naughty one！ Have I not observe' you lookin' at these pretty
creature'； the little contadina…girl； an' the poor ladies who have
hire' their carriages for two lire to drive up and down the Pincio
in their bes' dress an' be admire' by the yo'ng American while the
music play'？ Which one I wonder； is it on whose wrist you would
mos' like to fasten a bracelet of diamon's？ Wicked； I have watch'
you look at them…？
〃No； no；〃 he interrupted earnestly。 〃I have not once looked away
from you； I ~could n't~。〃 Their eyes met； but instantly hers were
lowered； the bright smile with which she had been rallying him
faded and there was a pause during which he felt that she had become
very grave。 When she spoke； it was with a little quaver； and the
controlled pathos of her voice was so intense that it evoked a
sympathetic catch in his own throat。
〃But； my frien'； if it should be that I cannot wish you to look so
at me； or to speak so to me？〃
〃I beg your pardon！〃 he exclaimed； almost incoherently。 〃I didn't
mean to hurt your feelings。 I wouldn't do anything you'd think
ungentlemanly for the world！〃
Her eyes lifted again to his with what he had no difficulty in
recognizing as a look of perfect trust； but； behind that； he
perceived a darkling sadness。
〃I know it is true；〃 she murmured 〃I know。 But you see there are
time' when a woman has sorrowsorrow of one kindwhen she mus' be
sure that there is onlyonly rispec' in the hearts of her frien's。〃
With that； the intended revelation was complete； and the young man
understood； as clearly as if she had told him in so many words；
that she was not a widow and that her husband was the cause of her
sorrow。 His quickened instinct marvelously divined （or else it was
conveyed to him by some intangible method of hers） that the Count
de Vaurigard was a very bad case； but that she would not divorce
him。
〃I know；〃 he answered； profoundly touched。 〃I understand。〃
In silent gratitude she laid her hand for a second upon his sleeve。
Then her face brightened； and she said gayly：
〃But we shall not talk of ~me！~ Let us see how we can keep you out
of mischief at leas' for a little while。 I know very well what you
will do to…night： you will go to Salone Margherita an' sit in a box
like all the wicked Americans〃
〃No； indeed； I shall not！〃
〃Ah； yes； you will！〃 she laughed。 〃But until dinner let me keep
you from wickedness。 Come to tea jus' wiz me； not at the hotel；
but at the little apartment I have taken； where it is quiet。 The
music is finish'； an' all those pretty girl' are goin' away； you
see。 I am not selfish if I take you from the Pincio now。 You
will come？
III。 Glamour
It was some fair dream that would be gone too soon； he told himself；
as they drove rapidly through the twilight streets； down from the
Pincio and up the long slope of the Quirinal。 They came to a stop
in the gray courtyard of a palazzo； and ascended in a sleepy
elevator to the fifth floor。 Emerging； they encountered a tall man
who was turning away from the Countess' door； which he had just
closed。 The landing was not lighted； and for a moment he failed
to see the American following Madame de Vaurigard。
〃Eow； it's you； is it；〃 he said informally。 〃Waitin' a devil of a
long time for you。 I've gawt a message for you。 ~He's~ comin'。
He writes that Cooley〃
~〃Attention！〃~ she interrupted under her breath； and； stepping
forward quickly； touched the bell。 〃I have brought a frien' of our
dear； droll Cooley with me to tea。 Monsieur Mellin； you mus' make
acquaintance with Monsieur Sneyd。 He is English； but we shall
forgive him because he is a such ole frien' of mine。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 said Mellin。 〃Remember seeing you on the boat； running
across the pond。〃
〃Yes； ev coss；〃 responded Mr。 Sneyd cordially。 〃I wawsn't so
fawchnit as to meet you； but dyuh eold Cooley's talked ev you
often。 Heop I sh'll see maw of you hyuh。〃
A very trim； very intelligent…looking maid opened the door； and
the two men followed Madame de Vaurigard into a square hall； hung
with tapestries and lit by two candles of a Brobdingnagian species
Mellin had heretofore seen only in cathedrals。 Here Mr。 Sneyd
paused。
〃I weon't be bawthring you；〃 he said。 〃Just a wad with you；
Cantess； and I'm off。〃
The intelligent…looking maid drew back some heavy curtains leading
to a salon beyond the hall； and her mistress smiled brightly at
Mellin。
〃I shall keep him to jus' his one word；〃 she said； as the young
man passed between the curtains。
It was a nobly proportioned room that he entered； so large that；
in spite of the amount of old furniture it contained； the first
impression it gave was one of spaciousness。 Panels of carved and
blackened wood lined the walls higher than his head； above them；
Spanish leather gleamed here and there with flickerings of red and
gilt； reflecting dimly a small but brisk wood fire which crackled
in a carved stone fireplace。 His feet slipped on the floor of
polished tiles and wandered from silky rugs to lose themselves in
great black bear skins as in unmown sward。 He went from the
