As she set it down, she gave a keen, covert glance round the room, as though rapidly taking note of the appearance and faces of all the young men, then, with a sort of stiff curtsey, she departed as noiselessly as she had come,--not, however, without leaving a disagreeable impression on Errington's mind.
"Rather a stern Phyllis, that waiting-maid of yours," he remarked, watching his host, who was carefully drawing the cork from one of the bottles of wine.
Mr.Dyceworthy smiled.

"Oh, no, no! not stern at all," he answered sweetly.

"On the contrary, most affable and kind-hearted.

Her only fault is that she is a little zealous,--over-zealous for the purity of the faith; and she has suffered much; but she is an excellent woman, really excellent! Sir Philip, will you try this Lacrima Christi ?" "Lacrima Christi!" exclaimed Duprez.

"You do not surely get that in Norway ?" "It seems strange, certainly," replied Mr.Dyceworthy, "but it is a fact that the Italian or Papist wines are often used here.