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be the natural outgrowth of pre…eminent social rank。 If you had
accepted her for what she was； on the surface； you would have
said； Here is the model of a noble woman who is perfectly free
from pride。 And if you had taken a liberty with her； on the
strength of that conviction； she would have made you remember it
to the end of your life。
We got on together admirably。 I was introduced as 〃Mrs。
Woodville；〃 by previous arrangement with the Majoreffected
through Benjamin。 Before the dinner was over we had promised to
exchange visits。 Nothing but the opportunity was wanting to lead
Lady Clarinda into talking； as I wanted her to talk； of Mrs。
Beauly。
Late in the evening the opportunity came。
I had taken refuge from the terrible bravura singing of the
Major's strident prima donna in the back drawing…room。 As I had
hoped and anticipated； after a while Lady Clarinda （missing me
from the group around the piano） came in search of me。 She seated
herself by my side； out of sight and out of hearing of our
friends in the front room； and； to my infinite relief and
delight； touched on the subject of Miserrimus Dexter of her own
accord。 Something I had said of him； when his name had been
accidentally mentioned at dinner； remained in her memory； and led
us； by perfectly natural gradations； into speaking of Mrs。
Beauly。 〃At last；〃 I thought to myself； 〃the Major's little
dinner will bring me my reward！〃
And what a reward it was； when it came！ My heart sinks in me
againas it sank on that never…to…be…forgotten eveningwhile I
sit at my desk thinking of it。
〃So Dexter really spoke to you of Mrs。 Beauly！〃 exclaimed Lady
Clarinda。 〃You have no idea how you surprise me。〃
〃May I ask why？〃
〃He hates her！ The last time I saw him he wouldn't allow me to
mention her name。 It is one of his innumerable oddities。 If any
such feeling as sympathy is a possible feeling in such a nature
as his； he ought to like Helena Beauly。 She is the most
completely unconventional person I know。 When she does break out；
poor dear； she says things and does things which are almost
reckless enough to be worthy of Dexter himself。 I wonder whether
you would like her？〃
〃You have kindly asked me to visit you； Lady Clarinda。 Perhaps I
may meet her at your house？〃
〃I hope you will not wait until that is likely to happen；〃 she
said。 〃Helena's last whim is to fancy that she has gotthe gout；
of all the maladies in the world！ She is away at some wonderful
baths in Hungary or Bohemia （I don't remember which）and where
she will go； or what she will do next； it is perfectly impossible
to say。Dear Mrs。 Woodville！ is the heat of the fire too much
for you？ You are looking quite pale。〃
I _felt_ that I was looking pale。 The discovery of Mrs。 Beauly's
absence from England was a shock for which I was quite
unprepared。 For a moment it unnerved me。
〃Shall we go into the other room？〃 asked Lady Clarinda。
To go into the other room would be to drop the conversation。 I
was determined not to let that catastrophe happen。 It was just
possible that Mrs。 Beauly's maid might have quitted her service；
or might have been left behind in England。 My information would
not be complete until I knew what had become of the maid。 I
pushed my chair back a little from the fire…place； and took a
hand…screen from a table near me； it might be made useful in
hiding my face； if any more disappointments were in store for me。
〃Thank you； Lady Clarinda； I was only a little too near the fire。
I shall do admirably here。 You surprise me about Mrs。 Beauly。
From what Mr。 Dexter said to me； I had imagined〃
〃Oh； you must not believe anything Dexter tells you！〃 interposed
Lady Clarinda。 〃He delights in mystifying people； and he
purposely misled you； I have no doubt。 If all that I hear is
true； _he_ ought to know more of Helena Beauly's strange freaks
and fancies than most people。 He all but discovered her in one of
her adventures （down in Scotland）； which reminds me of the story
in Auber's charming operawhat is it called？ I shall forget my
own name next！ I mean the opera in which the two nuns slip out of
the convent； and go to the ball。 Listen！ How very odd！ That
vulgar girl is singing the castanet song in the second act at
this moment。 Major！ what opera is the young lady singing from？〃
The Major was scandalized at this interruption。 He bustled into
the back roomwhispered； 〃Hush！ hush！ my dear lady； the 'Domino
Noir'〃and bustled back again to the piano。
〃Of course！〃 said Lady Clarinda。 〃How stupid of me！ The 'Domino
Noir。' And how strange that you should forget it too！〃
I had remembered it perfectly； but I could not trust myself to
speak。 If； as I believed； the 〃adventure〃 mentioned by Lady
Clarinda was connected； in some way； with Mrs。 Beauly's
mysterious proceedings on the morning of the twenty…first of
October； I was on the brink of the very discovery which it was
the one interest of my life to make！ I held the screen so as to
hide my face； and I said； in the steadiest voice that I could
command at the moment；
〃Pray go on！pray tell me what the adventure was！〃
Lady Clarinda was quite flattered by my eager desire to hear the
coming narrative。
〃I hope my story will be worthy of the interest which you are so
good as to feel in it； 〃she said。 〃If you only knew Helenait is
_so_ like her！ I have it； you must know； from her maid。 She has
taken a woman who speaks foreign languages with her to Hungary
and she has left the maid with me。 A perfect treasure！ I should
be only too glad if I could keep her in my service： she has but
one defect； a name I hatePhoebe。 Well！ Phoebe and her mistress
were staying at a place near Edinburgh； called （I think）
Gleninch。 The house belonged to that Mr。 Macallan who was
afterward triedyou remember it； of course？for poisoning his
wife。 A dreadful case； but don't be alarmedmy story has nothing
to do with it； my story has to do with Helena Beauly。 One evening
（while she was staying at Gleninch） she was engaged to dine with
some English friends visiting Edinburgh。 The same nightalso in
Edinburghthere was a masked ball； given by somebody whose name
I forget。 The ball （almost an unparalleled event in Scotland！）
was reported to be not at all a reputable affair。 All sorts of
amusing people were to be there。 Ladies of doubtful virtue； you
know； and gentlemen on the outlying limits of society； and so on。
Helena's friends had contrived to get cards； and were going； in
spite of the objectionsin the strictest incognito； of course；
trusting to their masks。 And Helena herself was bent on going
with them； if she could only manage it without being discovered
at Gleninch。 Mr。 Macallan was one of the strait…laced people who
disapproved of the ball。 No lady； he said； could show herself at
such an entertainment without compromising her reputation。 What
stuff！ Well； Helena； in one of her wildest moments； hit on a way
of going to the ball without discovery which was really as
ingenious as a plot in a French play。 She went to the dinner in
the carriage from Gleninch； having sent Phoebe to Edinburgh
before her。 It was not a grand dinnera little friendly
gathering： no evening dress。 When