Charles was taken aback for a moment.
"I believe I have met her once or twice at Assemblies."
"At any rate, you know her by sight."
"Oh yes!" replied our hero.
"Now, I wonder whether you could pick her out from this multitude of masks."
Charles at once perceived the subject of the question.
"She is standing over there by the second pillar and talking to a mask in porcel—no, in lacker. That's strange."
"What is strange?" inquired Mr. Ripple mildly.
"Nothing—a lantern effect," Charles explained.
Surely he could not be mistaken in those taper fingers. Moreover, they were familiar to him. Where could he have seen them?