portrait of a 〃cinquecento〃 cardinal to a splendid tryptich set
over a Gothic chest； from a cabinet sheltering a collection of old
glass to an Annunciation by an unknown Primitive。 He told himself
that this was a 〃room in a book；〃 and became dreamily assured that
he was a man in a book。 Finally he stumbled upon something almost
grotesquely out of place： a large； new； perfectly…appointed card…
table with a sliding top； a smooth； thick； green cover and patent
compartments。
He halted before this incongruity； regarding it with astonishment。
Then a light laugh rippled behind him； and he turned to find Madame
de Vaurigard seated in a big red Venetian chair by the fire。
She wore a black lace dress； almost severe in fashion； which
gracefully emphasized her slenderness； and she sat with her knees
crossed； the firelight twinkling on the beads of her slipper；
on her silken instep； and flashing again from the rings upon the
slender fingers she had clasped about her knee。
She had lit a thin； long Russian cigarette。
〃You see？〃 she laughed。 〃I mus' keep up with the time。 I mus' do
somesing to hold my frien's about me。 Even the ladies like to play
nowthat breedge w'ich is so tiresomethey play； play； play！
And youyou Americans； you refuse to endure us if we do not let
you play。 So for my frien's when they come to my houseif they
wish it； there is that foolish little table。 I fear〃she concluded
with a bewitching affectation of sadness〃they prefer that to
talkin' wiz me。〃
〃You know that couldn't be so； ~Comtesse~；〃 he said。 〃I would
rather talk to you thanthan〃
〃Ah； yes； you say so； Monsieur！〃 She looked at him gravely； a
little sigh seemed to breathe upon her lips； she leaned forward
nearer the fire； her face wistful in the thin； rosy light； and it
seemed to him he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life。
He came across to her and sat upon a stool at her feet。 〃On my
soul；〃 he began huskily； 〃I swear〃
She laid her finger on her lips； shaking her head gently； and he
was silent； while the intelligent maidat that moment entering
arranged a tea…table and departed。
〃American an' Russian； they are the worse；〃 said the Countess
thoughtfully； as she served him with a generous cup； laced with
rum； 〃but the American he is the bes' to play ~wiz~。〃 Mellin
found her irresistible when she said 〃wiz。〃
〃Why is that？〃
〃Oh； the Russian play high； yesbut the American〃she laughed
delightedly and stretched her arms wide〃he make' it all a joke！
He is beeg like his beeg country。 If he win or lose； he don' care！
Ah； I mus' tell you of my great American frien'； that Honor…able
Chanlair Pedlow； who is comin' to Rome。 You have heard of
Honor…able Chanlair Pedlow in America？〃
〃I remember hearing that name。〃
〃Ah； I shall make you know him。 He is a man of distinction； he
did sit in your Chamber of Deputieswhat you call it？yes； your
Con…gress。 He is funny； eccentricalways he roar like a lion
Boum！but so simple； so good； a man of such fine heartso
lovable！〃
〃1'll be glad to meet him；〃 said Mellin coldly。
〃An'； oh； yes； I almos' forget to tell you；〃 she went on； 〃your
frien'； that dear Cooley； he is on his way from Monte Carlo in
his automobile。 I have a note from him to…day。〃
〃Good sort of fellow； little Cooley； in his way；〃 remarked her
companion graciously。 〃Not especially intellectual or that； you
know。 His father was a manufacturer chap； I believe； or something
of the sort。 I suppose you saw a lot of him in Paris？〃
〃Eh； I thought he is dead！〃 cried Madame de Vaurigard。
〃The father is。 I mean； little Cooley。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she laughed softly。 〃We had some gay times； a little
party of us。 We shall be happy here； too； you will see。 I mus'
make a little dinner very soon； but not unless you will come。 You
will？〃
〃Do you want me very much？〃
He placed his empty cup on the table and leaned closer to her；
smiling。 She did not smile in response； instead； her eyes fell
and there was the faintest； pathetic quiver of her lower lip。
〃Already you know that；〃 she said in a low voice。
She rose quickly； turned away from him and walked across the room
to the curtains which opened upon the hall。 One of these she drew
back。
〃My frien'； you mus' go now；〃 she said in the same low voice。
〃To…morrow I will see you again。 Come at four an' you shall drive
with mebut notnot more~now~。 Please！〃
She stood waiting； not looking at him； but with head bent and eyes
veiled。 As he came near she put out a limp hand。 He held it for
a few seconds of distinctly emotional silence； then strode swiftly
into the hall。
She immediately let the curtain fall behind him； and as he got his
hat and coat he heard her catch her breath sharply with a sound
like a little sob。
Dazed with glory； he returned to the hotel。 In the lobby he
approached the glittering concierge and said firmly：
〃What is the Salone Margherita？ Cam you get me a box there
to…night？〃
IV。 Good Fellowship
He confessed his wickedness to Madame de Vaurigard the next
afternoon as they drove ou