black silk dress of Paris!” Meanwhile Pallas Athene had been asking about Roger. “Shall I see him to-morrow, at least?” she demanded. “I think not; he will not get out for several days.” “But I can easily go to him. It is very tiresome. Things never turn out as we arrange them. I had arranged this meeting of ours to perfection! He was to dine with us here, and we were to talk, talk, talk, till midnight; and then I was to go home with him; and there we were to stand leaning on the banisters at his room door, and talk, talk; talk till morning.” “And where was I to be?” asked Hubert. “I had not arranged for you. But I expected to see you to-morrow. To-morrow I shall go to Roger.” “If the doctor allows,” said Hubert. Nora rose to her feet. “You don’t mean to say, Hubert, that it is as bad as _that_?” She frowned a little and bent her eyes eagerly on his face. Hubert heard Mrs. Keith’s voice in the hall; in a moment their tête-à-tête would be at an end. Instead of answering her question,—“Nora,” he said, in his deepest, lowest voice, “you are wonderfully beautiful!” He caught her startled, unsatisfied glance; then he turned and greeted Mrs. Keith. He had not pleased Nora, evidently; it was premature. So to efface the solemnity of his speech, he repeated it aloud: “I tell Nora she is very beautiful!” “Bah!” said Mrs. Keith: “you needn’t tell her; she knows it.” Nora smiled unconfusedly. “O, say it all the same!” “Was it not the French ambassador, in Rome,” Mrs. Keith demanded, “who attacked you in that fashion? He asked to be introduced. There’s an honor! ‘_Mademoiselle, vous êtes parfaitement belle._’” “He was very ugly himself,” said Nora.