Ainslee's Magazine, February 1913 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

I8 Stella almost enjoyed her dinner, she was so excited with the prospect of some unknown coming events, and she had the satisfaction of observing that once Count Roumovyski actually turned his head in their direction, and met her eyes. His were full of a whimsical smile for the instant he looked, and then he relapsed into his habitual in- difference. The crowd had begun to thicken when they got to the embassy, and they waited among them for the royalties’ arrival, Stella looking at everything with fresh, interested eyes. When this ceremony was over, people began to disperse about the large rooms, and Miss Rawson was conscious that her strange secret acquaintance was in con- versation with the grand duke and duchess; she had not seen him come in. The Aunt Caroline noticed this, too, and drew her attention to the fact. “Look, Stella, that dreadful man is talking to royalty!” she said. “I sup- pose he must be a gentleman, after all; one can never tell with foreigners, as their titles mean nothing, and half of them are assumed. Your Uncle Car- ford had a valet once who afterward was arrested for posing as a Polish count.” “IT should think any one could see this man was a gentleman, Aunt Caroline,” Stella answered, “even without his talk- ing to royalties.” They were soon joined by the secre- tary cousin, who was charmed to wel- come so pretty a relation to Rome, and was profuse in his apologies for not having been able to do more than leave cards upon them as yet. “We should so like to know the names of the celebrities,’ Mrs. Ebley said; “especially can you tell us about the very curious-looking person now conversing with her imperial highness? He is at our hotel.” “That—oh, that is by far the most interesting man here; it is the famous Count Roumovski. He is a most cele- brated traveler; he has been all over the world and Africa and Asia, in un- accessible places. He is a fabulously rich Russian—a real Muscovite from AINSLEE’S- near Moscow, and he does everything and anything he pleases. He gives enormous sums for the encouragement of science. He is immiensely intelligent —he lunched at the embassy to-day.” “Really! said the Aunt Caroline, somewhat impressed. “His appearance is greatly against him.” “Oh, do you think so?” said the cousin. “I think it adds to his attrac- tion; it is such superlative audacity. No Englishman would have the nerve to cut his hair like that.” “I should hope not!” Mrs. Ebley said severely, and dropped the subject. “To think of this charming rosebud of a girl going to marry Eustace Med- . licott—insufferable, conceited prig! I remember him at Oxford,” the cousin was musing to himself. “Lord Carford is an old stick-in-the-mud, or he would have prevented that. She is his own niece, and one can see by her frock that the poor child never even goes to London.” At this moment they saw the Russian count putting his heels together and bowing himself out of the circle of his royalties; and, straight as a dart, he came over to where their group was standing, and whispered to the cousin— Mr. Deanwood—who then asked if he might present Count Roumovski to the Aunt Caroline and the rest. When this ceremony was over, Mrs. Ebley found herself conversing with her whilom object of contempt, and be- coming gradually under the influence of his wonderful charm, while Stella stood there trembling with the wildest excitement she had yet known. The words of Eustace, her betrothed, talk- ing to her, carried no meaning to her brain ; her whole intelligence was strung up to catch what the others were say- ing. With great dexterity, the Russian presently made the conversation gen- eral, and drew her into it, and then he said, with composure, that the gar- dens were illuminated, and as it was such a hot night would mademoiselle like to take a turn that way, to have some refreshment? At the same mo- ment Mr. Deanwood gave Mrs. Ebley COLMUC TOOK (C@