He was in his most expansive mood; the combativeness of an hour before had disappeared, and the ardent susceptible temperament of the man was absorbed in admiration, in the mere sensuous artist's delight in a stirring and beautiful series of impressions.

When the white dress disappeared through the doorway of the ballroom, he followed it with a sigh of regret, and during the scene which followed between the Prince and his intended bride, he hardly looked at the stage.

The Princess, indeed, was all that Mrs.Stuart had pronounced her to be; she was stiffer and clumsier than even her Teutonic _role_ could justify, and she marched laboriously through her very proper and virtuous speeches, evidently driven on by an uneasy consciousness that the audience was only eager to come to the end of them and of her.
In the little pause which followed the disappearance of the newly-betrothed pair into the distant ballroom, Mrs.Stuart leant backward over her chair and said to Kendal: 'Now then, Mr.Kendal, prepare your criticisms! In the scene which is just coming Miss Bretherton has a good deal more to do than to look pretty!' 'Oh, but you forget our compact!' said Kendal.

'Remember you are to be the judge of our behaviour at the end.

It is not the part of a judge to tempt those on whom he is to deliver judgment to crime.' 'Don't put too much violence on yourselves!' said Mrs.Stuart, laughing.
'You and Edward can have the back of the box to talk what heresy you like in, so long as you let Mr.Forbes perform his devotions undisturbed.' At this Forbes half turned round, and shook his great mane, under which gleamed a countenance of comedy menace, at the two men behind him.