It was a good deal talked about."
"Yes," she replied and said no more, but took up the modern
picture. It displayed the same almost floating airiness of type,
but in this case the original wore diaphanous wisps of spangled
tulle threatening to take wings and fly away leaving the girl
slimness of arms and shoulders bereft of any covering whatsoever.
"This one is--?" she questioned.
"A Mrs. Gareth-Lawless. A widow with a daughter though she looks
in her teens. She's older than the Princess was, but she's kept
her beauty as ladies know how to in these days. It's wonderful to
see them side by side. But it's only a few that saw her Highness
as she was the season she came with the Prince to visit at Windsor
in Queen Victoria's day. Did your grace--" he checked himself
feeling that he was perhaps somewhat exceeding Bond Street limits.
"Yes. I saw her," said the Duchess. "If these are for sale I will
take them both."
"I'm selling a good many of them. People buy them because the
likeness makes them a sort of curiosity. Mrs. Gareth-Lawless is
a very modern lady and she is quite amused."
The Duchess took the two photographs home with her and looked at
them a great deal afterwards as she sat in her winged chair.
They were on her table when Coombe came to drink tea with her in
the afternoon.
When he saw them he stood still and studied the two faces silently
for several seconds.
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