He floundered, drew out his snuff-box and restored it to his pocket, and finally was taken pity on by Unity, who with dancing eyes reentered the conversation, and asked if Mr.Rand had read The Romance of the Forest.

Fairfax Cary left the harpsichord, where he had been impatiently turning over the music, and, strolling to one of the long windows, stood now looking out into the gloomy night, and now staring with a frowning face at the lit room and at Miss Dandridge, in her amber gown, smiling upon Lewis Rand! Near him, Major Churchill, preternaturally grey and absorbed, played Patience.

The cards fell from his hand with the sound of dead leaves.

Beside a second window sat Jacqueline, looking, too, into the night.

She sat in a low chair covered with dull green silk, and the straight window curtains, of the same colour and texture, half enshadowed her.