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206 day; something too tremendously gorgeous even in the history of Venice; have got our rooms all right; quite a favor, but the hotel people knew us. Can you be ready?"

"Oh, yes," said Philip.

"We shall stay in Paris a few days; so if you have any little arrangements to make at the last moment, you can join us at the Grand, eh?"

Walter was full of the trip, and so delighted to find things all right again between Philip and his girls, as he called the sisters, that he went on talking out of sheer exuberance of spirits.

countess left London for Paris this morning, en route for St. Petersburg," said Lady Forsyth to Philip, when her last guest had departed and they were sitting down to a quiet cup of tea together. "Her secretary, Signer Ferrari, was here; did you see him?"

"No."

"I introduced him to the famous statesman."

"Indeed. He is the man Chetwynd talked so much about; always in attendance, I understood."

"I believe so; but all rules have their exceptions."

"Who and what is this countess, mother?" Philip asked.

"A very remarkable woman," Lady Forsyth replied; "has the entrée into the very best society, political and otherwise: curiously fascinating, is she not?"

"Has she a mission?" Philip asked, without noticing his mother's question.