There she was, sitting by an old lady in grey satin and diamonds, who had a wrinkled but kindly face and keen grey eyes that seemed to take in everything they saw, with very little inclination to give much in return. But I did not notice the chaperon. I saw only the face that had haunted me for months, and in the excitement of the moment I walked quickly towards the pair, forgetting such a trifle as the necessity for an introduction. She was far more beautiful than I had thought, but I never doubted that it was she herself and no other. Vision or no vision before, this was the reality, and I knew it. Twice her hair had been covered, now at last I saw it, and the added beauty of its magnificence glorified the whole woman. It was rich hair, fine and abundant, golden, with deep ruddy tints in it like red bronze spun fine. There was no ornament in it, not a rose, not a thread of gold, and I felt that it needed nothing to enhance its splendour; nothing but her pale face, her dark strange eyes, and her heavy eyebrows. I could see that she was slender, too, but strong withal, as she sat there quietly gazing at the moving scene in the midst of the brilliant lights and the hum of perpetual conversation. I recollected the detail of introduction in time, and turned aside to look for my host. I found him at last. I begged him to present me to the two ladies, pointing them out to him at the same time. "Yes--uh--by all means--uh--" replied his Excellency, with a pleasant smile. He evidently had no idea of my name, which was not to be wondered at. "I am Lord Cairngorm," I observed. "Oh--by all means," answered the Ambassador, with the same hospitable smile. "Yes--uh--the fact is, I must try and find out who they are; such lots of people, you know." "Oh, if you will present me, I will try and find out for you," said I, laughing. "Ah, yes--so kind of you--come along," said my host. We threaded the crowd, and in a few minutes we stood before the two ladies. "'Lowmintrduce L'd Cairngorm," he said; then, adding quickly to me, "Come and dine to-morrow, won't you?" He glided away with his pleasant smile, and disappeared in the crowd. I sat down beside the beautiful girl, conscious that the eyes of the duenna were upon me. "I think we have been very near meeting before," I remarked, by way of opening the conversation. My companion turned her eyes full upon me with an air of enquiry. She evidently did not recall my face, if she had ever seen me. "Really--I cannot remember," she observed, in a low and musical voice. "When?" "In the first place, you came down from Berlin by the express, ten days ago. I was going the other way, and our carriages stopped opposite each other. I saw you at the window." "Yes--we came that way, but I do not remember--" She hesitated.