Part 64 (1/2)

The countess smiled as she surveyed herself in the mirror, a regal, beautiful lady. Surely no person sprung from Leone's cla.s.s would dare to oppose her.

It was on a beautiful, bright afternoon that my lady reached the pretty house where Madame Vanira lived. A warm afternoon, when the birds sung in the green shade of the trees, when the bees made rich honey from the choice carnations, and the b.u.t.terflies hovered round the budding lilies.

The countess drove straight to the house. She left her carriage at the outer gates, and walked through the pretty lawn; she gave her card to the servant and was shown into the drawing-room.

The Countess of Lanswell would not have owned for the world that she was in the least embarra.s.sed, but the color varied in her face, and her lips trembled ever so little. In a few minutes Leone entered--not the terrified, lowly, loving girl, who braved her presence because she loved her husband so well; this was a proud, beautiful, regal woman, haughty as the countess herself--a woman who, by force of her wondrous beauty and wondrous voice, had placed the world at her feet.

The countess stepped forward with outstretched hands.

”Madame Vanira,” she said, ”will you spare me a few minutes? I wish to speak most particularly with you.”

Leone rang the bell and gave orders that she was not to be disturbed.

Then the two ladies looked at each other. Leone knew that hostilities were at hand, although she could not quite tell why.

The countess opened the battle by saying, boldly:

”I ought, perhaps, to tell you, Madame Vanira, that I recognize you.”

Leone looked at her with proud unconcern.

”I recognize you now, although I failed to do so when I first saw you. I congratulate you most heartily on your success.”

”On what success?” she asked.

”On your success as an actress and a singer. I consider you owe me some thanks.”

”Truly,” said Leone, ”I owe you some thanks.”

The countess did not quite like the tone of voice in which those words were uttered; but it was her policy to be amiable.

”Your genius has taken me by surprise,” she said; ”yet, when I recall the only interview I ever had with you, I recognize the dramatic talent you displayed.”

”I should think the less you say of that interview, the better,” said Leone; ”it was not much to your ladys.h.i.+p's credit.”

Lady Lanswell smiled.

”We will not speak of it,” she said. ”But you do not ask me to sit down.

Madame Vanira, what a charming house you have here.”

With grave courtesy Leone drew a chair near the window, and the countess sat down. She looked at the beautiful woman with a winning smile.

”Will you not be seated, madame?” she said. ”I find it so much easier to talk when one is seated.”

”How did you recognize me?” asked Leone, abruptly.

”I cannot say truthfully that I recognized your face,” she said; ”you will not mind my saying that if I had done so I would not have invited you to my house, neither should I have permitted my daughter-in-law to do so. It has placed us all in a false position. I knew you from something my son said about you. I guessed at once that you must be Leone Noel. I must repeat my congratulations; how hard you must have worked.”