[Illustration: Elizabeth] THE VISITS OF ELIZABETH _By_ ELINOR GLYN TWENTY SECOND EDITION. Cambridge U. S. A. MDCCCI (1901) Contents NAZEBY HALL300 EATON PLACEHEAVILAND MANORHAZELDENE COURTCHÂTEAU DE CROIXMAREYACHT "SAUTERELLE"CAUDEBECHOTEL FRASCATI, HAVRECHÂTEAU DE CROIXMARECHAMPS ELYSÉESCHÂTEAU DE CROIXMARERETBYCARRISTON TOWERSCHEVENIX CASTLEFOLJAMBE PLACE NAZEBY HALL It was perhaps a fortunate thing for Elizabeth that her ancestors wentback to the Conquest, and that she numbered at least two Countesses anda Duchess among her relatives. Her father had died some years ago, and, her mother being an invalid, she had lived a good deal abroad. But, atabout seventeen, Elizabeth began to pay visits among her kinsfolk. Itwas after arriving at Nazeby Hall, for a Cricket Week, that she firstwrote home. Nazeby Hall, _26th July_. Dearest Mamma, --I got here all right, without even a smut on my face, for Agnès tidied me up in the brougham before we arrived at the gate. The dust in the train was horrid. It is a nice house. They were at teawhen I was ushered in; it was in the hall--I suppose it was because itwas so windy outside. There seemed to be a lot of people there; andthey all stopped talking suddenly, and stared at me as if I were a newthing in the Zoo, and then, after a minute, went on with theirconversations at the point they had left off. [Sidenote: _Afternoon Tea_] Lady Cecilia pecked my cheek, and gave me two fingers; and asked me, ina voice right up at the top, how were you. I said you were better, and--you know what you told me to say. She murmured something while shewas listening to what a woman with a sweet frock and green eyes wassaying at the other end of the table. There was heaps of tea. She wavedvaguely for me to sit down, which I did; but there was a footstoolnear, and it was half dark, so I fell over that, but not very badly, and got safely to my seat. Lady Cecilia--continuing her conversation across the room all thetime--poured out a cup of tea, with lumps and _lumps_ of sugar in it, and lots of cream, just what you would give to a child for a treat! andshe handed it to me, but I said, "Oh! please, Lady Cecilia, I don'ttake sugar!" She has such bulgy eyes, and she opened them wide at me, perfectly astonished, and said, "Oh! then please ring the bell; I don'tbelieve there is another clean cup. " Everybody stopped talking again, and looked at me, and the green-eyed lady giggled--and I rang the bell, and this time didn't fall over anything, and so presently I got sometea. Just as I was enjoying such a nice cake, and watching all thepeople, quite a decent man came up and sat down behind me. Lady Ceciliahad not introduced me to anybody, and he said, "Have you come a longway?" And I said, "Yes. " And he said, "It must have been dusty in thetrain, " and I said it was--and he was beginning to say something more, when the woman with the green eyes said, "Harry, do hand me thecucumber sandwiches, " and so he had to get up, and just then Sir Trevorcame in, and he was glad to see me. He is a jolly soul, and he said Iwas eight when he last saw me, and seemed quite surprised I had grownany taller since! Just as though people could stay at eight! Then hepatted my cheek, and said, "You're a beauty, Elizabeth, " and LadyCecilia's eyes bulged at him a good deal, and she said to me, "Wouldn'tyou like to see your room?" and I said I wasn't a bit in a hurry, butshe took me off, and here I am; and I am going to wear my pink silk fordinner, and will finish this by-and-by. 12. 30. --Well, I have had dinner, and I found out a good many of theirnames--they mostly arrived yesterday. The woman with the green eyes isMrs. De Yorburgh-Smith. I am sure she is a _pig_. The quite decent man, "Harry, " is a Marquis--the Marquis of Valmond--because he took LadyCecilia in to dinner. He is playing in the Nazeby Eleven. There is a woman I like, with stick-out teeth; her name is Mrs. Vavaseur. She knows you, and she is awfully nice, though so plain, andshe never looks either over your head, or all up and down, or talks toyou when she is thinking of something else. There are heaps more women, and the eleven men, so we are a party of about twenty-five; but youwill see their names in the paper. Such a bore took me in! He began about the dust again, but I could notstand that, so I said that every one had already asked me about it. Sohe said "Oh!" and went on with his soup. [Sidenote: _The Cricket Talk_] At the other side was another of the Eleven, and he said, Did I likecricket? And I said, No, I hated always having to field (which was whatI did, you know, when I played with the Byrne boys at Biarritz); and Iasked him if he was a good player, and he said "No, " so I said Isupposed he always had to field too, then; and he said, No, thatsometimes they allowed him a bat, and so I said I was sure that wasn'tthe same game I played; and he laughed as if I had said somethingfunny--his name is Lord George Lane--and the other one laughed too, andthey both looked idiots, and so I did not say any more about that. Butwe talked on all the time, and every one else seemed to be having suchfun, and they all call each other by pet names, and shorten up alltheir adjectives (it _is_ adjectives I mean, not adverbs). I am sureyou made a mistake in what you told me, that all well-bred peoplebehave nicely at dinner, and sit up, because they don't a bit; lots ofthem put their elbows on the table, and nearly all sat anyhow in theirchairs. Only Lady Cecilia and Mrs. Vavaseur behaved like you; but thenthey are both quite old--over forty. They all talk about things that no stranger could understand, but Idare say I shall pick it up presently. And after dinner, in thedrawing-room, Lady Cecilia did introduce me to two girls--the Roosegirls--you know. Well, Lady Jane is the best of the two; Lady Violet isa lump. They both poke their heads, and Jane turns in her toes. Theyhave rather the look in their eyes of people with tight boots. Violetsaid, "Do you bicycle?" and I said, "Yes, sometimes;" and she said, with a big gasp: "Jane and I adore it. We have been ten miles since teawith Captain Winchester and Mr. Wertz. " [Sidenote: _An African Millionaire_] I did not think that interesting, but still we talked. They asked mestacks of questions, but did not wait for the answers much. Mr. Wertzis the African millionaire. He does not play cricket, and, when the mencame in afterwards, he crossed over to us, and Jane introduced him tome when he had talked a little. He is quite a sort of gentleman, and isvery much at home with every one. He laughed at everything I said. Mrs. Smith (such bosh putting "de Yorburgh" on!) sat on a big sofa with LordValmond, and she opened and shut her eyes at him, and Jane Roose saysshe takes every one's friend away; and Lord George Lane came up, and wetalked, and he wasn't such an idiot as at dinner, and he has niceteeth. All the rest, except the Rooses and me, are married--the women, I mean--except Miss La Touche, but she is just the same, because shesits with the married lot, and they all chat together, and Violet Roosesays she is a cat, but I think she looks nice; she is so pretty, andher hair is done at the right angle, because it is like Agnès doesmine, and she has nice scent on; and I hope it won't rain to-morrow, and good-night, dear Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--Jane Roose says Miss La Touche will never get married; she istoo smart, and all the married women's men talk to her, and that thebest tone is to look rather dowdy; but I don't believe it, and I wouldrather be like Miss La Touche. E. Elizabeth received an immediate reply to her letter, and the next onebegan: Nazeby Hall, _28th July_. Dearest Mamma, --I _am_ sorry you find I use bad grammar and writeincoherently, and you don't quite approve of my style; but you see itis just because I am in a hurry. I don't speak it; but if I must stopto think of grammar and that, I should never get on to tell you what Iam doing here, so do, dear Mamma, try and bear it bravely. Well, everybody came down to breakfast yesterday in a hat, and every one waslate--that is, every one who came down at all, the rest had theirsupstairs. [Sidenote: _The Cricket Match_] The cricket began, and it was really a bore. We sat in a tent, and allthe nice men were fielding (it is always like that), and the marriedlot sat together, and talked about their clothes, and Lady Doraine reada book. She is pretty too, but has big ears. Her husband is somewhereelse, but she does not seem to miss him; and the Rooses told me herhair used to be black, and that they have not a penny in the world, soI think she must be clever and nice to be able to manage her clothes sowell. They are perfectly lovely, and I heard her say her maid makesthem. Miss La Touche happened to be next me, so she spoke to me, and said myhat was "too devey for words" (the blue one you got at Caroline's); andby-and-by we had lunch, and at lunch Lord Valmond came and sat by me, and so Mrs. Smith did too, and she gushed at me. He seemed rather putout about something--I suppose it was having to field all thetime. --and she talked to him across me, and she called him "Harry"lots of times, and she always says things that have another meaning. But they all do that--repeat each other's Christian names in asentence, I mean--just like you said that middle-class people did whenyou were young, so I am sure everything must have changed now. Well, after lunch, all the people in the county seemed to come; some ofthem had driven endless miles, and we sat apart, I suppose to let themsee how ordinary we thought them; and Lady Cecilia was hardly polite, and the others were more or less rude; but presently somethinghappened--I don't know what--and the nice men had not to field anymore. Perhaps they could not stand it any longer, and so every one whohad been yawning woke up, and Mr. Wertz, who had been writing lettersall this time, appeared, and Lady Doraine made room for him beside her, and they talked; and when our Eleven had drunk something they came andlay on the grass near us, and we had such a nice time. There is abeautiful man here, and his name is Sir Dennis Desmond, and hisgrandfather was an Irish King, and he talks to me all the time, andhis mother looks at him and frowns; and I think it silly of her, don'tyou? And if I were a man I wouldn't visit with my mother if she frownedat me. Do you know her? She dresses as if she were as young as I am. She had a blue muslin on this morning, and her hair is red with greenstripes in it, and she is all white with thick pink cheeks, and acrossthe room she doesn't look at all bad; but close! Goodness gracious shelooks a hundred! And I would much sooner have nice white hair and a capthan look like that, wouldn't you? I'll finish this when I come to bed. [Sidenote: _Sir Dennis Desmond_] 12. 30. --What _do_ you think has happened? Sir Dennis sat beside me onthe sofa just as he did last night--but I forget, I have not yet toldyou of yesterday and last night; but never mind now, I must get on. Well, he said I was a perfect _darling_, but that he never could get achance to say a word to me alone, but that if I would only drop myglove outside my door it would be all right; and I thought that such a_ridiculous_ thing to say, that I couldn't help laughing, and LadyCecilia happened to be passing, and so she asked me what I was laughingat, and so I told her what he had said, and asked why? There happenedto be a pause just then and, as one has to speak rather loud to LadyCecilia to attract her attention, every one heard, and they all looked_flabergasted;_ and then all shrieked with laughter, and Sir Dennissaid so crossly, "Little fool!" and Lady Desmond simply glared at me, and Lady Cecilia said, "Really, Elizabeth!" and Sir Dennis got purplein the face, and Jane Roose whispered, "How could you dare with hiswife listening!" and every one talked and chaffed. It was too stupidabout nothing; but the astonishing part is, that funny old thing Ithought was the mother turns out to be _his wife!_ Imagine! years and years older than him! Jane Roose said he had tomarry her because her husband died; but I think that the most absurdreason I ever heard, don't you? Lots of people's husbands die, and theydon't have to get married off again at once--so why should that uglyold thing, specially when there are such heaps of nice girls about? [Sidenote: _A Man of Honour_] Jane Roose said it was so honourable of him, but I call itcrazy--unless, perhaps, he was a great friend of the husband's, whomade him promise when he was dying, and he did not like to break hisword. How he must have hated it! I wonder if he had ever met herbefore, or if the husband made him take her, a pig in a poke. I expectthat was it, because he never could have done it if he had ever seenher. I can't think why he is so cross with me, but I am sorry, as he is sucha nice man. Now I am sleepy, and it is frightfully late, so I suppose Ihad better get into bed. Agnès came up, and has been fussing about forthe last hour. Best love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Nazeby Hall, _30th July_. Dearest Mamma, --Yesterday was the best day we have had yet; the nicemen had not to field at all, and the stupid cricket was over at fouro'clock, and so we went into the gardens and lay in hammocks, and MissLa Touche had such nice shoes on, but her ankles are thick. [Sidenote: _Ghosts in the Corridor_] The Rooses told me it wasn't "quite nice" for girls to loll in hammocks(and they sat on chairs)--that you could only do it when you aremarried; but I believe it is because they don't have pretty enoughpetticoats. Anyway, Lady Doraine and that horrid Smith creature made aplace for me in the empty hammock between them, and, as I knew my"frillies" were all right, I hammocked too, and it was _lovely_. LordValmond and Mr. Wertz were lying near, and they said agreeable things, at least I suppose so, because both of them--Lady Doraine and Mrs. Smith--looked purry-purry-puss-puss. They asked me why I was so sleepy, and I said because I had not slept well the last night--that I wassure the house was haunted. And so they all screamed at me, "Why?" andso I told them, what was really true, that in the night I heard a noiseof stealthy footsteps, and as I was not frightened I determined to seewhat it was, so I got up--Agnès sleeps in the dressing-room, but, ofcourse, _she_ never wakes--I opened the door and peeped out into thecorridor. There are only two rooms beyond mine towards the end, roundthe corner, and it is dimly lit all night. Well, I distinctly saw avery tall grey figure disappear round the bend of the hall! When I gotthus far every one dropped their books and listened with raptattention, and I could see them exchanging looks, so I am sure theyknow it is haunted, and were trying to keep it from me. I asked Mrs. Smith if she had seen or heard anything, because she sleeps in one ofthe rooms. She looked perfectly green, but she said she had not heard asound, and had slept like a top, and that I must have dreamt it. Then Lady Doraine and every one talked at once, and Lord Valmond askeddid any one know if the London evening papers had come. But I was notgoing to be put off like that, so I just said, "I know you all know itis haunted and are putting me off because you think I'll be frightened;but I assure you I am not, and if I hear the noise again I am going torush out and see the ghost close. " Then every one looked simply _ahuri_. So I mean to get the ghost storyout of Sir Trevor to-night after dinner--I had not a chanceyesterday--as I am sure it is interesting. Mrs. Smith looked at me asif she wanted to poison me, and I can't think why specially, can you? _Twelve p. M. _--I asked Sir Trevor if the house is haunted, and he said, "God bless my soul, no!" and so I told him, and he nearly had a fit; soI _know_ it is, but I am not a bit frightened. --Your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. Nazeby Hall, _Sunday. _ Dearest Mamma, --Agnès and I go to Aunt Mary's by the 10:30 trainto-morrow, and I am not a bit sorry, although I have enjoyed myself, and now I begin to feel quite at home with every one--at least, some ofthem; but such a tiresome thing happened last night. It was like this:After dinner it was so hot that we all went out on the terrace, and, assoon as we got there, Mrs. Smith and Lady Doraine and the rest said itwas too cold, and went in again; but the moon was pretty, so I stayedalone, and presently Lord Valmond came out, and stood beside me. Thereis such a nice view, you remember, from there, and I didn't a bit wantto talk. [Sidenote: _A Kiss and a Blow_] He said something, but I wasn't listening, when suddenly I did hear himsay this: "You adorable _enfant terrible_, come out and watch forghosts to-night; and I will come and play the ghost, and console you ifyou are frightened!" And he put his horrid arm right round my waist, and kissed me--somewhere about my right ear--before I could realisewhat he was at! I _was_ in a rage, as you can fancy, Mamma, so I just turned round andgave him the hardest slap I could, right on the cheek! He was furious, and called me a "little devil, " and we both walked straight into thedrawing-room. I suppose I looked _savage_, and in the light I could see he had greatred finger marks on his face. Anyway, Mrs. Smith, who was sitting onthe big sofa near the window alone, looked up, and said in an odiousvoice, that made every one listen, "I am afraid, Harry, you have notenjoyed cooing in the moonlight; it looks as if our sweet Elizabeth hadbeen difficult, and had boxed your ears!" That made me _wild_, the impudence! That _parvenue_ calling me by myChristian name! So I just lost my temper right out, and said to her, "It is perfectly true what you say, and I will box yours if you call me'Elizabeth' again!" _Tableau!