is his excessive vitality which is burdensome to ephemeral creatures like myself. It is as if he absorbed their proper part whenever he came near them.’

So thinking, I took out my pistols and cleaned them, not without a certain pleasure. I had had enough of my own society by the time the clock struck eight, and was well inclined to seek that of others.

The dinner to which I was invited was given by Princess X., who lived in an apartment on the third floor of the Hotel Z. She was going to a dance that night—the same that I meant to attend—and the party before-hand would be, she informed me, quite a small one, consisting only of myself and a few intimates. It so happened that I was rather late. Seeing the door of the lift open, I got in. The darkness had prevented me from noticing that in one corner there was already something that looked like a downy ball of white, with a very small head coming out of it. I would fain have beaten a retreat, but it was too late; the porter stepped in after me and we began to ascend.

‘Oh!’ said the little lady, with a gasp, putting out a small white hand to catch hold of me. I am afraid that I did not attempt to reassure her. It was all over in a minute.

The lift stopped. I made way for her to get out. She turned round to me, smiling and blushing.

‘I beg your pardon,’ she said, ‘I never have been in one before. It is so unlike anything else—when you are not accustomed. I suppose you also are going to dine with Marraine?’

‘I have not the pleasure of calling the Princess X. Marraine,’ I replied; ‘but if she has the pleasure of calling you her godchild, we are bound for one destination. Allow me to ring the bell.’

As she passed into the hall, the clearer light shone, for a moment, on her soft brown curls, and glanced, reflected, in her mirthful eyes.

We entered the drawing-room almost at the same moment. As the Princess rose to make us acquainted, she laughed again and said quickly:

‘No, no, Marraine, it is too late. I was introduced by the lift, as the greatest coward this gentleman has ever known, quite three minutes ago.’

The Princess took her hand.

‘Well! well!’ she said, ‘was there ever such a naughty débutante? It is a pity, as you took each other up so pleasantly, that you cannot take each other down also. But there I must interfere.’

‘It is cruel of you, Princess. Fate was much kinder. But,’—I turned to the younger lady—‘may I presume to ask your hand for the first dance?’

‘You may,’ she said merrily; ‘but I hope you know what you are asking. It is the first dance that I have ever given any one.’

‘Where is your father?’ asked the Princess.

‘Kept at home by a letter from the Prime Minister. He begs that you will excuse him; for nothing else would he have given up this party. He is coming later on, to take me home. I hope he will not come till very late indeed, if that is all he cares for. He did not feel sure that it was meet for me to go out to dinner alone, even to the house of my godmother, but he said that he did not want to disappoint you, and I think,’ she put in candidly, though very demurely, ‘he did not want to disappoint me either. I should have died of vexation if I had had to stay at home.’

The Princess laughed.