'It is so far,' she answered with a vague smile.
'It's a beastly hole,' observed the soldier. 'I was there when that row
was going on.' 'The discoveries have all been made since then,' answered the
archæologist, who could think of nothing else. 'You have no idea what
those paintings are,' he continued, talking to the table. 'I have been
there several weeks and I'm going back next month. Logotheti is going
to take a party of us in his big yacht.' 'Who is Logotheti?' inquired Margaret, with great calm.
'A financier,' put in Lushington.
'A millionaire,' said the artist. 'I have painted his portrait.' 'He seems to be interested in discoveries,' Margaret said to the
archæologist. 'I suppose you know him very well?' 'Oh yes! He is a most interesting person, a Greek of Constantinople by
birth, but a real Greek at heart, who knows his own literature, and
loves his country, and spends immense sums in helping archæology. He
really cares for nothing but art! Finance amuses him now and then for a
while, and he has been tremendously lucky. They consider him one of the
important men in the money market, don't they?' The question was directed to the French artist.
'Certainly they do!' replied the latter, with alacrity. 'I have painted
his portrait.' 'I should like to know him,' said Mrs. Rushmore.
'He is quite delightful,' the woman of the world chimed in. 'Quite the
most amusing man I know!' 'You know him, too?' Mrs. Rushmore asked.
'Everybody knows Logotheti!' answered the other.
'You must really bring him,' said Mrs. Rushmore, in a general way, to
everybody.
'I am sure he will be enchanted!' cried the archæologist. 'I am dining
with him to-night, and if you will allow me I'll bring him to-morrow
afternoon.' 'You seem very sure that he will come,' Margaret said.
'But why should he not? Every one is glad to come to Mrs. Rushmore's
house.' This was an unanswerable form of complimentary argument. Margaret
reflected on that strange law by which, when we have just heard for the
first time of a fact or a person, we are sure to come across it, or
him, again, within the next twenty-four hours. She did not believe that
Logotheti could be found at short notice and introduced to new
acquaintances so easily as the young scholar seemed to think; but she
made up her mind, if he came at all, that she would prevent him from
talking about their meeting at Madame Bonanni's, which she wished to
avoid mentioning for the present. That would be easy enough, for a man
of his tact would understand the slightest sign, and behave as if he
had not met her before.