_ She almost fainted with astonishment and fury, and when shecould get her voice decent enough to speak, she laughed and said-- "What a charming savage! How ingenuous!" [Sidenote: _Lord Valmond in Disgrace_] And then Lady Cecilia did a really nice thing, which shows that she isa brick, in spite of having bulgy eyes, and being absent and tiresome. She came up to me as if nothing had happened, and said, "Come, Elizabeth, they are waiting for you to begin a round game, " and she puther arm through mine and drew me into the billiard-room, and on the wayshe squeezed my arm, and said, in a voice quite low down for her, "Shedeserved it, " and I was so touched I nearly cried. From where I sat atthe card-table I could see Mrs. Smith and Lord Valmond, and they werequarrelling. She looked like green rhubarb juice, and he had theexpression of "Damn!" all over him. Of course I did not say good-night to him, and I hope I shall never seehim again. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. 300 EATON PLACE 300 Eaton Place, _Tuesday, 2nd August_. [Sidenote: _London out of Season_] Dearest Mamma, --The train from Nazeby was so late and Aunt Mary seemedto think it was my fault--so unreasonable of her, just because they hadwaited lunch for me. I don't believe I like visiting very nearrelations as much as ones further off. They feel they can say anythingto you. I am glad I have only got to sleep here the one night. I hadnot eaten my omelette before Aunt Mary began about my hair. She said ofcourse it was very nice curling like that, but it was a pity I did notwear a net over it all to keep it more tidy. She was sure you spoiltme, even though we are rich, letting me have such smart clothes. Shehad heard from Nazeby, that I had had on a fresh frock every day. Idon't know who could have written to her. She has got to look mucholder in the two years we have been abroad and the corners of her mouthshut with a snap. Perhaps it is having to spend part of the year withher mother-in-law. [Sidenote: _Cousinly Curiosity_] Lettice and Clara are just the same as they were, not a bit ofdifference since they came out. They are as tidy as can be, not a hairescapes from their nets! and their heads look as if they had dozens ofhairpins in them, and because it is out of the season they have goneback to their country high linen collars, and they look as if they werechoking. I hate linen collars, don't you, Mamma? Two Ethridge aunts arestaying here besides me, and we all have to sit together in themorning-room, as everything is covered up in the drawing-rooms, readyfor being shut up next week, when they go to Scotland. After lunch thegirls did nothing but question me about what we had done at Nazeby. They said Lady Cecilia only asks them to the dullest parties. They knewevery one's name, they had carefully read them in the _Morning Post_. They wanted especially to know about Lord Valmond because Lettice haddanced with him once this season. They thought him awfullygood-looking. I said he was an odious young man and very rude. SoLettice said she supposed he had not spoken to me, as he never speaksto girls. I told them that was quite a mistake as he had spoken to meall the time, but I hated him. And do you know, Mamma, they looked asif they did not believe a word I was saying; which was not very politeI think. When we got upstairs they wanted to see all my clothes, but fortunatelyAgnès had only taken out one or two things, and they asked me to lettheir maid take patterns of everything. Of course I could not refuse, but I hate my things being mauled over by strange females, and Agnèswas simply furious. I am sure she will scratch the maid when she comesto ask for a frock. They tried on my hats all at the wrong angle, firstClara, then Lettice, and made faces and gave little screams atthemselves in the glass, and no wonder, for they looked perfect guys inthem, with their tight "tongy" hair. Then they tossed them on to thebed as they finished with them, and Agnès kept muttering to herselflike distant thunder. Finally Lettice danced a _pas seul_ with thewhite rose toque perched on the back of her head, and she made suchkicks and jumps that it lurched off, and landed in the water jug! Atthat Agnès got beside herself. "Fi! donc, Mademoiselle!" she screamed, "ça c'est trop fort!" [Sidenote: _On the Water Shoot_] The hat is quite spoilt, so please write and order me another one fromCaroline's, like a nice, sweet, pretty, darling Mamma. At tea they wereall so interested when I told them I was going to stay in France withthe de Croixmares. One of the Ethridge aunts (Rowena) pricked up herears at once, and asked me if Madame de Croixmare was not my godmother, and had she not been a great friend of poor papa's. So I told her yes, and that I was going there for three weeks. She and Aunt Mary exchangedlooks, I don't know why, but it irritated me, Mamma, and I rathersnapped at Aunt Mary when she began about my hair again. And presentlyI heard her saying to the other aunt that it was a pity girls nowadayswere allowed to be impertinent to their elders. Of course there was not a thing to do, every one having left Town, soin the evening Uncle Geoffrey took us to the Exhibition to go down inthe Water Shoot. That is _lovely_, Mamma, only I had to sit besideLettice, because Clara was frightened and would be with her father. Ahorrid man behind, who, I suppose, was not holding on, flopped right onto us at the bump in the water, and then said, "Beg pardon, dears, " andit made Uncle Geoffrey so cross he would not let us go down any more, and we had to go home and to bed. I am just scribbling this beforebreakfast. We go on to Great-aunt Maria's by the eleven train. I am glad CousinOctavia is going to take me out next season instead of Aunt Mary, whichwas first suggested. I know I should not have been good with her. Sheis not a bit like you, darling Mamma. I hope you are better; I shan'tsee you again until next Saturday, when I leave Heaviland Manor. It isa long time. --With love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. HEAVILAND MANOR Heaviland Manor, _Wednesday, August 3rd_. Dearest Mamma, --I can't think why you made me come here! Agnès has beenso sniffy and condescending ever since this morning; but I haveremarked that Uncle John's valet is only about forty and has a rovingeye! so perhaps by to-morrow morning I shan't have my hair screwed offmy head! But I feel for Agnès, only in a different way. [Sidenote: _A Quiet Evening_] It is a stuffy, boring place. You remember the house--enormous, tidy, hideous, uncomfortable. Well, we had _such_ a dinner last night after Iarrived--soup, fish, everything popped on to the table for Great-uncleJohn to carve at one end, and Great-aunt Maria at the other! A regularaquarium specimen of turbot sat on its dish opposite him, while AuntMaria had a huge lot of soles. And there wasn't any need, becausethere were four men-servants in the room who could easily have done itat the side; but I remember you said it was always like that when youwere a little girl. Well, it got on to puddings. I forgot to tell you, though, there were plenty of candles on the table, without shades, anda "bouquet" of flowers, all sorts (I am sure fixed in sand), in a goldmiddle thing. Well, about the puddings--at least four of them wereplanted on the table, awfully sweet and jammy, and Uncle John was quiteirritated with me because I could only eat two; and Aunt Maria, who hasgot as deaf as a post, kept roaring to old Major Orwell, who sat nexther, "Children have no healthy appetites as in our day. Eh! what?" AndI wanted to scream in reply, "But I am grown up now, Aunt Maria!" Uncle John asked me every question over and over, and old LadyFarrington's false teeth jumped so once or twice that I got quitenervous. That is the party, me, Major Orwell, Lady Farrington, andUncle and Aunt. When dessert was about coming, _everything_ thing got lifted from thetable, and before you could say "Jack Robinson" off whisked the cloth. I was so unprepared for it that I said "Oh!" and ducked my head, andthat made the cloth catch on old Lady Farrington's cap--she had to siton my side of the table, to be out of the draught--and, wasn't it_dreadful_, it almost pulled it off, and with it the grey curls fixedat the side, and the rest was all bald. So that was why it was soloose--there was nothing to pin it to! And she glared at me, and fixedit as straight as she could, but it had such a saucy look all the restof the evening. I did apologise as well as I could, and there was such an awkwardpause; and after dinner we had coffee in the drawing-room, and then ina little time tea, and between times they sat down to whist, all butAunt Maria--so they had to have a dummy. She wanted to hear all aboutyou, she said, and my going to visit in France; and so I had to bellowdescriptions of your neuralgia, and about Mme. De Croixmare being mygodmother, &c. , and Aunt Maria says, "Tut, tut!" as well as "Eh!what?" to everything. I had not remembered a bit what they were like;but I was only six, wasn't I, when we came last? After she had asked every sort of thing about you under the sun, shekept giving longing glances at the dummy's cards; so I said, "Oh! AuntMaria, I am afraid I am keeping you from your whist. " As soon as Icould make her hear, you should have seen how she hopped up like atwo-year-old into the vacant seat; and they were far more serious aboutit than any one was at Nazeby, where they had hundreds on, and AuntMaria and the others only played for counters--that longmother-o'-pearl fish kind. I looked at a book on the table, LadyBlessington's "Book of Beauty, " and I see then every one got born withchampagne-bottle shoulders. Had they been paring them for generationsbefore, I wonder? Because old John, the keeper at Hendon, told me oncethat the best fox-terriers arrive now without any tails, their mothers'and grand-mothers' and great-grandmothers' having been cut off for solong; but I wonder, if the fashion changed, how could they get longtails again? There must be some way, because all of us now have squareshoulders. But what was I saying? Oh! yes, when I had finished the"Beauty Book, " I heard Aunt Maria getting so cross with the old boyopposite her. "You've revoked, Major Orwell, " she said, whatever thatmeans. [Sidenote: _An Old English Dinner_] Then hot spiced port came in--it was such a close night--and they allhad some, and so did I, and it was good; and then candles came. _Such_lovely silver, and so beautifully cleaned; and Aunt and Uncle kissedme. I dodged Lady Farrington's false teeth, because, after her capincident, she might have bitten me. And Uncle said, "Too late, too latefor a little one to sit up--no beauty sleep!" And Aunt Maria said, "Tut, tut!" and I thought it must be the middle of the night--it feltlike it. But do you know, Mamma, when I got upstairs to my room it wasonly _half-past ten!_ I have such a huge room, with a four-post feather bed in it. I had letAgnès go to bed directly after her supper, with a toothache, so I hadto get undressed by myself; and I was afraid to climb in from the side, it was so high up. But I found some steps with blue carpet on them, aswell as a table with a Bible, and a funny old china medicine spoon, andglass and water-jug on it; and the steps did nicely, for when I got tothe top, I just took a header into the feathers. It seemed quite comfyat first, but in a few minutes, goodness gracious, I was suffocated!And it was such a business getting the whole mass on the floor; andthen I did not know very well how to make the bed again, and I had nota very good night, and overslept myself in the morning. So I got downlate for prayers. Uncle John reads them, and Aunt Maria repeatsresponses whenever she thinks best, as she can't hear a word; but Isuppose she counts up, and, from long habit, just says "Amen" when shegets to the end of--thirty, say--fancying that will be right; and it isgenerally. Only Uncle John stopped in the middle to say, "Damn thatdog!" as Fido was whining and scratching outside, so that put her outand brought in the "Amen" too soon. [Sidenote: _Family Prayers_] After breakfast Aunt Maria jingled a large bunch of keys and said itwas her day for seeing the linen-room, and wouldn't I like to go withher, as all young people should have "house-wifely" ideas? So I went. It is so beautifully kept, and such lovely linen, all with lavenderbetween it; and she talked to the housekeeper, and looked overeverything--she seemed to know each sheet by name! Then we went to thestoreroom, all as neat as a new pin; and from there to interview allthe old people from the village, who were waiting with requests, andsome of them were as deaf as she is. So the housekeeper had to screamat both sides, and I _was_ tired when we got back, and did want to rushout of doors; but I had to wait, and then walk between Lady Farringtonand Aunt Maria up and down the path in the sun till lunch at oneo'clock; and after that we went for a drive in the barouche, with thefattest white horses you ever saw, and a coachman just likeCinderella's one that had been a rat. He seemed to have odd bits offur on his face and under his chin, and Aunt Maria said that hesuffered from a sore throat, that was why, which he caught at AuntMary's wedding; and so I counted up--and as Aunt Mary is your eldestsister, it must have been more than twenty years ago. I do call that along sore throat, don't you? and I wouldn't keep a coachman with abeard, would you? We went at a snail's pace, and got in at four o'clock, and then therewas tea at half-past, with the nicest bread-and-butter you ever tasted. And after that I said I must write to you, and so here I am, and I feelthat if it goes on much longer I shall do something dreadful. Nowgood-bye, dearest Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Heaviland Manor, _Friday, August 5th_. Dearest Mamma, --I am glad to-morrow will soon be here, and that I cancome home, but I must tell you about yesterday. First, all the morningit rained, and what with roaring at Aunt Maria and holding skeins ofwool for Lady Farrington, I got such jumps that I felt I should screamunless I got out; so after lunch, while they were both having a nap intheir chairs, I slipped off for a walk by myself--it was still raining, but not much; I took Fido, who is generally a little beast, and far toofat. [Sidenote: _Lord Valmond Reappears_] We had had a nice scamper, and had turned to come back not far from thePark, when who do you think came riding up?