"Colonel Tredennis has fallen a victim," she said, "in the most natural and proper manner. I knew he would, and he has distinguished himself by at once carrying out my plans for him. Now we must go back to the parlors. I have rested long enough."
They returned just in time to meet a fresh party of callers, and Arbuthnot was of necessity thrown for the time being upon his own resources. These did not fail him. He found entertainment in his surroundings until a certain opportunity he had rather desired presented itself to him. He observed that Mrs. Sylvestre was once more near him, and that the men occupying her attention were on the point of taking their leave. By the time they had done so he had dexterously brought to a close his conversation with his male companion, and had unobtrusively forwarded himself, in an entirely incidental manner, as an aspirant for her notice.
She received him with a quiet suggestion of pleasure in her smile.
"Have you enjoyed the day?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I am almost sorry that it is so nearly over. It has been very agreeable."
Then he found her eyes resting upon him in the quiet and rather incomprehensible way which Bertha had counted among her chiefest charms.
"Have you enjoyed it?" she inquired.
"If I had not," he said, "I should feel rather like a defeated candidate. One may always enjoy things if one applies one's self."
She seemed to reflect upon him an instant again.
"You see a great deal of Bertha?" she said.