"Sibyl! Prince Rimânez and his friend, Mr Geoffrey Tempest," she turned her head and honoured us both with the chill glance I have endeavoured to describe, and the very faintest possible bow as an acknowledgment of our presence. Her exquisite beauty smote me dumb and foolish,--I could find nothing to say, and stood silent and confused, with a strange sensation of bewilderment upon me. The old Earl made some remark about the play, which I scarcely heard though I answered vaguely and at hap-hazard,--the orchestra was playing abominably as is usual in theatres, and its brazen din sounded like the noise of the sea in my ears,--I had not much real consciousness of anything save the wondrous loveliness of the girl who faced me, clad in pure white, with a few diamonds shining about her like stray dewdrops on a rose. Lucio spoke to her, and I listened. "At last, Lady Sibyl," he said, bending towards her deferentially. "At last I have the honour of meeting you. I have seen you often, as one sees a star,--at a distance." She smiled,--a smile so slight and cold that it scarcely lifted the corners of her lovely lips. "I do not think I have ever seen _you_," she replied. "And yet there is something oddly familiar in your face. I have heard my father speak of you constantly,--I need scarcely say his friends are always mine." He bowed. "To merely speak to Lady Sibyl Elton is counted sufficient to make the man so privileged happy," he said. "To be her friend is to discover the lost paradise." She flushed,--then grew suddenly very pale, and shivering, she drew her cloak towards her. Rimânez wrapped its perfumed silken folds carefully round her beautiful shoulders,--how I grudged him the dainty task! He then turned to me, and placed a chair just behind hers. "Will you sit here Geoffrey?" he suggested--"I want to have a moment's business chat with Lord Elton." Recovering my self-possession a little, I hastened to take the chance he thus generously gave me to ingratiate myself in the young lady's favour, and my heart gave a foolish bound of joy because she smiled encouragingly as I approached her. "You are a great friend of Prince Rimânez?" she asked softly, as I sat down. "Yes, we are very intimate," I replied--"He is a delightful companion." "So I should imagine!" and she looked over at him where he sat next to her father talking earnestly in low tones--"He is singularly handsome."