--Lord Valmond! The lastperson one expected to see down here! He never waited a second when hesaw me, but jumped off his horse and beamed--just as if we had partedthe best of friends!!! _Did_ you ever hear such impudence? Of course Ishould have walked on without recognising him, if I had been left tomyself, but he took me so by surprise that I had shaken hands before Iknew, and then it was too late to walk on. It appears he has a placedown here which he never comes to generally, but just happened tonow--to see how the young pheasants were doing. He began at once totalk, as if I had never been angry or boxed his ears at all! It reallyexasperated me, so at last I said he had better get on his horse again, as I wanted to run on with Fido; so then he said he had just been onhis way to call on Aunt Maria, and would come with me. I said I was sure that wasn't true, as he was going the other way. Sohe said that he had only been going that way to give his horse a littleexercise, and that he intended to go in at the other gate. I said I was sure that wasn't true either, as there was no way roundthat way, unless one jumped the park palings. So he said that was whathe had intended to do. Just then we came to the turnstile of theright-of-way, so I slipped through and called out, "Then I won't keepyou from your exercise, " and walked on as fast as I could. [Sidenote: _Lady Farrington's Nap_] What do you think he did, Mamma? Simply got on his horse, and jumpedthose palings there and then! I can't think how he wasn't killed. Therewas almost no take-off, and the fence is so high. However, there hewas, and I could not get away again, because, if I had run, the horsecould easily have kept up with me. But I only said "Yes" and "No" allthe way to the house, so he could not have enjoyed it much. We wentstraight to the drawing-room, where tea was almost up, and there wasLady Farrington alone--still asleep, and her cap had fallen right back, and all the bald was showing; and just then a carriage drove up to thedoor, and we heard visitors and the footsteps in the hall. I had justtime to cry to Lord Valmond, "Keep them back while I wake her!" andthen I rushed to Lady Farrington, and shouted in her ear, "Visitors!and--and--your cap is a little crooked!" "Eh! what?" she screamed, andher teeth as nearly as possible jumped on to the carpet. She simplyflew to the mirror, but, as you know, it is away so high up shecouldn't see, so she made frantic efforts with her hands, and just gotit to cover the bald, in a rakish, one-sided way, when the whole lotstreamed into the room. Lord Valmond looked awfully uncomfortable. Goodness knows what he had said to them to keep them back! Anyway, Harvey announced "Mrs. And the Misses Clarke, " and a thin, veryhigh-nosed person, followed by two buffish girls, came forward. LadyFarrington said, "How d'ye do?" as well as she could. They were somefriends of hers and Aunt Maria's, who are staying with the Morverns, Igathered from their conversation. They _must_ have thought she had beenon a spree since last they met! I could hardly behave for laughing, anddid not dare to look at Lord Valmond. They had not been there more than five minutes when another carriagearrived, and two other ladies were announced. "The Misses Clark!" Theother Clarkes glared like tigers, and Lady Farrington lowered her chinand eyelashes at them (she has just the same manners as the people atNazeby, although she is such a frump--it is because she is an earl'sdaughter, I suppose), and she called out to Harvey at the top of hervoice, "Let Lady Worden be told at once there are visitors. " The poornew things looked so uncomfortable, that I felt, as I was Aunt Maria'sniece, I at least must be polite to them; so I asked them to sit down, and we talked. They were jolly, fat, vulgar souls, who have taken theOrtons' place they told me, and this was their return visit, as theOrtons had asked Aunt Maria to call. They were quite old maids, pastthirty, with such funny, grand, best smart Sunday-go-to-meeting lookingclothes on. [Sidenote: _An Afternoon Call_] It appears that Harvey had sent a footman up to Aunt Maria's door, totell of the first Clarkes' arrival, and then, terrified by LadyFarrington's voice, had rushed up himself to announce the second lot, and he met Aunt Maria on the stairs coming down, and of course shenever heard the difference between "Mrs. " and the "Misses, " and thoughthe was simply hurrying her up for the first set. So in she sailed allsmiles, and as Mrs. Clarke was nearest the door, she got to her first, and _was_ so glad to see her. "Dear, dear, _years_ since we met, Honoria, " she said; "and these areall your bonny girls, tut, tut!" and she looked at the fat Clarks whocame next. "Ah! yes I can see! What a wonderful likeness to poor dearArthur!" Furious glances from Mrs. Clarke, whose daughters are my age! "And this must be Millicent, " she went on, taking the second fatClark's hand. "Yes, yes; why, she takes after you, my dear Honoria, tut, tut!" and she squeezed hands, and beamed at them all in thekindest way. Mrs. Clarke, bursting with fury, tried to say they were norelations of hers; but, of course, Aunt Maria could not catch all that, only the word "relations, " and she then caught sight of the buffClarklets in the background. [Sidenote: _A Friendly Invitation_] "Ah, yes! I see, these are your girls; I have mistaken your otherrelations for them. " Then she turned again to the fat Clarks, evidentlyliking their jolly faces best. "But one can see they are Clarkes. Letme guess. Yes, they must be poor Henry's children!" At this, LordValmond had such a violent fit of choking by the tea-table, that AuntMaria, who hears the oddest, most unexpected things, caught that, andsaw him, and saying, "Howd' ye do?" created a diversion. Presently Iheard Lady Farrington roaring in a whisper into her ears the differencebetween the Clarkes and the Clarks, and the poor dear was so upset; buther kind heart came up trumps, and she was awfully nice to the twovulgar Clarks, who had the good sense to go soon, and then the otherswent. Then she got Lord Valmond on to her sofa, and he screamed suchheaps of nice things into her ear, just as if she had been Mrs. Smith, and she was _so_ pleased. And Uncle John came in, and they talked aboutthe pheasants, and he asked Lord Valmond to dinner on Saturday night(to-morrow), and he looked timidly at me, to see if I was still angrywith him and wanted him not to come, so I smiled _sweetly_, and heaccepted joyfully. Isn't it lovely, Mamma? I shall be home with you bythen, and Lady Farrington and Major Orwell are going too! So he willhave to play dummy whist all the evening with Uncle and Aunt, and eathis dinner at half-past six! Now, good-night. --Your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. HAZELDENE COURT Hazeldene Court, _Tuesday, 9th August_. [Sidenote: _The Horse Show_] Dearest Mamma, --There is a huge party here for the Horse Show, and Idaresay I shall enjoy myself. We had no sooner got into the station atPaddington than in the distance I caught sight of Lord Valmond. Ipretended not to see him, and got behind a barrow of trunks, and thenslipped into the carriage and made Agnès sit by the door. We saw himwalking up and down, and, just before the train started, he came andgot into our carriage. He seemed awfully surprised to see me, said hehad not an idea he should meet me, and apologised for disturbing me, but he said all the other carriages were full. He seemed so uppish andunconcerned that I felt obliged to ask him how he enjoyed his dinnerwith Aunt Maria on Saturday. He said he had enjoyed it awfully, andthat Aunt Maria was a charming hostess. He asked me if I was going fardown the line, or only just on the river. I said not very far. I triedto be as stiff as possible and not speak, and I did not tell him whereI was going, but, do you know, Mamma, there is no snubbing him. He saidat once that he was going to Hazeldene Court, to stay with his cousinsthe Westaways. I said, "Indeed!" and he said, "Yes, aren't they cousinsof yours too?" and when I said "Yes, " he said he felt sure we wererelated, and mightn't he call me Elizabeth!!! I just told him I thoughthim the rudest, most detestable man I had ever met; and if he spoke tome again at all, I should ask the guard to find me another carriage. [Sidenote: _Lord Valmond Presumes_] He was awfully surprised, and said he had not meant to be the leastrude; he thought it was the custom for cousins to call each other bytheir Christian names, and _his_ name was Harry. (Just as if I did notknow that, after hearing Mrs. Smith calling him every few minutes!) Isaid in a freezing tone we were not related in any way, and I wished toread the paper, upon which he produced every imaginable kind, lots ofladies' papers that he could not possibly have wanted for himself. Idon't know who he expected to meet. However, I would not have any ofthem, but looked at a _Punch_ I had bought myself. You know thatuncomfortable feeling one has when some one is staring at one--it makesone obliged to look up--so after a while our eyes met over the _Punch_, and he smiled, and his teeth are so white. All he said was, "I wasthinking of the Clarkes and Clarks. " And in spite of my being indignantwith him I could not help laughing, when I remembered about them, andthen it was hard to be very stiff again at once. [Sidenote: _The Offending Dimple_] Just about this time Agnès went to sleep in the other corner, and themoment Lord Valmond saw she was really off, he bent forward and said insuch a humble voice, that he was sorry he had offended me at Nazeby; hehad yielded to a sudden temptation, and he could only ask me to forgivehim. He had quite mistaken my character he said, he now saw I was aserious person, but he had been deceived by the dimple in my leftcheek. (Now isn't it provoking, Mamma, to have a dimple like that, thatgives people the impression they may treat you with want of respect?)I said I did not believe a word of it, and, as we were only the merestacquaintances, it did not matter whether I forgave him or not, and Ihoped he would not mention the subject again. He then asked me if I wasgoing to stop at Hazeldene until Saturday. So you see, Mamma, he musthave known I was going there all along; aren't men odd? You can't trustthem one minute not to be deceiving you, only I think on the whole Iprefer them to women, they can't copy your clothes at all events. Afterthat he seemed to think we had quite made everything up, and went ontalking in the friendliest way, but I _would not_ thaw; he shall nothave the chance of blaming my dimple again for any of his misconduct!At last I said I hated talking in the train, and pretended to go tosleep. But I could not get really off, because every time I opened myeyes just to see where we were, I found him looking at me. A hugeomnibus was waiting for us when we arrived, and several more guests hadcome by the same train and we all drove to the house together. Theywere having tea on the croquet lawn--Lady Westaway and some otherpeople, and the eldest son's wife. You remember what a fuss there waswhen he married, how Lady Westaway had hysterics for three days. Well, she looks as if she could have them again any moment. [Sidenote: _An Attractive Woman_] Mrs. Westaway is awfully pretty. She was lying in a swing chair, showing lots of petticoat and ankle. The ankle isn't bad, but thepetticoat had common lace on it. She has huge turquoise earrings, andvery stick-out hair arranged to look untidy with tongs. She smiles allthe time, and wears lots of different colours. She calls every one bytheir Christian name, and always catches hold of the men's coats, orfixes their buttonholes or ties, or holds their arms and whispers: andevery one is in love with her, and she has the greatest success. So Ican't think, Mamma, why you have always told me never to do any ofthese things, when you want me to be a success so much. Her voice isdreadfully shrill, and such an odd pronunciation, but no one seems tomind that. I rather like her, she is so jolly but some of the women ofthe party won't speak to her, except to say disagreeable things. JaneRoose is here, she has been here since she left Nazeby (Violet is atthe sea), and she came up to my room as we were going to dress, and Ihave only just got rid of her. She told me Mrs. Westaway was a"dreadful creature, " and that no one would know her, if it was not forher mother-in-law receiving her, so they can't help it. And she couldnot understand what the men saw to admire in a low person like that. But I can see very well, Mamma, she is as pretty as can be, andprobably the men don't notice about the lace being common, and all thecolours, and those things. I must go down to dinner now, so good-bye, dear Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Hazeldene Court, _Thursday, 11th August_. [Sidenote: _Lady Bobby's Diversions_] Dearest Mamma, --I shall be home with you almost as soon as you getthis. But I must tell you about these last two days. The man I went into dinner with the first night was so nice-looking, only he did notseem as if he could collect his thoughts enough to finish hissentences, and it left them sounding so silly sometimes, but I foundout before we had begun the entrées that it was because Mrs. Westawaywas sitting opposite, and he was gazing at her. She looked lovely, butnot like any one I have seen yet since I stayed out. She had a diamondcollar and two ropes of pearls (Jane Roose said they were imitation), and her arms quite bare and very white, but her skin must come off, because I could see a patch of white on a footman's coat where sheaccidentally touched when helping herself to potatoes. She had a hugetulle bow in her hair, and her earrings were as big as shillings. LadyBobby Pomeroy said afterwards in the drawing-room to Jane Roose thatshe should not take any more of her meals downstairs with this"creature;" and she would not have come only that Bobby insisted, as hewas showing some horses, and it is convenient. And so, do you know, Mamma, Lady Bobby has never come out of her room since, except just togo to the Horse Show, which she drove to with Mrs. Mannering in a hiredfly. I don't call it very polite to the hostess, do you? This afternoonshe amused herself from her bedroom window by shooting at rabbits justbeyond the wire fence of the lawn with a rook rifle; she did not hitany rabbits, but she got a gardener in the leg, and the man was veryangry, and bled a great deal, and had to be taken away, and I think itwas very careless of her, don't you? [Sidenote: _Two is Company_] Lord Valmond was on his way to the window seat where Jane Roose and Iwere sitting the first night after dinner, but Mrs. Westaway caughthold of her husband's coat-tails as he passed and said quite loud, "Duckie, you must bring Lord Valmond and introduce him to me, wehaven't met yet, and I want to know all your friends. " So BillyWestaway, who is as obedient as a spaniel, secured Lord Valmond, andpresently we saw them comfortably tucked into a small settee together, and there they stayed all the evening. She kept licking her lips as ifhe was something good to eat, and the next morning she fixed a rose inhis buttonhole at breakfast and called him "Cousin Val, " and by lunchtime it was plain "Val, " and now it is "Harry. " I do call it bad taste, don't you, Mamma? and she isn't half so pretty in broad daylight, and Idon't like her at all now. Only I can't help laughing at LadyWestaway's face when "Phyllis" (that is Mrs. Westaway's name) saysanything especially vulgar; Lady Westaways shudders, and takes a hugesniff at her smelling salts. She keeps them always with her in a longgold-topped bottle, and she has to use them almost every few minuteswhen Mrs. Westaway is in the room. The Horse Show was rather nice; it is held in the park fairly close, and most of us strolled there in the morning before lunch to see thejudging. Lord Valmond joined us, I was walking with Lord George Lane(you remember he was one of the Eleven at Nazeby). I was in a very goodtemper, Mamma, and we had been laughing at everything we said. He isquite a nice idiot, but, when Lord Valmond came, of course I talked asstiffly as possibly, and presently Lord George told him that he wassingularly backward in copybook maxims, and that there was one he oughtto write out and commit to memory, and it began with "Two's Company, "upon which Lord Valmond stalked on in a rage. The seats at the show were very hard boards, and the sun made oneawfully drowsy; but about half-an-hour before lunch Lord Valmond cameup again, and asked me if I should not like to go for a turn. I thoughtI had better, so as not to get cramp. He said he had been afraid hewould never get the chance of speaking to me, I was always sosurrounded. I told him I had only come now because of the cramp. I amquite determined, Mamma, not to unbend to him at all. I was not onceagreeable, or anything but stiff and snubbing, and I am sure he hasnever been treated like that before, but it is awfully hard workkeeping it up all the time, and when we got in to lunch I was quitetired. [Sidenote: _On the Lake_] There were numbers of people at the show in the afternoon, and all intheir best clothes. Lady Grace Fenton was showing two of her hunters, and she kept shouting to the grooms, and I did not think it was veryattractive behaviour. She takes such strides you would think her muslindress would split. I don't know why it is that so many people in thecountry are ugly and weather-beaten, and all their clothes hangingwrong. Except the house party here, and a few from other big places, there wasnot a pretty person to be seen. We had a special reserved tent for tea, and Mrs. Westaway seemed to have every man in the place round her, andI heard one man come up and say, "Well, Phyllis, this is a joke to findyou in this respectable hole; how do you like solid matrimony, oldgirl?" and I do think that sounded familiar and rude, don't you, Mamma? but Mrs. Westaway wasn't a bit angry. She calls Billy "Duckie, "and continually pats and caresses him; he does look such a fool, and Ishould hate to be fingered like that if I were a man, one must feellike a bunch of grapes with the bloom being rubbed off. Mrs. Westawaykept Lord Valmond with her all the rest of the time at the show, andthen took him on the lake while we played croquet. Lady Bobby went straight to her room and sat by the window, and everynow and then shouted advice to Lord George who was playing with me. When we had finished, Lady Westaway took me to see the conservatories, and there we were joined by old Colonel Blake and Lord Valmond, I don'tknow how he had torn himself away from Mrs. Westaway! Jane Roose saysMrs. Smith would be mad if she was here. He asked me why I had walkedon ahead so fast on the way back from the Show as he wanted me to go onthe lake with him instead of Mrs. Westaway. When he had suggested goingon it he had looked at me, but I would take no notice, and so he wasobliged to go with Mrs. Westaway when she offered to come, and I wasvery unkind and disagreeable. I just said if he found me so, he neednot speak to me at all, I did not care. We looked at one another liketwo wild cats for a moment. I am sure he wanted to slap me, and Ishould like to have scratched him, and then Lady Westaway diverted theconversation by asking me if I thought I should enjoy my French visit(how every one knows one's affairs!). I said I hoped I should, and Iwas starting next week. Lord Valmond at once pricked up his ears, andsaid he would be running over