"
She regarded him with an enigmatic smile.
"I'm afraid you don't know women, Count," she said slowly, at last.
"There's nothing dearer to a woman's heart than to attract attention to
herself." She laughed--a throaty, silvery note that was charming. "And
if you hesitate now, then to-morrow--why, to-morrow I am going to ask
that you open to me all this Washington world--this brilliant world of
diplomatic society. You see what I ask now is simple."
The ambassador was respectfully silent and deeply thoughtful for a time.
There was, perhaps, something of resentment struggling within him, and
certainly there was an uneasy feeling of rebellion at this attempt to
thrust him forward against all precedent.
"Your requests are of so extraordinary a nature that--" he began in
courteous protestation.
There was no trace of impatience in the woman's manner; she was still
smiling.
"It is necessary that I attend the ball to-night," she explained, "you
may imagine how necessary when I say I sailed from Liverpool six days
ago, reaching New York at half-past three o'clock this afternoon; and at
half-past four I was on my way here.
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