follow； the stranger stepped quickly forward； speaking Cooley's
name。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Perhaps you don't remember me。 My name's Cornish。 I'm a newspaper
man； a correspondent。〃 （He named a New York paper。） 〃I'm down here
to get a Vatican story。 I knew your father for a number of years
before his death； and I think I may claim that he was a friend of
mine。〃
〃That's good；〃 said the youth cordially。 〃If I hadn't a fine start
already； and wasn't in a hurry to dress； we'd have another。〃
〃You were pointed out to me in Paris；〃 continued Cornish。 〃I found
where you were staying and called on you the next day； but you had
just started for the Riviera。〃 He hesitated； glancing at Mellin。
〃Can you give me half a dozen words with you in private？〃
〃You'll have to excuse me； I'm afraid。 I've only got about ten
minutes to dress。 See you to…morrow。〃
〃I should like it to be as soon as possible；〃 the journalist said
seriously。 〃It isn't on my own account； and I〃
〃All right。 You come to my room at ten t'morrow morning？〃
〃Well； if you can't possibly make it to…night；〃 said Cornish
reluctantly。 〃I wish〃
〃Can't possibly。〃
And Cooley； taking Mellin by the arm； walked rapidly down the
corridor。 〃Funny ole correspondent；〃 he murmured。 〃What do ~I~
know about the Vatican？〃
V。 Lady Mount Rhyswicke
The four friends of Madame de Vaurigard were borne to her apartment
from the Magnifique in Cooley's big car。 They sailed triumphantly
down and up the hills in a cool and bracing air； under a moon that
shone as brightly for them as it had for Caesar； and Mellin's soul
was buoyant within him。 He thought of Cranston and laughed aloud。
What would Cranston say if it could see him in a sixty…horse
touring…car； with two millionaires and an English diplomat； brother
of an earl； and all on the way to dine with a countess？ If Mary
Kramer could see him！。。。 Poor Mary Kramer！ Poor little Mary Kramer！
A man…servant took their coats in Madame de Vaurigard's hall； where
they could hear through the curtains the sound of one or two voices
in cheerful conversation。
Sneyd held up his hand。
〃Listen；〃 he said。 〃Shawly； that isn't Lady Mount…Rhyswicke's
voice！ She couldn't be in Reomalways a Rhyswicke Caws'l for
Decembah。 By Jev； it is！〃
〃Nothin' of the kind；〃 said Pedlow。 〃I know Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
as well as I know you。 I started her father in business when he was
clerkin' behind a counter in Liverpool。 I give him the money to
begin on。 'Make good；' says I； 'that's all。 Make good！' And he
done it； too。 Educated his daughter fit fer a princess； married
her to Mount…Rhyswicke； and when he died left her ten million
dollars if he left her a cent！ I know Madge Mount…Rhyswicke and
that ain't her voice。〃
A peal of silvery laughter rang from the other side of the curtain。
〃They've heard you；〃 said Cooley。
〃An' who could help it？〃 Madame de Vaurigard herself threw back the
curtains。 〃Who could help hear our great； dear； ole lion？ How he
roar'！〃
She wore a white velvet 〃princesse〃 gown of a fashion which was
a shade less than what is called 〃daring；〃 with a rope of pearls
falling from her neck and a diamond star in her dark hair。 Standing
with one arm uplifted to the curtains； and with the mellow glow of
candles and firelight behind her； she was so lovely that both Mellin
and Cooley stood breathlessly still until she changed her attitude。
This she did only to move toward them； extending a hand to each；
letting Cooley seize the right and Mellin the left。
Each of them was pleased with what he got； particularly Mellin。
〃The left is nearer the heart；〃 he thought。
She led them through the curtains； not withdrawing her hands until
they entered the salon。 She might have led them out of her fifth…
story window in that fashion； had she chosen。
〃My two wicked boys！〃 she laughed tenderly。 This also pleased both
of them； though each would have preferred to be her only wicked boy
a preference which； perhaps； had something to do with the later
events of the evening。
〃Aha！ I know you both； before twenty minute' you will be makin'
love to Lady Mount…Rhyswicke。 Behol' those two already！ An' they
are only ole frien's。〃
She pointed to Pedlow and Sneyd。 The fat man was shouting at a
woman in pink satin； who lounged； half…reclining； among a pile of
cushions upon a divan near the fire； Sneyd gallantly bending over
her to kiss her hand。
〃It is a very little dinner； you see；〃 continued the hostess； 〃only
seven； but we shall be seven time' happier。〃
The seventh person proved to be the Italian； Corni； who had
surrendered his seat in Madame de Vaurigard's victoria to Mellin
on the Pincio。 He presently made his appearance followed by a
waiter bearing a tray of glasses filled with a pink liquid； while
the Countess led her two wicked boys across the room to present them
to Lady Mount…Rhyswicke。 Already Mellin was forming sentences for
his next letter to the Cranston Telegraph： 〃Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
said to me the other evening； while discussing the foreign policy