to Paris about then, as he was not goingto Scotland till September, and he hoped I would let him look after meon the way. I said I did not know which day I was going, probablyWednesday, so as I am starting on Monday, Mamma, there will be nochance of his coming with me, which would annoy you very much I amsure. To-day we have done nothing but loll about and play croquet. LadyBobby and the men and some other women went to the Show again in themorning, but I was having a match with Jane Roose, and so we did notbother to go. [Sidenote: _Paul and Virginia_] This afternoon when Lady Bobby began her rabbit shooting it seemed sodangerous on the croquet lawn, especially after she hit the gardener, that we all went on the lake in the launch. We landed on the island, and somehow or other Lord Valmond and I got left alone in the Belvederelooking at the view. The others went off without us, which made mefurious, as I am sure he did it on purpose. But when I accused him ofit, he said such a thing would never have entered his head. He had anasty smile all the time in the corner of his eye, and did not take theleast pains about trying to undo the other little boat which we foundat last, although I kept telling him we should be late for dinner. Hesaid he wished we had not to go back at all, that he thought we shouldbe very happy together on this little island like Paul and Virginia. Ican't tell you, Mamma, what a temper I was in. [Sidenote: _The Hardships of a Marquis_] I wish I had never met him--or that he had not been rude at Nazeby--it_is_ so difficult to behave with dignity when a person has a nice voiceand makes you laugh, although you are awfully cross with him inside. Then I have to be thinking all the time about my dimple not to let itcome out, as that is what caused his rudeness, and with one thing andanother it upsets me so, that my cheeks are always burning when I amwith him, and I feel as if I should like to box his ears or cry; and Ihope after to-morrow I shall never see him again. He rowed so slowlywhen we did get into the boat that I offered to do it, but he would notlet me. I would not talk to him at all. When we got to the landing Ijumped out so that he should not help me, and gave my head a crackagainst the pole in the boat house. I fancied I heard him saying, "Darling! have you hurt yourself? What a brute I am to tease you!" butI did not wait for any more. I ran to the house as fast as I could, andas he had to tie up the boat, I was just getting into the hall when hecaught me up. My head hurt dreadfully, and I was so tired and cross, and everything, that the tears would come into my eyes. I did not wanthim to see, but I am afraid he did, so before he could speak I rushedon again and got safely to my room. I am sure it is very rude to callpeople "darling" without their leave, isn't it, Mamma? I went in to dinner with a sporting curate who lives near, and he keptmaking his bread into crumbs on the cloth and then sweeping them upwith his knife into a heap, between every course. What strange habitspeople have! After dinner Mrs. Westaway took Lord Valmond and sat inthe window seat, and when he did get away, and was coming over to me, Isaid my head was aching from the knock I gave it, and came up to bed, and as he has to catch an early train in the morning I shan't come downuntil he has gone. I don't want to see him any more, it is toofatiguing quarrelling all the time, and one could not forgive him andbe friends I suppose after such behaviour as his at Nazeby--could one, Mamma? Now good-night; I am sleepy. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--I should hate to be a marquis always having to take thehostess in to dinner no matter how old and ugly she is, just because aduke isn't present. CHÂTEAU DE CROIXMARE Château De Croixmare, _16th August_. [Sidenote: _A Formidable Godmother_] Dearest Mamma, --What a crossing we had, perfectly disgusting! The skywas without a cloud, but such a wind that every one was sick, so onecould not enjoy oneself. Agnès became rapidly French too directly welanded at Dieppe, and the carriage was full of stuffy people, who wouldnot have a scrap of window open; however, Jean was waiting for us atParis. We snatched some food at the restaurant, and then caught thetrain to Vinant. Jean is quite good-looking, but with an awfullyrespectable expression. Any one could tell he was married even withoutlooking at his wedding ring. He was polite, and made conversation allthe time in the train, and as the engine kept puffing and shrieking Iwas obliged to continually say "_Pardon?_" so it made it rather heavy. I think he has changed a good deal since their wedding--let mesee--that must be eight years ago, as I was nine then; I hardlyremembered him. Godmamma was waiting for us in the hall when we arrived. Château deCroixmare is a nice place, but I _am_ glad I am not French. It was thehottest night of the year almost, and not a breath of air in the house, every shutter closed and the curtains drawn. Héloise had gone to bedwith a _migraine_, Godmamma explained, but Victorine was there. She hasgrown up plain, and looks much more than five years older than me. Theyweren't in evening dress, or even tea-gowns like in England--it didseem strange. Mme. De Croixmare looks a dragon! I can't think how poor papa insistedupon my having such a godmother. Her face is quite white, and her hairso black and drawn off her forehead, and she has a bristly moustache. She is also very up right and thin, and walks with an ebony stick, andher voice is like a peacock's. She looked me through and through, and Ifelt all my French getting jumbled, and it came out with such anEnglish accent; and after we had bowed a good deal, and said heaps ofOllendorfish kind of sentences, I was given some "sirop" and water, andconducted to bed by Victorine. She is a big dump with a shinycomplexion, and such a very small mouth, and I am sure I shall hateher, she isn't a bit good-natured-looking like Jean. The house isreally fine Louis XV. , and my bedroom and cabinet de toilette aredelicious, so is my bed; but the attitude of Agnès--such a consciouspride in the superiority of France--nearly drove me mad. There isn't a decent dressing-table mirror, only one in an old silverframe about eight inches square, and that is sitting on thewriting-table--or what would be the writing-table, if there happened tobe any pens and things, which there aren't. All the hanging places openout of the panels of the wall, there are no wardrobes, only beautifulmarble-topped _bureaux_; but I was so tired. [Sidenote: _A French Family at Home_] I left Agnès to settle everything and jumped into bed. This morning Iwoke early, and had the loveliest cup of chocolate, but such a sillybath, and almost cold water. There are no housemaids, and nothing isdone with precise regularity like at home, although they are so rich. Agnès had to fish for everything of that sort herself, and such a lotof talking went on in the passage between her and the _valet dechambre_, before I even got this teeny tiny tray to splash in. However, I did get dressed at last, and went for a walk in the garden--not asoul about but a few gardeners. The begonias are magnificent, but thereis no look of park beyond the garden, or nice deer and things that wewould have for such a house in England. It is more like a sort of bigvilla. I saw Jean at last in the distance, going round and round a large pondon his bicycle. He did look odd! in a thick striped jersey, and thetightest knickerbockers; almost as low as a "scorcher. " He jumped offand made a most polite bow, and explained he was doing it forexercise. But I do think that an idiotic reason--don't you, Mamma? Itwould be just as much exercise on a road. However, he assured me that, like that, he knew exactly how many miles he went on the flat beforebreakfast, so I suppose it was all right. I saw he wanted to continue his ride, so I walked on, and presentlycame to a summer-house, where Victorine and the _dame de compagnie_were doing their morning reading. There were also the two little girlsbuilding castles out of a heap of sand, and with them the most hideousGerman maid you ever saw. They are queer-looking little monkeys, Yolande is like Jean, but Marie--there are three years between them--isas black as ink--but where was I? Oh, yes!--well, by this time I was sohungry I could have eaten them, German _bonne_ and all! FortunatelyGodmamma turned up, and we strolled back to _déjeûner_. Héloise was inthe salon, and she is charming, such a contrast to the rest of theparty. She was beautifully dressed and so _chic_. We took to eachother at once, she has not picked up that solid married look like Jean, so perhaps it is only the husbands who get it in France. There was a good deal of ceremony going in to breakfast. Jean gave hismother his arm, and we trotted behind. The dining-room is a perfectroom, except there is no carpet, and the food was lovely, only I dohate to see a great hand covered with a white cotton glove, plopping adish down on the lighted thing in the middle, so that one has to lookat the next course all the time one is finishing the last one. The wayin which the two little monkeys and the German maid devoured theirbreakfast quite took one's appetite away. There seemed to be numbers ofmen-servants, who wore white cotton gloves, and their liveries buttonedup to the throat, which takes away that nice clean-shirt-look of ourservants at home. [Sidenote: _French Servants_] This afternoon we are going to pay a visit of ceremony to the Comte andComtesse de Tournelle; we are going with them on their yacht down theSeine to-morrow. It is Jean and Héloise who have arranged to takeme--it is kind of them, and it will be fun; and I am glad it is notconsidered proper for young French girls to go without their mothers, because we shall get rid of Victorine, and the voyage will be moreagreeable. Agnès and the other maids and valets are going by train, andwill meet us with the luggage at the different places we stop at eachnight, as the _Sauterelle_ is too small to carry everything. I must goand get ready now, so good-bye, dear Mamma. --Your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. YACHT "SAUTERELLE" Yacht _Sauterelle_, _17th August_. [Sidenote: _Yacht "Sauterelle"_] Dearest Mamma, --I am writing as we float down the Seine, it is tooenchanting. We are a party of ten. The Comte and Comtesse de Tournelle;her mother, the Baronne de Larnac, and her uncle, the Baron de Frémond, Jean, Héloise, and me; the Marquise de Vermondoise, and two young men, officers in the Cavalry, stationed at Versailles. One is the VicomteGaston de la Trémors, and the other's name is so long that I can't getit, so you must know him by "Antoine"--he is some sort of a relation ofHéloise's. The Baronne is a delightful person, the remains of extremegood looks and distinction. She was a beauty under the Empire, and herfeet are so small, she is just as _soignée_ as if she was young, and sovain and human. She lives with her daughter while they are in thecountry--it seems the custom here, these huge family parties livingtogether all the summer. [Sidenote: _A Visit of Ceremony_] The young people have their _appartement_ in the Champs Elysées inParis, and the old ones go to the family hotel in the _Faubourg St. Germain. _ We _did_ say a lot of polite things when we went to pay ourvisit yesterday, and although they know one another so well--as it wasa "visit of ceremony" to introduce me--we all had our best clothes on, and sat in the large salon--(there are four Louis XVI. Arm chairs, sticking out each side of the fireplaces, in all the salons here). Héloise and the Comtesse de Tournelle are great friends. The Comte deTournelle is charming, he is like the people in the last centuryMemoirs, he ought to have powdered hair, and his manners have adistinction and a wit quite unlike anything in England. One can see heis descended from people who had their heads cut off for beingaristocrats. Jean says he does not belong to _le Sporting_, and isfearfully effeminate. He can't even put on his own socks without hisvalet, and he never rides or bicycles or anything, but just does alittle motor-carring, and fights a few duels. The Comtesse de Tournelle is small and young and rather dull; shereads a great deal. The old boy, the Baron de Frémond (he owns the_Sauterelle_) is a jolly old soul, and chaffs his sister and niece, andevery one, all the time, and thinks it so funny to talk fearfulEnglish. The two young men haven't looked at me much. They are inuniform! and they put their heels together and bowed deeply when theywere introduced, but we haven't spoken yet. The Marquise de Vermondoiseis perfectly lovely, so fascinating, with such a queer deep voice, andone tooth at the side of the front missing; and her tongue keepsgetting in there when she speaks, which gives her a kind of lisp, andit is awfully attractive. I think de Tournelle would like to kiss her, by the way he looked at her when she thanked him for handing her onboard. [Sidenote: _The Invaluable Hippolyte_] It is a steam yacht with a wee cabin, and a deck above that, with seatslooking out each side, like old omnibuses, and in the stern (if thatmeans the back part) are the sailors and the engines, and the oddestarrangement of cooking apparatus. You should just taste the exquisitebreakfasts that Hippolyte (the Baronne de Larnac's _maître d'hôtel_)cooked for us this morning after we started. He is the queerestcreature, with a face like a baboon, and side whiskers, and the rest adeep blue from shaving. The Baronne says she could not live withouthim; he is a splendid cook, and a perfect _femme de chambre_, and readyfor anything. He is much more familiar than we should ever let aservant be in England. It was rough all the morning, quite waves. TheSeine is only half a mile from the Château de Croixmare, and runs pastthe Tournelles' garden, so they have a private landing stage, and weall embarked from there. Jean and the Comte are dressed in beautifulEnglish blue serges, and look neat enough to be under a glass case. Theold Baron does not care what he wears, and this morning while he wasworking with the sailors had on a black Sunday coat! The Baronne kept screaming when the boat rocked a little. "Nous feronsnaufrage! Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!" and the Vicomte tried to comfort her, but she did not stop till Hippolyte popped his head out of the cabinand said, "Pas de danger! et il ne faut pas que Mme. La Baronne fassela Bebête!" At _déjeûner_ we had only one plate each, and one knife and fork. Itwas so windy we could not have it under the awning in the bows, and thecabin is so narrow that the seats are against the wall, and the tablein the middle. No one can pass to wait, so between the courses wewashed our plates in the Seine, out of the window. It _was_ gay! Theyare all so witty, but it is not considered correct to talk just toone's neighbour, a conversation _à deux_. Everything must be general, so it is a continual sharpening of wits, and one has to shout a gooddeal, as otherwise, with every one talking at once, one would not beheard. I know French pretty well as you know, but they say a lot ofstrange things I can't understand, and whenever I answer or ask why, they go into fits of laughter and say, "Est elle gentille l'enfant!hein!" We are going to stop at the next small village to post the letters, sogood-bye, dear Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--I hope you won't get muddled, Mamma, with all their names, ittakes so long writing the whole thing, so please remember Mme. DeLarnac is the "Baronne, " Monsieur de Frémond is the "Baron, " Monsieurde Tournelle is the "Comte, " Mme. De Tournelle is the "Comtesse, " Mme. De Vermondoise is the "Marquise, " Monsieur de la Trémors is the"Vicomte, " and "Antoine" is the other officer. So if I haven't alwaystime to put their names you will know now which they are. Vernon, Yacht _Sauterelle_, _Thursday morning_. [Sidenote: _Vernon_] Dearest Mamma, --The scenery we came through yesterday is quitebeautiful, but I did not pay so much attention to it as I might havedone, because Jean and the Comte would talk to me. You would be amusedat Vernon, where we stayed the night in _such_ an inn! I believe it isthe only one in the place, and as old as the hills. You get at thebedrooms from an open gallery that runs round the courtyard, and thatsmells of garlic and stables. We got here about six, and started _enmasse_ to inspect the rooms. Hippolyte had engaged them beforehand, andseemed rather apologetic about them, and finally, when there did notappear half enough to go round, he shrugged his shoulders almost up tohis ears and said, "Que voulez vous!" and that "Ces Messieurs" wouldhave to be "très bourgeois en voyage, " and that there was nothing forit but that Mme. La Comtesse de Tournelle should "partagerl'appartement de Monsieur le Comte de Tournelle, " and that Monsieur leComte de Croixmare would have to extend like hospitality to Mme. LaComtesse de Croixmare. This caused shrieks of derision. Héloise saidshe would prefer to sleep on the dining-room table, and "Antoine" saidhe thought people ought to be a little more careful of theirreputations even _en voyage_. Finally they unearthed a baby's cot inthe room that