106 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
but I have had no lady in my box to-night. If, however, you are in search of beauty, what say you to Madame Petronovitch?' She indicated the royal box with her fan, and handed me her glass.
"I looked over the way and saw a handsome foreign-looking woman, chatting with a distinctly Russian officer; both animated, the lady evidently happy, the officer some-what constrained in his manner, and with, as I thought, a cruel mouth, and a cold resolute eye. 'General Petronovitch,' said Lady Marchmount, 'the famous Russian diplomat and soldier making a tour of Europe by way of honeymoon, coupled with official business; is to honor the Italian Court during the coming festivities at Venice; a compliment to Italy which troubles France and does not delight Germany. Lord Marchmount was to have come to bring the General to my box, and no doubt will. Won't you stay?' 'Thank you, Lady Marchmount,' I said, 'I have a friend who is a stranger to the town,' which was true; a young fellow to whom my mother was anxious I should pay attention. So I left the box, and made a survey of the house from various points, but my mysterious and beautiful vision was nowhere to be seen."
"It was not a vision after all, eh ? not a dream face, incident and all?"
"No, it was a reality, and I cannot help thinking Lady Marchmount had some reason for saying she had no other visitor except myself."
"But surely she would not have told a deliberate lie about it?"
"She might have done so with a reservation."
"But why?"
"Ah, there you bring me to a dead stop."
"Would it have been possible for the lady to have gone into the box and Lady Marchmount not have seen her?"
"Yes, if the door had been left open, and Lady March-
