"'Captain Studleigh,' I asked, 'why do people call you faithless and debonair?'
"'Do they?' he asked. 'I do not think that such a bad character, Lady Estelle.'
"'Is it true that all the Studleighs are faithless?' I repeated.
"'I wish I dared say, try one of them, Lady Estelle. That may be the tradition of the family, but it would be cruel to judge every member by it. After all, it is something to be debonair, so I must be content.'
"Looking at him and listening to him, I did not believe one word of it. There was a charm about him that no words of mine could possibly describe—a charm that I believe, even now, belongs to no one else on earth. I soon found that what he said was perfectly true. As I returned to the ball-room I saw my mother looking for us. Her eyes did not fall with a very pleased expression on Captain Studleigh. She came up to us and made some little observation to him; the tone of it was barely civil, and he was quick enough to notice it. He gave me one laughing glance, as though he would say, 'You see, I told you I was a detrimental,' then he bowed and went away.
"'My dear Estelle,' she said, 'have you been long with Captain Studleigh?'
"I told her how long, and she looked displeased.
"'Who introduced you to him?'" she asked.
"Ah! how ashamed I was. I could not remember; I had never even noticed. She turned to me.
"'It was a mistake,' she said, gently. 'He is a handsome man, but the Studleighs are all alike. I should not wish you to fall into the habit of wasting your time with him.'