"
"Miss Claiborne is nothing if not extraordinary," declared Mrs. Sanderson
with frank admiration.
"The word seems to have been coined for her," said Chauvenet, his white
teeth showing under his thin black mustache.
"And still leaves the language distinguished chiefly for its poverty,"
added Armitage; and the men bowed to Shirley and then to Mrs. Sanderson,
and again to each other. It was like a rehearsal of some trifle in a
comedy.
"How charming!" laughed Mrs. Sanderson. "And this lovely room is just the
place for it."
They were still talking together as Franzel, with whom Armitage had
spoken below, entered hurriedly. He held a crumpled note, whose contents,
it seemed, had shaken him out of his habitual melancholy composure.
"Is Baron von Marhof in the room?" he asked of Armitage, fumbling
nervously at his monocle.
The Austrian Ambassador, with several ladies, and led by Senator
Sanderson, was approaching.
The attache hurried to his chief and addressed him in a low tone. The
Ambassador stopped, grew very white, and stared at the messenger for a
moment in blank unbelief.
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