of Great Britain； in Comtesse de Vaurigard's salon。。。〃 〃An English
peeress of pronounced literary acumen has been giving me rather
confidentially her opinion of our American poets。。。〃
The inspiration of these promising fragments was a large； weary…
looking person； with no lack of powdered shoulder above her pink
bodice and a profusion of 〃undulated〃 hair of so decided a blond
that it might have been suspected that the decision had lain with
the lady herself。
〃Howjdo；〃 she said languidly； when Mellin's name was pronounced to
her。 〃There's a man behind you tryin' to give you something to
drink。〃
〃Who was it said these were Martinis？〃 snorted Pedlow。 〃They've
got perfumery in 'em。〃
〃Ah； what a bad lion it is！〃 Madame de Vaurigard lifted both hands
in mock horror。 〃Roar； lion； roar！〃 she cried。 〃An' think of the
emotion of our good Cavaliere Corni； who have come an hour early
jus' to make them for us！ I ask Monsieur Mellin if it is not good。〃
〃And I'll leave it to Cooley；〃 said Pedlow。 〃If he can drink all of
his I'll eat crow！〃
Thus challenged； the two young men smilingly accepted glasses from
the waiter； and lifted them on high。
〃Same toast；〃 said Cooley。 〃Queen！〃
~〃A la belle Marquise！〃~
Gallantly they drained the glasses at a gulp； and Madame de
Vaurigard clapped her hands。
〃Bravo！〃 she cried。 〃You see？ Corni and I； we win。〃
〃Look at their faces！〃 said Mr。 Pedlow； tactlessly drawing attention
to what was； for the moment； an undeniably painful sight。 〃Don't
tell me an Italian knows how to make a good Martini！〃
Mellin profoundly agreed； but； as he joined the small procession to
the Countess' dinner…table； he was certain that an Italian at least
knew how to make a strong one。
The light in the dining…room was provided by six heavily…shaded
candles on the table； the latter decorated with delicate lines
of orchids。 The chairs were large and comfortable； covered with
tapestry； the glass was old Venetian； and the servants； moving
like useful ghosts in the shadow outside the circle of mellow light；
were particularly efficient in the matter of keeping the wine…
glasses full。 Madame de Vaurigard had put Pedlow on her right；
Cooley on her left； with Mellin directly opposite her； next to Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke。 Mellin was pleased； because he thought he would
have the Countess's face toward him。 Anything would have pleased
him just then。
〃This is the kind of table ~everybody~ ought to have；〃 he observed
to the party in general； as he finished his first glass of champagne。
〃I'm going to have it like this at my place in the Statesif I ever
decide to go back。 I'll have six separate candlesticks like this；
not a candelabrum； and that will be the only light in the room。 And
I'll never have anything but orchids on my table〃
〃For my part；〃 Lady Mount…Rhyswicke interrupted in the loud； tired
monotone which seemed to be her only manner of speaking； 〃I like
more light。 I like all the light that's goin'。〃
〃If Lady Mount…Rhyswicke sat at ~my~ table；〃 returned Mellin
dashingly； 〃I should wish all the light in the world to shine upon
so happy an event。〃
〃Hear the man！〃 she drawled。 〃He's proposing to me。 Thinks I'm
a widow。〃
There was a chorus of laughter； over which rose the bellow of Mr。
Pedlow。
〃'He's game！' she saysand ~ain't~ he？〃
Across the table Madame de Vaurigard's eyes met Mellin's with a
mocking intelligence so complete that he caught her message without
need of the words she noiselessly formed with her lips： 〃I tol' you
you would be making love to her！〃
He laughed joyously in answer。 Why shouldn't he flirt with Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke？ He was thoroughly happy； his Helene； his ~belle
Marquise~； sat across the table from him sending messages to him
with her eyes。 He adored her； but he liked Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
…梙e liked everybody and everything in the world。 He liked Pedlow
particularly； and it no longer troubled him that the fat man should
be a friend of Madame de Vaurigard。 Pedlow was a 〃character〃 and
a wit as well。 Mellin laughed heartily at everything the Honorable
Chandler Pedlow said。
〃This is life；〃 remarked the young man to his fair neighbor。
〃What is？ Sittin' round a table； eatin' and drinkin'？〃
〃Ah； lovely skeptic！〃 She looked at him strangely； but he continued
with growing enthusiasm： 〃I mean to sit at such a table as this；
with such a chef； with such winesto know one crowded hour like
this is to live！ Not a thing is missing； all this swagger furniture；
the rich atmosphere of smartness about the whole place； best of all；
the company。 It's a great thing to have the ~real~ people around
you； the right sort； you know； socially； people you'd ask to your
own table at home。 There are only seven； but every one ~distingue~；
every one〃
She leaned both elbows on the table with her hands palm to palm；
and； resting her cheek against the back of her left hand； looked
at him steadily。
〃And youare you distinguished； too？〃
〃Oh； I wouldn't be much known over ~here~；〃 he said modestly。
〃Do you write poetry？〃
〃Oh； not professionally； t