BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 163
society bow by extending her hand to be shaken, and at the same time addressing some pleasant word of thanks for being permitted to accept Mrs. Chetwynd's invitation so unceremoniously. The next moment she was speaking with Dick, all unconscious of the admiration she was call- ing forth on all hands.
She wore a long, trailing Empire dress of straw-colored silk, covered with crape of the same dainty hue, trimmed with garlands of golden laburnum, that seemed to accent- uate the rich gold of her hair, at the same time deadening the paleness of her cheeks and giving death to the violet of her eyes. Her jewellery consisted of the topaz and the diamond exquisitely blended. In harmony with her cos- tume, her hair was dressed in the Empire fashion, giving an added height to her imposing figure'; her tresses were held up, as it seemed, by one magnificent pin of topaz, set in a shimmering halo of diamonds. Long gloves draped her arms, she carried a yellow-ostrich-feather fan, and from one arm depended a crape shawl, the fringe of which swept the floor with her train. Upon. her left wrist was an an- cient Arabian amulet composed of topaz, through which in Arabic was bored in curious stars the word "Vengeance." Mr. Chetwynd's guests only saw the sombre yellow bangle j they little dreamed of the great, solemn, terrible oath that had been sworn upon it.
The countess was no otner than our Queen of the Ghetto, poor Anna Klosstock. The reader will know how to cor- rect some of the information which Lady Marchmount gave to Lady Forsyth. Though it was not quite unexpected, the marriage with the Count Stravensky will be new to them. In regard to the details of that interesting and ro- mantic union, it is possible we may hear the story from the lips of Andrea Ferrari, or from the mouth of the countess herself. Meanwhile the reader's interest especially at the moment will be with Philip Forsyth, who, sitting with his
