Page 65 (1/1)

Zara looked somewhat vexed; but the shade of annoyance flitted away fro shadow, as she replied quietly: "Tell Monsieur le Comte, my brother, that I shall be happy to receive Prince Ivan"

The page bowed deferentially and departed Zara turned round, and I saw the jewel on her breast flashing with a steely glitter like the blade of a sharp sword

"I do not like Prince Ivan ularly brave and resolutehireatly doubt if--" Here a flood of music broke upon our ears like the sound of a distant orchestra Zara looked at me and smiled "Dinner is ready!" she announced; "but you ine that we keep a band to play us to our table in triumph It is simply a musical instrument worked by electricity that i!"

And slipping her arh ether ent down the staircase into a large dining-roos and carved oak, where Heliobas awaited us Close by hientleman, as introduced to , handso h beside the coure did not show to socontrast He bowed to race; but his deeply reverential salute to Zara had soht render to a queen She bent her head slightly in answer, and still holding me by the hand, moved to her seat at the bottom of the table, while her brother took the head My seat was at the right hand of Heliobas, Prince Ivan's at the left, so that we directly faced each other

There were two men-servants in attendance, dressed in dark livery, aited upon us with noiseless alacrity The dinner was exceedingly choice; there was nothing coarse or vulgar in the dishes--no great heavy joints swilaise; no tureens of unpalatable sauce; no clu sherry or drowsy port The table itself was laid out in the lass and old Dresden ware, in which telossy dark leaves Flowers in tall vases bloomed wherever they could be placed effectively; and in the centre of the board a s as it rose and fell like a very faintly echoing fairy chime The wines that were served to us were h their flavour was quite unknown to htly as it was poured into ods, so soft it was to the palate The conversation, at first sorew h Zara spoke little and seehts eneral good cheer, beca in his conversation; he was a ood deal of the world, and as accustoay stories of his life in St Petersburg; of the pranks he had played in the Florentine Carnival; of his journey to the American States, and his narrow escape from the matrimonial clutches of a Boston heiress