Page:Nalkowska - Kobiety (Women).djvu/174

162 from her side. &hellip; You must take a look at their place. &hellip; She was formerly quite a common demi-mondaine, though well spoken of."

"And how did you get to know her?"

"Oh, she's an old acquaintance, made by means of Imszanski."

The carriage had stopped in front of an ornamental gateway, leading to a handsome suburban villa, screened from view to some extent by a tracery of branches and tree-trunks, and in a frame of towering fir-trees.

As I went up the broad white steps at the entrance, I felt my heart beat, and could not tell exactly why. Perhaps at the fancy which then came to me, that I might, within those very doors, come face to face with the naked, dark, and horrible mystery of Life!

An elderly and very stylish footman raised the door-hanging to usher us into a large sitting-room, conventionally furnished à la sécession.

In a few minutes there entered a very tall, slim, lady-like person, quietly dressed in a clinging morning gown, somewhat like a riding-habit, and followed by a little white lamb,