eyes, gave quite audible sighs of pleasure when they escaped. Both girls
wore white, and Harz, who sat opposite Christian, kept looking at her,
and wondering why he had not painted her in that dress.

Mrs. Decie understood the art of dining--the dinner, ordered by Herr
Paul, was admirable; the servants silent as their shadows; there was
always a hum of conversation.

Sarelli, who sat on her right hand, seemed to partake of little except
olives, which he dipped into a glass of sherry. He turned his black,
solemn eyes silently from face to face, now and then asking the meaning
of an English word. After a discussion on modern Rome, it was debated
whether or no a criminal could be told by the expression of his face.

"Crime," said Mrs. Decie, passing her hand across her brow--"crime is
but the hallmark of strong individuality."

Miss Naylor, gushing rather pink, stammered: "A great crime must show
itself--a murder. Why, of course!"

"If that were so," said Dawney, "we should only have to look about
us--no more detectives."

Miss Naylor rejoined with slight severity: "I cannot conceive that such
a thing can pass the human face by, leaving no impression!"

Harz said abruptly: "There are worse things than murder."

"Ah! par exemple!" said Sarelli.