Hippolyte had designed for the Croixmare menage, and deTournelle said it was the very thing for me, but Jean replied, "Moncher ami c'est une Bébé beaucoup trop emoustillante, " which I thoughtvery rude, just as if I snored, or something dreadful like that. Then, after a further prowl, a fearful little hole was discovered beyond, with no curtains to the windows, or blinds, or shutters, just a scrapof net. The face of Agnès when she saw it! [Sidenote: _A Necessary Precaution_] Dinner was not until seven, so Jean and I went out for a walk; asHippolyte advised us to try and find a chemist and buy some fleapowder. "Je trouverai ça plus prudent, " he said. Jean is getting quitenatural with me now, and isn't so awfully polite. The chemist took usfor a honeymoon couple (as, of course, if I had been French I could nothave gone for a walk with Jean alone). He--the chemist--was sosympathetic, he had only one packet of powder left, he said, as so muchwas required by the _voyageurs_ and inhabitants that he was out of it(that did not sound a pleasant prospect for our night)--"Mais, madame"(that's me), "n'est pas assez grasse pour les attirer, " he added by wayof consolation. It was spitting with rain when we got back, and they all made such afuss for fear I had got wet, and they would not for worlds stir out ofdoors to see the church or anything, which I heard is very picturesque. We had such an amusing dinner, the food was wonderful, considering theplace, but a _horrible_ cloth and pewter forks and spoons. There weretwo _officiers_ at another table (only infantry), and they were _so_interested in our party. [Sidenote: _Close Quarters_] "Antoine" sat next to me, and in a pause in the general conversation hesaid to me (it is the first time he has addressed me directly), "Ilfait mauvais temps, mademoiselle. " I have heard him saying all kinds of_drôle_ things to the others, so it shows he can be quite intelligent. It is just because I am not married I suppose, so I said that is whatEnglish people always spoke about--the weather--and I wanted to hearsomething different in France. He seemed perfectly shocked, and hardlyspoke to me after that, but the Vicomte, who was listening, began atonce to say flattering things across the table. They all makecompliments upon my French, and are very gay and kind, but I wish theydid not eat so badly. The Comte and the Marquise, who are cousins, andof the very oldest noblesse, are the worst--one daren't look sometimes. The Comtesse is a little better, but then her family is only Empire, and Jean and Héloise are fairly decent. I could bear most of it, if it wasn't for the peppermint glasses at theend, which the men have. The whole party are very French, not a bitlike the people we see at Cannes, who have been much with the English. It is a different thing altogether. When dinner was over the rainstopped, and after a lot of talk--as to whether the ground would be toodamp or not--we at last ventured for a walk down to the bridge andback. Then we returned and commenced a general powdering of the beds, beginning with the de Tournelles' apartment; next we went to theMarquise's--she had such an exquisite nightgown laid out, it was madeof pink chiffon. When we got to my room they made all kinds ofsympathies for me having such a small and stuffy place. The powder wasall gone before we could sprinkle the Baronne's bed. Agnès was notquite so uppish undressing me as usual. Perhaps she realised this partof her France was not so good as England. Next morning when I got down--we had arranged to have our _premierdéjeûner_ all together, not in our rooms, as we were to make such anearly start--"Antoine" and Héloise were already there. The Vicomte andthe Baronne came in soon after; he at once began: "Comme Mlle. Estravissante le soir! un petit ange à son déshabillé! Une si éblouissantechevelure!" [Sidenote: _A Conjugal Experiment_] The wretch had been watching me from the opposite gallery, wasn't it_odious_ of him, Mamma? No Englishman would have done such a thing. I_was_ angry, but Héloise said it was no use, that I must get accustomedto "les habitudes de voyage, " and that she did not suppose he hadreally looked, it was only to tease me. _But I believe he had_--anywayfrom that moment de la Trémors has been always talking to me. Presentlywhile we were eating our rolls, the garçon, a Parisian (who was alsothe ostler), came in and said: Would Madame--indicating theBaronne--come up to "Mademoiselle, " who wished to speak to her? Wecould not think who he could mean, as I was the only "Mademoiselle" ofthe party. The Baronne told him so. "Mais non!" he said, jerking histhumb in the direction of upstairs, "La demoiselle dans la chambre deMonsieur. " "Mais que dites vous mon brave homme!" screamed the Baronne andHéloise together. The man was quite annoyed. "Je dis ce que je dis et je m'en fiche pas mal! la petite demoiselleblonde, dans la chambre de Monsieur le Comte de Tournelle. " At that moment the Comtesse came in, so with another jerk of his thumbat her, "Comment! vous ne me croyez pas?" he said, "tiens--la voilà!"and he bounced out of the room. "Antoine" said it served them perfectly right, that he had warned themtheir reputations would suffer if husbands and wives camped together. Even a place like Vernon, he said, was sufficiently enlightened to findthe situation impossible. I don't know what it all meant, but the Comtesse de Tournelle is nowcalled "la demoiselle!" The two young men leave us for the day, to do their duty at Versailles, but are to meet us again at Rouen in the evening, with leave for a fewdays. We are just going on board, so I will finish this presently. _5 p. M. _--The scenery is too beautiful after you pass Vernon, and itwas so interesting getting in and out of the locks. The Baronne and Iand Jean talked together on the raised deck, while de Tournelle read tothe Marquise in the bows. The old Baron is mostly with the sailors, andHéloise slept a good deal. Every now and then Hippolyte came out fromhis cooking place, and one saw his baboon face appearing on a levelwith the deck floor, and he would explain all the places we passed, andit always ended with: "Il ne faut pas que Mme. La Baronne pionce c'esttrès très intéressant. " I can't tell you what a _drôle_ creature he is. Héloise woke uppresently and talked to me; she said if it was not for the Tournellesshe could not stand the Château de Croixmare and Victorine. It appearstoo, that when in Paris, Godmamma always drives in the Bois at thewrong times, and will have her opera box on the nights no one is there, and that irritates Héloise. I can't think why papa and she were such friends. I don't believe if hehad been alive now, and accustomed to really nice people like you andme, he would have been able to put up with her. I shall post this directly we land, I am writing on the cabin table, and now good-bye. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. CAUDEBEC Caudebec, _Saturday, 20th August. _ [Sidenote: _A Visit to Rouen_] Dearest Mamma, --To-day has been the loveliest I ever remember, not acloud in the sky. We landed at Rouen the day before yesterday aboutsix, and the hotel we stopped at was quite decent, and although thewindows of my room looked upon the inner courtyard they at least hadshutters. I wanted to go and see the marks the flames of Joan of Arc'sburning had made on the wall, but every one was so hungry, we had tohave dinner so early, there wasn't time. _Canard à la Rouennaise is_good, it is done here with a wine called _Grenache_. I had twohelpings, and just as we were finishing, the Vicomte and "Antoine" camein from the station. They aren't in uniform now, but their hair doesstick up so, and somehow their clothes don't look comfortable. I likedthem in uniform best. Madame de Vermandoise talked to "Antoine" acrossthe table quite a lot. That is the only way one may speak directly to aperson, it seems. After dinner we went in search of some place ofamusement, but there was no theatre open, so we had to contentourselves with a walk along the quay, and then we came back and drank_sirop_. It _is_ sweet and nice, and you can have it raspberry, orgooseberry, or what you like, and I am sure if the people in Englandwho drink nasty old ports and things could have it they would like itmuch better. The Baronne calls all the men by their end names like"Tournelle, " "Croixmare, " "Trémors, " &c. , and every one is very devotedto her, and I daresay she is even older than you, mamma; isn't itwonderful? Jean now always sits beside me, I suppose he thinks he is myhost, but I would rather have the Vicomte de la Trémors, who is veryamusing. But to go back to Rouen. It was a treat to sleep fearlessly ina clean bed after Vernon, and I actually had a bath in the morning. Idon't know where Agnès retrieved it from. [Sidenote: _"Coiffer St. Catherine"_] You can see Joan of Arc's flames quite plain, we went there as soon aswe were dressed. "Antoine" would insist it was only the black from asmoky chimney, but I paid no attention to him. The _Horloge_ is nice, and we did a lot of churches, but they always look to me just the same, and any way they all smell alike, and I don't think I shall bother withany more. We had breakfast on the _Sauterelle_, but it was so fineafter we left Vernon, and yesterday, that we could have it each day inthe bows under the awning, and so had not to wash our forks and plates. The Châteaux are so picturesque, and such woods! after you leave Rouen. Héloise did not sleep yesterday. "Antoine" talked so much, no one couldreally have had a comfortable nap. In the afternoon the Marquise toldus our fortunes; she said Héloise would marry twice, which made herlook as pleased as Punch, but Jean did not think it at all funny, though every one else laughed She told me I should probably be an oldmaid ("_Coiffer St. Catherine_"), and so I said in that case I shouldrun pins into the horrid old saint's head: I simply _won't_ be an oldmaid, Mamma, so they need not make any more predictions. However, itwould be worse to be one here than at home, because even up to forty, if you aren't married, you mayn't go to the nice theatres, or talk topeople alone, or even speak much more than "Yes" and "No, " and yougenerally get a nasty moustache or something. We saw a whole family ofelderly girls at our hotel at Rouen, and they all had moustaches ormoles on the cheek. We got here (Caudebec) yesterday soon after four. Our inn looks righton to the Seine, and is as old nearly as the one at Vernon, butfortunately beautifully clean. Only you have to get at your roomthrough somebody else's. Mine is beyond the Baronne's and Madame deVermandoise gets at hers through the Comtesse de Tournelle's. Hers isthe most ridiculous place, with a red curtain hanging across so thatsometimes it can be turned into two; and such a thing happened lastnight. "Antoine" went in with the Comte de Tournelle to help him toshut the window, as Madame de Tournelle couldn't, when a gust of windblew the door shut, and whether there was a spring lock or not I don'tknow, but any way nothing would induce it to open again. So there theywere. We had stayed up rather late; the landlord and the servants werein bed. They rattled and shook and pushed, but to no purpose. [Sidenote: _A Misadventure_] There was only a board partition between my room and Madame deVermandoise's, so I could hear everything, and Tournelle said there wasnothing for it but that "Antoine" would have to sleep in the other bedin her room. She screamed a great deal, and they all laughed very much, and all talked at once, so I suppose that was why I could notunderstand quite everything they were saying. At last the Baronnerushed into my room to discover what the noise was. She looks perfectly_odd_ when going to bed; a good deal seemed to have come off; she is asthin as a lath; and on the dressing table was such a sweet lacenightcap, with lovely baby curls sewed to its edge, and when she putthat on she did look sweet. It isn't that she has no hair herself, it'sthick and brown; but she explained that having to wear a nightcapbecause of ear-ache, she found it more becoming with the curls. Isuppose it is on account of the waiters coming in with the breakfastthat they have to be so particular in France how they look in bed. But to go on about the door. We sent the Baronne's maid and Agnès totry and find the landlord; but, after exploring untold depths below andabove, they only succeeded in unearthing Hippolyte. He came up from hisbed looking just like that very clever Missing Link that was atBarnum's, do you remember?--the one that sometimes was an Irishwoman, and could do housework in a cage by itself. I don't know exactly whatHippolyte had on, but it ended up with a petticoat of red and blackplaid, and a pair of grey linen trousers over his shoulders; hiswhiskers and hair were standing straight on end, and his shaved bitswere bluer than ever at night. He said a good deal of the Frenchequivalent of, "Here's a pretty kettle of fish, " and shrugged so that Iwas afraid the petticoat would slip off; and finally, when all thepushing and pulling had no effect on the door, he said people mustresign themselves to the accidents of travel, and as there were fourbeds, he did not see that they had too much to complain of. [Sidenote: _"Not Much to Complain of"_] At this moment Héloise came out of her room to see what the commotionwas. She understood it was her husband locked in the room, and shelaughed too very much, and said they must just stay there; but when sheheard the voice of "Antoine" she seemed to think the situation grave--Isuppose because he is not married--and she also did everything shecould to open the door. Of course if they had been Englishmen theywould have simply kicked it down, and got out without more ado, but theFrench aren't strong enough for that. Héloise became quite disagreeable about it, though as it wasn't Jean Ican't think what business it was of hers. She said it was because"Antoine" did not really try, and she was sure he had done it onpurpose, upon which Madame de Vermandoise gurgled with mirth. I couldhear both sides you see, because of the wooden partition. "Antoine"came into the inner room and said he was "Doux comme un petit agneau, "but the Marquise said that he was "Un loup dans une peau de mouton, "and must go away. Finally the whole of the rest of the party indifferent stages of _déshabillé_ got collected outside the door. Nolandlord was to be found anywhere. Then the old Baron suggested quite asimple plan, which was for Madame de Tournelle to share Madame deVermandoise's room, and to leave the Comte and "Antoine" in her room. No one seemed to have thought of this before; and that is what theyfinally did, and at last we got to sleep. In the morning no landlordcould still be found, and we had no coffee, but presently he arrivedaccompanied by two _gendarmes_ and goodness knows what other rabblearmed with sticks, and they wanted to proceed upstairs. We heard everysort of "_Sacrés!