At least I sat, smiling to myself in my purple-amber shadow, now in no very special hurry.

And now again she smiled, thoughtfully, rather approving my own silence, as I guessed; perhaps because it showed no unmanly perturbation--my lack of imagination passing for aplomb.
At last I could not, in politeness, keep this up further.
"_How may I serve the Baroness ?_" said I.
She started back on the seat as far as she could go.
"How did you know ?" she asked.

"And who are _you_ ?" I laughed.

"I did not know, and did not guess until almost as I began to speak; but if it comes to that, I might say I am simply an humble gentleman of Washington here.

I might be privileged to peep in at ambassadors' balls--through the windows, at least." "But you were not there--you did not see me?
I never saw you in my life until this very moment--how, then, do you know me?
Speak! At once!" Her satins rustled.