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Rh It may easily be supposed, with these motives, that he was an early visitor that evening at Madame de Mercœur's, where his reception was most gracious. For a brief while he forgot all his intended flatteries of the Mancinis, in his admiration of Francesca's beauty.

The appearance of your lover—known to be such—among your intimate friends, is embarrassing enough to any girl, who anticipates their remarks, and foresees their railleries. To Francesca, little accustomed to strangers, and, moreover, embarrassed and anxious in herself, it was enough to give the brilliant colour that reddened her cheek, and added to the light of her large black eyes—the more striking from the white powdered hair—whereas, in general, they were shaded by the dark tresses now so differently adorned. She was, perhaps, more strictly beautiful with her statue-like head in its own native darkness; but use is everything, and fashion still more. Besides, Evelyn was accustomed to associate an idea of distinction with a certain mode of dress. Francesca's peculiar and high-bred air—so easy to feel, so difficult to define—flattered his prejudice for rank, at that time so broadly marked.

But their conversation was soon interrupted; for Mademoiselle Mancini, who had her own