Paul did as he was bid. Sally was right, the girl to whom she directed his attention was lovely beyond compare; and yet there was something in her face that failed to satisfy him. The very perfection, too, of everything about her, gave him a feeling of unconscious irritation. "Well?" asked Sally, when he turned back to her. "She's beautiful, certainly; but I don't like her." "It's just because you did not discover her first." Paul did not trouble to answer; there was a general stir amongst the company. The concert was drawing to a close, and the burghers of Brussels began to think of home and bed. The wives slipped their knitting into their pocket; the husbands bestowed a passing nod and guttural good night to each other as they moved away; and the twinkling lights began to be extinguished one by one. In the crowd at the entrance Paul and Sally found themselves close to the girl whom Sally had so greatly admired. She was talking in low, clear tones to her mother. "Ought not to have come? What nonsense, mother! It has been quite an amusing experience to see the way these people pass their evenings; they are quite nice and respectable. I confess now I should be glad to see our carriage. I feel I'm getting smoke-dried like bacon--or ham, is it?" It was evident that the elder of the two ladies was rather frightened and losing her head. "I'll not do this again without a man of our own," she said with nervous irritability. Paul stepped forward, raising his hat. "Is your carriage anywhere about? Can I get it for you?" "Oh, thank you so much. It's a private one from the Hotel de Flandres, and I told the man to stop here." "Unfortunately the police regulations interfere with your orders," Paul said, with a slight smile. "He must take his place in the ranks. I will soon find it for you if you will stay here." "Name, Webster," said the older lady. So Paul, with a nod to Sally to stay where she was, hurried off, returning in a moment with the carriage. "Thanks so much," said the girl whom Sally admired, as Paul handed her in and closed the door behind her. "I was quite glad of the time to consider her more closely!" cried Sally, as they drove off. "I've never seen what I call an absolutely perfect face before. I wonder if I shall see her again?" "For my part I don't wish it," Paul answered carelessly. "Beautiful she is; but she bears the knowledge of it about with her like an overpowering perfume, and is the very impersonation of the insolence of riches!" "Why, Paul, you are not often either narrow-minded or unjust." "How dare she comment upon these Belgians, who nearly all possess a smattering of English, under their very noses!" continued Paul, angrily. "'Quite nice and respectable,' indeed! As she and her mother were in a fix I was bound, as a man, to offer my services; but I did it unwillingly."