questions are not very flattering to me?" She leaned forward, almost touching me. Her black hair brushed my cheek. "I think you found me much better-looking this morning before seeing her, didn't you?" she whispered. She took my arm with an imperious gesture. "Well, you can look at her now." With a clatter of swords and spurs the procession entered the Great Hall just as a thousand lights were turned on at once. * * * * * *