_" going on between them and Hippolyte, and eventuallythe landlord almost crawled up apologising, and opened the door withhis key. [Sidenote: _A Cautious Landlord_] It appears that hearing the noise of the door being tried to be openedand Madame de Vermandoise's screams, he had thought it wiser to decampfor the night, as two years ago there had been a murder there, and hehad had "beaucoup d'embêtement, " he said, on account of it, and wasdetermined not to be mixed up in one again, "En ces affaires là, il estbien assez tôt d'arriver le lendemain, " he said. Everybody was still laughing too much over the situation to be angrywith him; and the coffee, which we got at last, was so good it made upfor it; but you should have heard the _plaisanteries_ they made overthe night's adventure! Caudebec is an odd place; it used to be inhabited by hundreds ofProtestant beaver hat-makers, who fled from there after the Edict ofNantes' affair, and so there are streets of deserted houses still, andso old, one has a stream down the middle. I would not go into thechurch: the usual smell met me at the door; so the Vicomte and Jean andI went for a walk, and now we are just going to start on the_Sauterelle_ again, and this must be posted. I have managed to write iton my knee, sitting on a stone bench outside the inn door. --Good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. HOTEL FRASCATI, HAVRE Hotel Frascati, Havre, _Sunday, 21st August_. [Sidenote: _Havre to Trouville_] Dearest Mamma, --I am sorry our nice voyage is nearly finished, for wego over to Trouville this evening, and from there by train back toVinant. The river is not nearly so pretty after you leave Caudebec, butTancarville is fine, and looks very imposing sitting up so high. TheVicomte has been talking to me all the time, but Jean stays by. We weredusty and sun-burnt by the time we got to Havre, and Héloise and theMarquise and I started at once for the big baths. They do not quitejoin the hotel, so we covered a good deal of absence, in the way ofdress, by our faithful mackintoshes and trotted across. On the steps wemet de Tournelle just coming out from the baths; he laughed when he sawus, and said he had never before realised that garments of so muchrespectability could have such possibilities! Oh! how nice to have areal bath again! [Sidenote: _A Gay Dinner_] Agnès hasn't enjoyed this trip much, I can see. Heaven knows where shehas slept! I thought it wiser not to ask. We had such a gay dinner. Iam getting accustomed to shouting across the table at every one; itwill feel quite queer just talking to one's neighbour when I get backto England. The restaurant at Frascati isn't at all bad, and it wasagreeable to have proper food again. Hippolyte thinks we are awfully greedy; he was heard yesterdaygrumbling to the Baronne's maid, "Mais où diable est-ce que ces damesmettent tout ce qu'elles mangent? Elles goblottent toute la journée!" After dinner we drank our coffee on the terrace and listened to theband. Héloise would hardly speak to "Antoine" all day, and he lookedperfectly miserable, and Madame de Vermandoise every now and thenlaughed to herself--I don't know what at. However we took a walk on thepier presently, and as there was such a crowd we weren't able to walkall together as usual, but had to go two and two. "Antoine" walked withHéloise, and I suppose they made it up. I just caught this: "N'oubliezjamais, bien chère Madame, qu'une église a deux portes. " Héloise saidshe would not forget, and he thanked her rapturously; but what it meantI don't know. They have both smiled often since so I expect it is someFrench idiom for reconciliation. The crowd on the pier was common, and we returned to Frascati's garden. It was so fearfully hot, that beyond wondering if the dew was falling, no one suggested we should get cold, as they always do. It really hasbeen a delightful trip, and I have enjoyed it so. They are allcharming. They seem to have kinder hearts than some of the people atNazeby, but what strikes one as quite different is that every one iswitty; they are making epigrams or clever _tournures de phrases_ allthe time, and don't seem to talk of the teeny weeny things we do inEngland. They have most exquisite manners, and extraordinarilyunpleasant personal habits, like eating, and coughing, and pickingtheir teeth, etc. ; but they do have nice under-clothes, and lovelysoaps and scents and things. [Sidenote: _Views for Victorine_] The Frascati beds were comfortable, and I could not wake in themorning, in spite of Agnès fussing about. The Vicomte has awakenedevery one each day by rapping at their doors, but this morning I was atlast aroused by Héloise, who had the next room, and we had our coffeetogether. She says she does hope soon to get Victorine married, andthat they have a nephew of the Baronne's in view, but he has not seenher yet. It appears it is easier to get them off if they are quietlooking and dowdy, but not so aggressive as Victorine. You haven't muchchance if you are very pretty and lively; as she says, the men onlylike you to be that when you are married to some one else. Héloisewishes to have everything smart as the Tournelles have, but Godmammaand Victorine are always against her. She says life there is for evereating _galette de plomp_, which I suppose means a suet puddingfeeling. We all went to High Mass at eleven; it was very pretty, andsuch a good-looking priest handed the bag. I should hate to be apriest; shouldn't you, Mamma? You mayn't even look at any one nice. We breakfasted at Frascati, but we were a little bit gloomy at our tripbeing over. This afternoon they have nearly all gone for a drive in hiredmotor cars, but I haven't a hat here that would stay on, so I am writingto you instead, and we cross over to Trouville at five o'clock in theordinary boat, as it is too rough for the _Sauterelle_. --Good-bye, dearMamma, your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. [Sidenote: _A Full-blown Bride_] _P. S. _--I forgot to tell you the story of the "_Côte des deuxAmants. _" You know the fearfully straight, steep hill we have oftennoticed from the train if you go to Paris from Dieppe. Well, Hippolytetold us the story when we passed it. It is quite close from the river, and looks as if it had been cut with a knife, it is so steep. Itappears that in the Middle Ages there was a castle on the top, andthere lived a Comte who had a tremendously stout daughter. He said noone should have her and her fortune unless he was strong enough tocarry her from the bottom to the top of the hill. Hundreds tried--itwas a beauty then to be fat--but every one dropped her half-way, andthe poor thing got "très fatiguée d'être plantée comme ça, " when ahandsome cavalier came along, and he succeeded. His snorts ofout-of-breathness could be heard for miles, but he got her to the topand then fell dead at her feet; and she went into a convent and died. Hippolyte said also that the other ending of the story was, that shegot so thin from pining for the knight that the next one who came alonghad no difficulty, and so they married and lived happy ever after. ButI like the tragic end best. And he said that the peasants still declarethey can hear the knight wheezing on moonlight nights, but "Antoine"said it was probably a traction engine. And I don't think it nice ofhim; do you, Mamma? CHÂTEAU DE CROIXMARE Château de Croixmare, _24th August_. Dearest Mamma, --I am quite sure I shall never be able to stand thewhole fortnight more here. We got back on Monday evening, and Godmammawas as disagreeable as could be. She said all sorts of spiteful thingsabout the Tournelles, and especially the Baronne; and Jean lookednervous and uncomfortable, and Héloise like a mule; and Victorine saidI had no doubt enjoyed myself, but for her part she would be sorry tobe taken for a "young married woman, " which was what Madame de Visac (awoman who came to call after we left) had said--"Qui est cette jeunefemme avec votre belle soeur?" [Sidenote: _Modest Maidens_] She had seen us embarking. So I said I was flattered, as that seemed tomean in France all that was attractive in contrast to the girls. Didyou ever hear of such a _cat_, Mamma? and considering that I am onlyseventeen, and she is an old maid of twenty-two; I think it tooridiculous. She need not fear, no one would ever think she wasmarried, she looks like a lumping German governess. Two of her girlfriends came to breakfast yesterday, of course with their mothers, andyou should have heard the idiot conversation we had! All plopped downon the great sofa in the big salon, like a row of dolls. The twofriends were simply gasping with excitement at the idea of my havinggone on the _Sauterelle_. They asked me endless questions, and giggled, and I _did_ tell them some things! They asked also about England, and was it really true that when we wentto a ball we stayed with our _danseurs_ till the next dance? I said Ihad not been to a ball yet, but had always heard that is what one did. One of the friends is quite nice-looking, but with such dirty nails. Itappears you don't wash much till you are married, it is not considered_bien vu_, in fact rather _lancé_, and you can't have fineunder-clothes, it has all got to be as unattractive as possible, andthat shows you are as good as gold and will make a nice wife. [Sidenote: _The Trouville Casino_] But it must be a bother picking up a taste for having baths and thingsafterwards, if it isn't from instinct, don't you think so, Mamma? AndI am glad I am not French. It is even eccentric if you sleep with yourwindow open; Héloise screamed at me for that. They all assure me itgives sore eyes, besides encouraging an early grave. I said at lastthat in England we slept the whole summer in the open air. I was soexasperated, and they would believe anything. Oh, I wish we were back on the _Sauterelle!_--which reminds me I havenever told you anything about Trouville. The whole place was full ofsuch beautiful ladies, and such nice clothes. They must all have beenmarried, their things were so becoming. The Vicomte seemed to know themwell, and they all spoke of them by their Christian names, such as, _Voilà Blanche d'Antin!_ or _Emilie_ something else, as we passed them, but none of our party bowed to the really pretty ones, which I thoughtvery queer if they knew them well enough to speak of them by theirChristian names. I remember you always told me never to do that--I meanto use people's first names in speaking of them if you are notacquainted with them--but evidently it is different here. TheTournelles and all the others did stop to speak to heaps of dullerlooking people, and every one tried to persuade us to stay and go tothe races. We went to the Casino in the evening and saw a piece; it was boring. Wehad two boxes, and they kept talking to me all the time, so I reallycould not pay much attention to the acting. Down below us was the Marquise de Vermandoise's brother-in-law, with arather dowdy little woman. They talked a great deal about him, and theMarquise said it was just like his economy to go to Trouville with such"une espèce de petite fagottée bon marché. " So I suppose it was somepoor relation he was treating, but they seemed very good friends, as heheld her hand all the time, quite forgetting the people up above couldsee. Then we played "Petits Chevaux, " and I won every time; I do likeit very much. [Sidenote: _A Bathing Party_] We came back to Vinant by the two o'clock train, but first we went tobathe. I was really annoyed at having to have a hired dress, afrightful thing, and weighing a ton. The Marquise and the others hadbrought theirs on the chance of our having time for a dip. TheBaronne's and Héloise's were too sweet. The Baronne's cap had the samekind of lovely little curls round it that she wears at night; but sheis a great coward, and hardly went in deeper than her ankles, in spiteof all the entreaties of "Antoine" and the Vicomte. The Marquise deVermandoise looks splendid in the water, just like a goddess, and herbathing-dress was thin enough red silk for us to see how beautifullyshe is made. The splashing about seemed to make her so gay, she keptputting her tongue into the gap where her tooth is gone, and looked sowicked they would all have swam anywhere after her. She and deTournelle went out a long way to a boat, and they did seem to be havinga good time. I wish I could swim like that. Héloise and "Antoine" made _la planche_ together; it is simplyfloating, only you have some one to hold you up in case you float outtoo far. The Vicomte wanted to teach me, and as I was getting rathertired of pretending to swim with one leg down, I tried, and it feelslovely, and we did laugh so over it. At last the Baronne came out quiteup to her knees to call to us "Trémors, c'est défendu de faire desbêtises. " I suppose she thought he would let me drown. Jean and the Comtesse de Tournelle watched us from the _plage_. The oldBaron swims splendidly, and went quite out of sight. Hippolyte waswaiting among the other servants with our _peignoirs_, and presently heclapped his hands to insure attention, and shouted, "Il ne faut pas queMadame la Baronne reste trop longtemps se mouillant les pieds, elleprendrait froid, mieux vaut sortir de l'eau!" [Sidenote: _End of the Trip_] I am glad my hair curls naturally, because I laughed so at the face ofHippolyte, gesticulating at the Baronne, that I did not pay attentionto a wave, and it threw me over, and I went right under water. TheVicomte pulled me up, but there was no need of him to have been solong about it, and I told him so. He apologised, and said it was hisfear that I should drown, but we were only up to our chests in water, so I don't believe it a bit. After that we came out, and it is just aswell one has a _peignoir_ to put on immediately, as the bathing gownsare so tight and thin, when wet they look quite odd. There werehundreds of other people bathing too, and some of the dresses were sopretty. One was all black and very tight, with red dragons running overit, and she had a gold bangle on her ankle. I wish we could have stayedlonger, it was so gay. In the train coming back we played all sorts of games. Jean and the oldBaron went "smoking, " and we eight squashed into the same carriage, soas not to be separated. We had to go right up to Paris (as the expressdoes not stop at Vinant), and then back again. One can just see thehigh roof of Croixmare from the train. Yesterday those tiresome girlscame to _déjeûner_, and to-day we go to pay another visit of ceremonyat the Tournelles', to thank them for our nice trip. I shall be gladto see them again after looking at Godmamma for two whole days. The evenings are awful. Although it is so warm no one thinks of walkingin the garden, or even sitting out on the _perron_. When we come outfrom dinner, though it is broad daylight, every shutter is shut andcurtains drawn, and there we sit in the salon, all arranged round in asemi-circle, and make conversation, and _sirop_ comes at nine, and, thank goodness, we get off to bed at ten! But even if you wanted totalk nicely to the person sitting by you you couldn't, because everyone would at once stop what they were saying and listen. There is goingto be an entertainment at the Tournelles' in about a week, a kind of_fête champêtre_. We are to dine in a pavilion in the garden, and thenhave a _cotillon_. -Good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Château de Croixmare, _25th August_. [Sidenote: _Croixmare again_] Dearest Mamma, --The longer I stay, here the more glad I am that I amnot French! Victorine is going to be shown to her future _fiancé_to-day, but I must first tell you how it came about. We went to Châteaude Tournelle yesterday to pay our visit, Godmamma, Victorine, and I inthe victoria, and Jean and Héloise in the phaeton. They were in thegarden playing tennis with a party of friends from Versailles, andamong them, of course, the Vicomte and "Antoine. " They were all so gladto see me, and the Baronne called me her "_chère petite_, " and kissedme on both cheeks, as if we had been parted for months. TheVicomte--when he had done putting his heels together and bowing toVictorine and me, and kissing Héloise's and Godmamma's hands--managedto get in, in a lower voice, that his ride from Versailles now seemedto him to have been very short. Upon which Victorine at once said, "_Comment?_" with the expression of a terrier whose ears are suddenlycocked up on the alert. He bowed more deeply than ever, and said thathe was saying it was a long ride from Versailles! So you see thatFrenchmen are not truthful, Mamma! Well--then we were sent to look atthe gardens, accompanied by Jean and the Curé. [Sidenote: _An Untruthful Frenchman_] The Comtesse "adores" _le tennis_, and plays very well, it quiteanimates her. The Baronne plays too, but she doesn't hit the ball much, and screams most of the time; she was in the middle of a game when wearrived, and only stopped to pay all kinds of civilities to our party. Her pretty feet show when she runs about, but she wears a large blacktulle hat with fluffy strings, and it does not seem very suitable fortennis. I had to walk with the old Curé when the path was not wideenough to trot all together. The gardens really are lovely, with allkinds of strange shrubs and trees, and _fontaines_ and _bosquets_, andnooks, but I don't see the least use in them if one has always to walkthree in a row, if not more, do you, Mamma? The Curé was a charming oldfellow, and explained all the plants to me. We had no sooner got backto the tennis ground than one felt something momentous was taking placebetween Godmamma and the Baronne. She had finished her tennis, and theywere sitting away from the others, nodding their heads together. Victorine at once put on a conscious air, and minced more than usual. "Antoine" and Héloise seemed speaking seriously, while she examined hisnew racket. The Vicomte had begun a game, so could not talk to us, butsome more officers were introduced, and, after the usual bowing, webegan to talk. "Vous aimez le tennis, mademoiselle?" "Oui, monsieur, " from Victorine. "Moi, je le déteste, " from me. "Pas possible!" from every one. "Je vous assure on ne joue que le croquet chez nous. " "Le croquet, " from Victorine, "un jeu de Couvent!" "Le croquet! Et les anglais qui n'aiment que l'exercice!" from theofficers, &c. , &c. Very interesting, you see, one's conversations here! [Sidenote: _A Marriage Arranged_] All this time the Baronne and Godmamma were nodding their heads, andwhen Jean and Héloise joined them, they looked like those sets ofmandarins that used to be on Uncle Charles's mantelpiece, and as wesaid Good-bye, the Baronne said to Godmamma, "Bien, chère madame, c'estentendu alors c'est pour demain. " All the way home in the carriage, Victorine simpered. I felt I couldhave slapped her. In the evening there was an air of mystery about them all, and, quiteunlike her usual custom, Héloise came into my room to chat when I wasgoing to bed. Of course Agnès stayed as long as she could, but nosooner had we got rid of her, than Héloise told me what it was allabout. It appears the Baronne has a nephew, who has made a heap ofdebts; he is a Marquis, and he wants to "redorer le blason. " It isnecessary for him to secure a large dot, but he is "si terriblementvolage, " that the extreme plainness of Victorine may put him off. TheBaronne has been arranging it, and he is to be brought with his parentto breakfast, to sample her! They have not seen one another yet, and it has been difficult to gethim to face the situation seriously. Victorine has been dragging on so, that the family