AXD A BELLE. 125 



arms sTiaded only by a lace sleeve of a hands-breadth 

 below the shoulder, with one massive gold bracelet 

 and short white gloves lace-fringed — that was all. 

 Yet it was enough to inspire Percy Fairfax with — 

 what ? Aye, what ? — Not love, fair and gentle reader, 

 no — certainly not love. But a sensation, half of rest- 

 less curiosity to see the front and face of that soft and 

 graceful form ; half of wonder if the features were m 

 harmony with the harmonious shape and movement ; 

 were the eyes deeply, beautifully blue, or was it but a 

 pale, insipid white-eyed and white-eyebrowed blonde, 

 that swam so swan-like, yet so womanly withal, before 

 him ? And he half smiled at his own romance, as ho 

 caught himself fancying that he had met that woman's 

 figure ; for he set her down at once too full blown for a 

 girl ; somewhere — was it in his dreams ? before, and, 

 yet more absurd that she was in somewise connected 

 with his own fate. 



But his ball-room romance was soon and shortly 

 ended. He reached the spot where the sister-graces, 

 of whom he was in quest, stood revealed before him, 

 and ere the fair unknown had turned so far as to show 

 him so much as the outline of a cheek, he halted, in 

 pleasure as in duty bound, slave to those Cynthias of 

 the minute. And the light, merry welcome, and the 

 gentle persiflage half just concealing real praise, hail- 

 ing him 



" Victor of tlie day, 

 And champion of well-won fi'ay, 

 Even as the Lord of Fontenaye, 

 And Lutterworth and Scrivelbave, 

 And Tamworth tower, and town — " 



and that most fascinating of all flatteries, the mute 

 adulation of a beautiful woman's eyes, long detained 

 him ; and the memory of soft dimpled shoulders and 

 pale golden tresses 



