Delia Blanchflower

"Not a Britisher to be seen-or scarcely! Well, I can do without 'em for a bit!"And the Englishman whose mind shaped these words continued his leisurely survey of thecrowded salon of a Tyrolese hotel, into which a dining-room like a college hall had justemptied itself after the mid-day meal. Meanwhile a German, sitting near, seeing that his tallneighbour had been searching his pockets in vain for matches, offered some. TheEnglishman's quick smile in response modified the German's general opinion of Englishmanners, and the two exchanged some remarks on the weather-a thunder shower wassplashing outside-remarks which bore witness at least to the Englishman's courage inusing such knowledge of the German tongue as he possessed. Then, smoking contentedly, he leant against the wall behind him, still looking on. He saw a large room, some seventy feet long, filled with a miscellaneous foreign crowd-South Germans, Austrians, Russians, Italians-seated in groups round small tables, smoking, playing cards or dominoes, reading the day's newspapers which the funicular hadjust brought up, or lazily listening to the moderately good band which was playing someRheingold selection at the farther end. To his left was a large family circle-Russians, according to information derived from theheadwaiter-and among them, a girl, apparently about eighteen, sitting on the edge of theparty and absorbed in a novel of which she was eagerly turning the pages. From her faceand figure the half savage, or Asiatic note, present in the physiognomy and complexion ofher brothers and sisters, was entirely absent. Her beautiful head with its luxuriant mass ofblack hair, worn low upon the cheek, and coiled in thick plaits behind, reminded theEnglishman of a Greek fragment he had admired, not many days before, in the Louvre; herform too was of a classical lightness and perfection. The Englishman noticed indeed thather temper was apparently not equal to her looks. When her small brothers interruptedher, she repelled them with a pettish word or gesture; the English governess addressed her, and got no answer beyond a haughty look; even her mother was scarcely better treated. Close by, at another table, was another young girl, rather younger than the first, and equallypretty. She too was dark haired, with a delicate oval face and velvet black eyes, but withoutany of the passionate distinction, the fire and flame of the other. She was German, evidently. She wore a plain white dress with a red sash, and her little feet in white shoeswere lightly crossed in front of her. The face and eyes were all alive, it seemed to him, withhappiness, with the mere pleasure of life. She could not keep herself still for a mom