'O, then, Mr. Griswold is not at home?' said Miss Montressor.
'O dear no! he went away before I came. I have never seen him.'
'Where is he?'
'He is in London, I believe, doing some business in a very large way. People say Griswold is a very rich man; and I suppose he wants to be richer, like all the rest of them, and must pay a price for it--pretty big price too, going to the other end of the world, and leaving his young wife alone so long. She mopes dreadfully; I am quite glad she is going to-night, if it is only to cheer her up. She was in great spirits at getting so good a place. It was bespoke long before you came.'
'You had been talking about me, I suppose?'
'Of course I had. I had just told her you were the finest actress in the world, and she had better make haste to see you.'
'Have you any idea in what part of the theatre Mrs. Griswold would be sitting?' said Miss Montressor. 'I very seldom try to see any one from the stage; and most times, when one does try, one cannot do it. But I will have a look at her, if you will tell me where she will sit.'
'I can tell you,' said Mrs. Jenkins. 'She will be right at the end of the dress circle, last seat but two, right-hand side; and I know what she is going to wear, so that you can tell her by her dress. An old gentleman and an old lady and their son are going with her--it is just a party of four.'
'Tell me about her dress,' said Miss Montressor, 'and the colour of her hair.'
'She has a quantity of very fine brown hair,' said Mrs. Jenkins, 'which matches her eyes, and she never wears any ornaments in it. The dress she is going to wear to-night is pale blue velvet, square cut, with turnovers, and very fine guipure lace. She always wears plain gold ornaments with that gown, and a blue-and-gold fan.'