"
Judith turned to me, with a graceful gesture of her shoulders.
"I think we have been close friends, Marcus?"
"Oh, ye-es," broke in Carlotta. "Mrs. Mainwaring has the picture
of Seer Marcous in her bedroom, and there is the picture of Mrs.
Mainwaring in our drawing-room. You have not seen it? But yes.
You have not recognised it, Pasquale? Mrs. Mainwaring is so
pretty tonight. Much prettier than the photograph. Yes, you are
so pretty. I would like to put you on the mantel-piece as an
ornament instead of the picture."
"May I be allowed to endorse Carlotta's sentiment of
appreciation?" I said, with a view to covering her indiscretion,
for I saw a flash of conjecture in Pasquale's eyes and a sudden
spot of real red in Judith's cheeks. She had evidently desired
to suggest an old claim on my regard, but to have it based on
such intimate details as the enshrining of my photograph was not
to her fancy.
"I am vastly beholden to you both," said Judith, who has a
graceful way of receiving compliments. "But," turning to
Pasquale, "we have travelled far from Abyssinia.
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