will be delighted to let her go, even to a less fortunethan she has. "Ils devraient être joliment contents, un gros paquetcomme ça!" as Hippolyte, who knows every one's business, said to theBaronne's maid--Héloise told me--and that explains it; she said itwould be such a _mercy_ if he will settle the affair at once. She hadcome to ask me a favour. I did wonder what it was! And you will laugh, Mamma, when you hear! Victorine is sure to be nervous, Héloise said, and in that case her face gets red, and it would be a pity to distracthis attention in any way, and in short would I mind putting on my mostunbecoming dress, and not speaking while the Marquis is here? [Sidenote: _The Fiancé Appears_] So here I am, Mamma, writing to you up in my room, dressed in thathorrid _beige_ linen that we chose at night, and I shan't go down till_déjeûner_ is ready, pouf! I can hear a carriage coming, I must go tothe window. Yes, it is the _fiancé_, accompanied by his mother andaunt. He is nice-looking, except that he has got a silly fair beard. Ican hear them arriving in the hall; such a lot of talking! Héloise and Victorine have just been here. Héloise even has got an uglydress on, and Victorine has scrubbed her face with soap--I suppose toget that greasy look off--until it shines like an apple, her nose iscrimson, and her eyes look like two beads. They have gone downstairs. More talking--I am sure he is putting his heels together. I'll finishthis after they have gone, so as to tell you what happens. _Evening_. --Such a day! After I had heard mumbling talking for quite awhile--the windows were all open, and the salon is under me--suddenlythe piano began. Victorine plays really well generally--that is, shehas brilliant execution--but you should have heard the jumble! hardly anote right, and in the middle of it up rushed Héloise to me and sankinto a chair. It was going as badly as it possibly could, she said. Victorine was so nervous that her voice was like a file, and her faceso crimson that the Marquis must think she has erysipelas! And then, tocomplete matters, when she is told by Godmamma to show heraccomplishments, to think that she should play like this! Especially asthe Marquis is very musical! Héloise said she could see he was quite"dégoûté, " and the only thing for it now, was for me to change my frockinstantly, and to put on a becoming one, and to go down and talk. Thenhe would go away having enjoyed his visit, he won't reason why, andwill come again; and then when I am gone, he can be pushed into themarriage with Victorine! She rang for Agnès while she spoke, and I was simply pitched into theblue _batiste_, and hustled downstairs. Such a scene in the salon! The Baronne seated on the large sofa withJean; Godmamma and the mother of the young man in two of the armchairs;while Victorine fumbled with some music on the piano with the _dame decompagnie_, whom Héloise calls "_le Remorqueur_, " because she lookslike a teeny tug pulling along a coal barge (Victorine). The Marquiswas standing up by himself--with his hat and gloves in his hand--firston one foot, then on the other; and Marie and Yolande were makinghorrid, shuffling, squeaking noises, sliding on the _parquet_ by thewindow. [Sidenote: _Wandering Glances_] When I was introduced and had made a reverence to the old ladies, theMarquis was presented, and when we had done bowing, he said: "Vous êtesanglaise, mademoiselle?" and, even for that, Victorine's eyes shot twoyellow flames at me! Héloise nipped my arm to tell me to talk, so ofcourse everything went out of my head, and I could only think of "Oui, monsieur. " Just then breakfast was announced, and we all went inarm-in-arm, Godmamma and the Marquis together. It is a huge roundtable, and I had done the flowers, because they wanted to be shown howwe have tables in England. I was next but one to the Marquis, withHéloise between. We had scarcely sat down, when he began. How beautifulthe table looked, and what taste in the flowers! Upon which Héloisesaid, that they _were_ lovely, and were the arrangement of her "_chèrepetite belle-soeur!_" and she smiled angelically at Victorine, wholooked down with conscious pride. Then Héloise said that it was a greatjoy in life to have the absorbing love of flowers as Victorine had! andI could not help laughing, because Victorine doesn't know one fromanother, and would not even help me this morning. The Marquis lookedand looked at me when I laughed, and then lifting his glass of _vinordinaire_, he said: "Les belles dents rendent gai. " Wasn't it nice ofhim? I think it is hard he should be tied to Victorine. He talked to meall the time after that, across Héloise, and considering she told me tobe agreeable to him, I don't see why she should have been annoyed. After breakfast--which we left as usual arm-in-arm--we sat in thesalon, while the Marquis and Jean went back to smoke. It was appalling!If Victorine had been a four-legged cat, she would have spit at me, butfortunately the two-legged ones can't spit in drawing-rooms, so Iescaped. The Baronne, after a good deal of manoeuvring, got by me nearthe window, and then said in a distinct voice, "Ma petite chérie j'aitrop chaud, donnez-moi votre bras un instant;" and so we got outside onthe terrace, where the huge orange trees in pots stand. [Sidenote: _A Lecture on Duty_] As soon as we were out of earshot, she began to scold me. Why had Iattracted the Marquis? how naughty of me, when it was essential hisdebts should be paid, etc. , etc. If she had not been so nice, I shouldhave been furious, and you can see, Mamma, how impossible to understandthem it is; to be told one moment to be nice, and then, when one is, tobe scolded! I just said as respectfully as I could, that I had donenothing, and that Héloise had told me to do it, and the reason why. That made the Baronne think a little. I am sure she wished for theadvice of Hippolyte; but the end of it was, that she asked me how much_dot_ you were going to allow me! I said I did not know, and thatseemed to stump her. At last she said she supposed, as we were peopleof consideration, and that I was the only child, it would be somethingconsiderable. I do believe, Mamma, she was thinking that I might dofor the Marquis! It was only a question of having his debts paid--anyone who could do that would answer. It did make me _cross_, just as ifI would dream of marrying into a nation that eats badly, and doesn'thave a bath except to be smart. Think of always having to shout acrossthe table, day after day, and never to be able to do anything except byrules and regulations; and the stuffy rooms and the eight armchairs! Isaw myself! and probably ending up with a moustache, or an_embonpoint_, or something like that. The Baronne at last patted my hand, and said: Well, well, she supposedI had not meant anything, but that I _must_ leave the Marquis alone, and turn my attention to "Gaston" (the Vicomte), who was really in lovewith me. Then if I made him sufficiently miserable, he would be willingto fall in with another plan of hers, when I was gone, through sheer_désoeuvrement_. So you see, Mamma, they look upon me as a regularcatspaw, and I won't put up with it. I shall just talk to the Marquisor "Gaston" whenever I like, I was quite polite to the Baronne, because she is such a dear; but I am afraid, if Godmamma had said itall, I should have been impudent. [Sidenote: _An Alternative Plan_] By this time the others had joined us on the terrace. They had all beenup to fix their hats on, because even if you have been out, and arerunning out again just after, you always have to take your hat off, andmake a _toilette_ for _déjeûner_; it does seem waste of time. TheBaronne is considered quite eccentric because she keeps hers onsometimes. I had not even a parasol. Godmamma looked as if she thoughtit almost indecent. Presently Jean and the Marquis came out of thesmoking-room and joined us. The Marquis at once began to paycompliments about the sun on my hair, and was really so clever ingetting in little things, while he was talking to Godmamma, that Iquite took to him. Victorine had to converse with her future_belle-mère_ all the time, and finally the carriage came round, andthey went. They were no sooner out of sight, than Godmamma said, with a longrigmarole, that she felt it her duty to you to look after me, and shemust tell me that it was _inconvenant_ for a young girl to smile orspeak to a man as much as I had done to the Marquis. I was so furiousat that, that I said, as I found it impossible to understand theirways, I would ask Agnès to pack my things at once, if she would kindlyspare a servant to go with a telegram to you, to say I was coming homeimmediately. She was petrified at my answering her! It appears no oneelse ever dares to; and she at once tried to smooth me down, especiallywhen I said I should just like time to write and tell the Baronne why Iwas leaving, as she had been so kind to me. After that they all triedto cajole me, except Victorine, who left the room and slammed the door. And so I have consented to stay, and here I am finishing my letter toyou. --With best love, from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. CHAMPS ELYSÉES Champs Elysées, _Friday, 26th August_. [Sidenote: _A Visit to the Dentist_] Dearest Mamma, --You will be surprised to see this address, but Héloiseand I are only staying here for the night, and go back to Croixmareto-morrow. Early this morning she had bad toothache, and said she mustgo to Paris to see her dentist Godmamma and Jean made as much fussabout it as if the poor thing had suggested something quite unheard of;and one could see how she was suffering, by the way she kept herhandkerchief up to her face. Godmamma said she could not possiblyaccompany her, as she had to pay some important calls; and Jean hadpromised to be at St. Germain to see some horses with the Vicomte, soHéloise suggested I should go with her; and that we should stay thenight at the _appartement_ in the Champs Elysées, so that she couldhave two appointments with M. Adam, the dentist. She has such beautifulteeth, it seems hard that they should ache, and I felt very sorry forher. After a lot of talking it was arranged that we should go up bythe 11 o'clock train, and accordingly we started with as much fuss asif we had been departing for a month. We had no sooner got to Paristhan Héloise felt better. She left me to go on with the maids andluggage to the Champs Elysées, while she went to see M. Adam. Paris looked out-of-seasonish and full of Americans as we drovethrough. I am sitting in the little salon now, waiting for her to comein, and I have got awfully tired just looking out of the window. Everything is covered up with brown holland, but I dare say it is nicewhen they are here. The tapestries are beautiful, so is the furniture, judging by the piece I have lifted the coverings from. If she does notcome in soon I shall go for a walk with Agnès. [Sidenote: _Paris in August_] _9 p. M. _--Héloise came in just as I was writing this morning, and wehad a scrappy kind of _déjeûner_ on the corner of the dining-roomtable. Then she said we had better go to her _couturier_ in the Rue dela Paix. She seemed all right now, and said M. Adam had not hurt hermuch, and that she was to go to him again to-morrow morning. I alwayslike Paris even out of the season, don't you, Mamma? it is so gay. Wehad a little victoria and rushed along, not minding who we ran into, asis always the way with French cabs. When we got to Paquin's there werenobody but Americans there, and every one looked tired. Héloise triedon her things, and we went to Caroline's for some hats. They were toolovely, and Héloise gave me a dream; it's an owl lighting on acornfield, which perhaps is a little incongruous as they only come outat night, but the effect is good. After that she said she felt she should like to go and see her_confesseur_ at the Madeleine, and we started there on the chance offinding him. She kept looking at her watch, so I suppose she was afraidhe would be gone. We stopped at the bottom of the big steps, and shesaid if I would not mind waiting a minute she would go in and see. Ialways thought one only confessed in the morning, but she seemed soanxious about it that perhaps if you have anything particular on yourmind you can get it off in the afternoon; it might have been thestories she told about Victorine's liking flowers. I thought she wouldnever come back, she was such a time, quite three-quarters of an hour;and it was horrid sitting there alone, with every creature staring asthey passed. Directly after she went in I caught a glimpse of "Antoine" in a_coupé_, going at a great pace, but I could not make him see me beforehe had turned down the street that goes to the back of the Madeleine. Iwish he had seen me, for, although I never like him very much, he wouldhave been better than nobody to talk to. I believe I should have evenbeen glad to see Lord Valmond. At last I got so cross, what with thepeople staring, and the heat and the smells, that I jumped out and wentto look for Héloise in the church. She was nowhere to be seen, and Idid not like to peer into every box I came to, so at last I was goingback to the cab again, when from the end door that leads out into theother street at the back, the rue Tronchet, she came tearing alongcompletely _essoufflée_. So I suppose there must be some confessingplace beyond. She seemed quite cross with me for having come to findher, and said it was not at all proper to walk about a church alone, which does seem odd, doesn't it, Mamma? As one would have thought ifthere was any place really respectable to stroll in, it would have beena church. [Sidenote: _Church Etiquette_] I told her how bored I was, and about "Antoine" passing, and how I hadtried to make him see. She seemed more annoyed than ever, and said I_must_ have made some mistake, as "Antoine" was not in Paris. She wasawfully shocked at the idea of my wanting to speak to him in the streetanyway, and said I surely must know it was the custom here for the mento bow first. She was altogether so cross and excited and differentthat I felt sure her _confesseur_ must have given her some disagreeablepenance. We went for a drive in the Bois after that, and Héloiserecovered, and was nice to me. We met the Marquise de Vermandoise and ayoung man walking in one of the side _allées_, and when I wanted towave to them Héloise pinched me, and made me look the other way; andwhen I asked why, she said it was not very good form to "see" people inParis out of the Season--that one never was sure what they were therefor--and that I was certainly not to mention it either at Tournelle orCroixmare! Isn't this a queer country, Mamma? [Sidenote: _Morals and Manners_] We drove until quite late, and just as we were arriving at the door, who should pass but the Marquis? He stopped at once and helped us out. Héloise told him directly that we were only up seeing the dentist, andseemed in a great hurry to get into the _porte cocher_; but he was notto be shaken off, and stopped talking to us for about five minutes. Heis quite amusing; he looked at me all the time he was talking toHéloise. I am sure, Mamma, from what the people at Nazeby talked about, he would have asked us to dine and go to a play if he had been anEnglishman, and I told Héloise so. She said no Frenchman would dream ofsuch a thing--us two alone--it was unheard of! and she only hoped noone had seen us talking to him in the street as it was! I said I likedthe English way best, as in that case we should be going out andenjoying ourselves, instead of eating a snatchy meal alone. It is now nine o'clock, and all the evening we have had to put up withjust sitting on the balcony. It has been dull, and I am off to bed, sogood-night, dear Mamma. I shan't come up to Paris with French peopleagain in a hurry!--Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. CHÂTEAU DE CROIXMARE Château de Croixmare, _Monday, 29th August_. [Sidenote: _The Sights of the Foire_] Dearest Mamma, --Oh, we had such fun yesterday! After Mass the Baronnesent over to ask if Jean, Héloise, and I would go with them to the_Foire_ at _Lavonnière_, a village about ten miles off. It is a verycelebrated _Foire_, and in the last century every one went fromVersailles, and even now lots of people who spend the summer thereattend. You go in the evening after dinner, and there are no horridcows and things with horns rushing about, or tipsy people. Godmammalooked awfully severe when she heard of the invitation; but since therow, when they had to cajole me, she has been more civil, so she said Imight go if Héloise would really look after me, although if I wasVictorine she would not have permitted it for a moment. [Sidenote: _On a Motor Car_] We left here about six, and then picked up the party at Tournelle. Theyall went--the old Baron, and every one, except the Marquis's mother. Wedropped the brougham there, and went on with them in a huge motor car(that is another fad of the Baron's). It is lovely motor-carring; youget quite used to the noise and smell, and you fly along so, it takesyour breath away; even with your hat tied on with a big veil, you haverather the feeling you have got to screw up your eyebrows to keep itfrom blowing away. We seemed to be no time doing the ten miles. TheBaronne and Héloise hate it, and never go in it except under protest. The _Foire_ is just one very long street, with booths andmerry-go-rounds, and _Montagnes Russes_, and all sorts of amusingthings down each side. There are rows of poplar trees behind them, andevidently on ordinary occasions it is just the usual French road, butwith all the lights and people it was gay. We stopped at the village inn, the "_Toison d'Or_" which is famous forits restaurant and its landlady. In the season the Duc de Cressy'scoach comes here from Paris every Thursday. Hippolyte was therealready; he had been sent on to secure a table for us. We had no soonersat down under the awning than the Vicomte and "Antoine" and two otherofficers turned up. They had ridden from Versailles, which is near. Such extraordinary people sat at some of the tables! Families of almostpeasants at one, and then at the next perhaps two or three lovelyladies, with very smart dresses and big hats, and lots of pearls, andsome young men in evening dress. And then some respectable _bourgeois_, and so on. I could hardly pay attention to what the Marquis, who satnext me, was saying, the sight was so new and entertaining. The tables had cloths without any starch in them, and the longest breadrolls I have ever seen. One of the beautiful ladies with the pearlsused hers to beat the man next to her before they had finished dinner. We did not have fresh forks and knives for everything, but the famousdish of the place made up for it. It is composed of _poussins_--thatis, very baby chickens--raw oysters, and cream and truffles. You get ahot bit of chicken into your mouth and think it is all right, and thenyour tongue comes against an iced oyster, and the mixture is soexciting you are stimulated all the time; and you drink a very fine oldBurgundy with it, which is also a feature of the place. I am sure itought to poison us, as oysters aren't in for another month, but it isawfully good. [Sidenote: _Chevaux au Galop_] One of the strange officers is so amusing; he looks exactly like theyoung man the Marquise de Vermandoise was walking in the Bois with, butit could not be he, as she seemed so surprised to see him at the_Foire_, and said they had not met for ages. The Comte sat on my otherside; he said I would be greatly amused at the booths presently, andwas I afraid of _Montagnes Russes_? That is only an ordinaryswitchback, Mamma, so of course I am not afraid. There were Tziganesplaying while we dined, and it was all more amusing than anything Ihave done here yet. When we had drunk our coffee we started down the_Foire_. There were hundreds of people of every class, but not onedrunk or rude or horrid. The first entertainment was the _Chevaux au Galop_, a delightfulmerry-go-round with the most fiery prancing horses, three abreast, andall jumping at different moments. The Marquis helped me up, and Jeangot on the other side; we all rode except the Comtesse and the oldBaron. It was _too_ lovely; you are bounced up and down, and you haveto hold on so tight, and every one screams, and the band plays; and Iwish you could do it, Mamma. I am sure the thorough shaking wouldfrighten your neuralgia away. I could have gone on for an hour, butthere was such a lot to see, we could not spare the time for more thanone turn. The Marquis whispered when he helped me off that his walkdown the Champs Elysées had indeed been fortunate, as he had seen me, and that it was he who had suggested to the Baronne to come to the_Foire_. So of course I felt grateful to him. We walked all togethermore or less, but Jean kept glued to my side, which was rather a bore, only the Marquis or the Vicomte were always at the other side. [Sidenote: _The Ennui of the Lions_] The next place we came to was a huge menagerie of clever animals, withtheir _Dompteurs_--cages of lions, bears, tigers, &c. There were setsof seats before the cages where anything interesting was going on, andthe audience moved up as each new Dompteur came in to the animals. Wesat down at first in front of the tigers' cage, the Baronne next to methis time. The creatures went through astonishing tricks, and lookedsuch lazy great beautiful cats. The _Dompteur_ was a handsome man, justthe type they always are, with a wide receding forehead and flashingeyes. They positively blazed at the brutes if they did not obey himinstantly. I wonder why all "tamers" have this shape of head? I askedthe Vicomte, but he did not know. The bears came next, horrid cunningwhite things, and turning in their toes like that does give them such afrumpish look. The attraction of the show was to see the great _Dompteur_, Pezon. Hehad been almost eaten by his lions a few months ago, and was to makehis reappearance accompanied by a beautiful songstress who would charmthe beasts to sleep. Pezon was just like the other _Dompteurs_, onlyolder and fatter, and the beautiful lady was such a pet! _Enormously_stout, in pink satin, with quite bare neck and arms; the Vicomte saidthat the lions had to be surfeited with food beforehand, to keep themfrom taking their dessert off this tempting morsel. She began to singthrough her nose about "_l'amour_, " &c. , and those lions did look sobored; the eldest one simply groaned with _ennui_. His face said asplainly as if he could speak, "At it again to-night!" and "Oh! que celam'embête. " When the song was finished, the _Belle Chanteuse_ stretchedherself on two chairs, making herself into a sort of bridge for theanimals to jump over. From our position we could only see mountains ofpink satin _embonpoint_, and the soles of her feet. The lions had thegreatest difficulty in jumping not to kick her. What a life, Mamma!Then Pezon put his head right into the old lion's mouth, and so endedthe performance. [Sidenote: _Inspecting the Machinery_] When we got outside, a man was ringing a bell opposite, to invite everyone in to see a woman with only a head; she could speak, he said, but hadno body. The Baronne insisted upon going in. It was a tiny cell of aplace and crammed full. Presently a head appeared on a pedestal and spokein a subdued voice. All the others said it was a fraud, but I thought itwonderful. "Antoine" wanted to go beyond the barrier and touch it, whichwas mean of him, I think. Presently a villainous-looking old hag, who wasexhibiting the creature, came over, and whispered in "Antoine's" ear. Ionly caught "_cinq francs_, " but his face looked interested at once, andhe and Jean disappeared behind the curtain and the head disappeared too, so we went outside, and bought "farings" at the next booth. There theyjoined us. "Alors, mes amis?" demanded every one. "Pas la peine, très malfaite, " said "Antoine"; so I suppose it was the machinery they had beenexamining. The next thing we came to was a sort of swing with flyingboats, but no one was brave enough to try it except the Marquise and me, though all the men wanted to come with us. You sit opposite one another, and they are much higher than the ones in England. Jean would come withme, though I wanted the Vicomte--so I was glad it made him look quitegreen. It chanced that "Antoine" was beside me as we walked to the pistolbooth, so I asked him if he had been in Paris on Friday, and he lookedso hard at me, you would have thought I was asking a State secret; buthe said that alas! no, he had been detained at Versailles. So it couldnot have been him after all; there must be a lot of French peopleexactly alike, I never keep making these mistakes in England. Have you ever fired off a pistol, Mamma? it is simply horrid. Thepistol booth was next after the "farings" shop, and the prizes werechina monsters and lanterns, &c. The Comtesse is a splendid shot, andhit the flying ball almost each time; she is such a quiet little thing, one would not expect it of her. The Baronne made a lot of fuss, andsaid she knew it would kill her, until Hippolyte, who was behind theparty with her cloak, said: "Madame la Baronne doit essayer c'estnécessaire que toutes les belles jeunes dames sachent comment sedéfendre. " And she fired off the pistol at last with her eyes shut, and it was a mercy it did not kill the attendant, the ball lodged inthe wall just beside him, so we thought we had better leave after that! [Sidenote: _The Montagnes Russes_] Next came the _Montagnes Russes_. How I love a switchback, Mamma! If Iwere the Queen I would have a private one for myself, and my particularfriends, round Windsor Castle; I could go on all day. The Marquis andthe Vicomte kept so close to me that Jean could not take the seatbeside me, as I saw he intended to, and then the other two made quite ashuffle, but the Vicomte won. The person who sits next you is obligedto hold your arm to prevent your tumbling out. I looked round to see, and every one was having her arm held, but I don't believe the Vicomteneed have gripped mine quite so tight as he did. We had three turns;next time the Marquis was beside me, and he was more violent than theVicomte. So when it came to the last, and Jean scrambled in, and beganto hold tighter than either of the others, I just said my arm would beblack and blue, and I would rather chance the danger of falling out, in a seat by myself, than put up with it. That made him sit up quitestraight. I can't see why people want to pinch one; can you, Mamma? Icall it vulgar, and I am sure no Englishman would do it. It seems thatFrenchmen are awfully respectful, and full of ceremony and politeness, and then every now and then--directly they get the opportunity--they dothese horrid little tricks. The next entertainment was really very curious. It was a marble womandown to her waist, and as you looked, the marble turned into flesh, hereyes opened, and she spoke; then her colour faded, and she turned intomarble again, and was handed round the audience; wasn't it wonderful, Mamma? I can't think how it was done, and as "Antoine" and Jean did notgo behind the curtain to examine the machinery, I suppose we shallnever know. [Sidenote: _The Fun of the Fair_] After that there were endless shows--performing dogs, fortune-telling, circuses, etc. --but the nicest of all was another merry-go-round, withseats which went up and down like a boat in a very rough sea. Hardlyone of them would venture, but I made the Vicomte come with me for twoturns; he looked so pale at the end of it, and when I wanted to go athird time, he said we must be getting on, and no one else offered tocome. Wasn't it stupid of them, as it was by far the most exciting partof the _Foire_? It was half-past twelve before we got back to the"_Toison d'Or_, " and there had supper, with "_Punch à l'Américaine_. "It _is_ good, and you do feel so gay after it. One of the ladies withthe pearls, who was also supping, was so friendly to the man next her;Pezon was of their party, and he did look common in clothes, while hewas quite handsome in spangled tights. We were obliged to go slowly in the motor car returning, there weresuch heaps of people and carts and things on the road, but we got backto Croixmare about two; and I have slept so late this morning, so now, good-bye, dear Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Château de Croixmare, _Wednesday, August 31st_. [Sidenote: _Back at Croixmare_] Dearest Mamma, --To-day is the dinner and _cotillon_ at the deTournelles'. The Marquis and the Vicomte and "Antoine" and every onewill be there, and I am sure it will be fun. The Vicomte can't getleave for the night, so the Baronne--who was here yesterday on herbicycle--told us. He will have to ride back to Versailles, as there areno trains at that time, to be there for some duty at six in themorning. I can't tell you how many miles it is; he will be tired, poorthing. These last two days have been just alike, that is why I have notwritten--the same tiresome ceremony about everything, and the sameghastly evenings. We went for a drive on Monday, and Godmamma did nothing but question meas to what we had done every minute of the time while we were in Paris. This is the first chance she has had with me alone. So I would not tellher a scrap, even a simple thing like Héloise going to the Madeleine. She thinks I am fearfully stupid, I can see. I forgot to tell you aboutthe morning we left Paris; Héloise went to see Adam again, and I wentshopping with Agnès, but I would not even tell Godmamma that! Victorinesays spiteful things to me whenever she can, but Jean and Héloise areso charming that I don't mind the rest. We are to wear sort ofgarden-party dresses and hats at the entertainment to-night. Dinner isto be at eight, in a large pavilion, where they have had a beautifulparquet floor laid down, and then when the tables are cleared away, weshall begin the _cotillon_. As I have never danced in one before, Ihope I sha'n't make an idiot of myself. [Sidenote: _Etiquette of the Bathroom_] This morning I very nearly had another row with Godmamma--you willnever guess what for, Mamma! She knocked at the door of my room beforeI was quite dressed, and then came in with a face as glum as a church. She began at once. She said that she had heard something about me thatshe hoped was a mistake, so she thought it better to ask me herself. She understood that I went down to the Salle de Bain every day, insteadof just washing in my room. (I _have_ done so ever since Agnèsdiscovered there really was water enough for a decent bath there, andthat no one else seemed to use it. ) I began to wonder if she was goingto accuse me of tampering with the taps--but not a bit of it! After arigmarole, as if she thought it almost too shocking to mention, shesaid she understood from her maid, who had heard it from the _valet dechambre_ who clears out the bath after I leave, that there never wereany wet chemises, and that she was therefore forced to conclude that Igot into my tub "_toute nue_!" I had been so worked up for something dreadful, that I am sorry to say, Mamma, I went into a shriek of laughter. That seemed to annoy Godmammavery much; she got as red as a turkey-cock, and said she saw nothing tocause mirth--in fact, she had hoped I should have been ashamed at suchdeplorable immodesty, if, as she feared from my attitude, heraccusation was correct. I said, when I could stop laughing, of courseit was correct, how in the world else _should_ one get into a bath? [Sidenote: _The Marquis Again_] Her eyes almost turned up into her head with horror; she could onlygasp, "Mais si quelqu'un ouvrait la porte?" "Mais je la ferme toujoursà clef, " I said, and then I asked her if in France they also driedthemselves in their wet chemises? But she said that that was a childishquestion, as I must know it would be an impossibility; and when I saidI could not see any difference in washing or drying, she was so stumpedshe was obliged to sit down and fan herself. I smoothed her down byassuring her it was the English custom, and that I was sorry I shockedher so. At last I got rid of her, evidently thinking our nation"_brûlée_, " as well as "_toquée_". Now aren't they too odd, Mamma? Isuppose a nice big bath is such a rare thing for them that they areobliged to make as much fuss as possible over it. One would think theyreceived company there, dressing up like that! Héloise and the smartpeople wash all right; it is only the girls and the thoroughly goodyones like Godmamma who are afraid of water. 5. 30 _p. M. _--The Marquis came over from Tournelle with a note from theBaronne after _déjeûner_ to-day. I happened to be getting some musicout of the big salon for Héloise when he arrived. Louis, the valet, whoshowed him in, did not catch sight of me as I was behind the piano, orhe would certainly have taken him somewhere else. He began at once(after putting his heels together) to say a lot of compliments andthings. This was a fortunate chance--more than he had dared tohope--would I promise to dance the _cotillon_ with him to-night? etc. , etc. You would not believe, Mamma, the amount he got into the fiveminutes before Héloise came into the room. She knew it was her ownfault for sending for the music that I was alone with him, or I shouldhave got a scolding; as it was, she talked without ceasing until atlast he got up to go. I had not answered about the _cotillon_, so as Ihave half promised the Vicomte I don't know which I shall take; perhapsI could manage both, as I believe one only has to sit on a chair andevery now and then get up and dance. However, I will see when I getthere. Now good-bye, dear Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Château de Croixmare, _September 1st_. [Sidenote: _A Proposal of Marriage_] Dearest Mamma, --I have had a proposal! Isn't it too interesting? It allhappened at the de Tournelles' last night, but I never blushed or didany of the things they used to in Miss Edgeworth's novels that you haveallowed me to read; but I must go straight on. We were quite punctualat Château de Tournelle, and got there as the clock struck eight. Héloise looked perfectly lovely, she does hold herself and walk sobeautifully, and her head is such a nice shape. I am going to be likeher, and not like the women at Nazeby (who all slouched) when I ammarried. Victorine looked better than usual too, and Héloise had putsome powder on her face for her, but afterwards it came off in patchesand made her look piebald; however, to start she was all right, andeverybody was in a good temper. There were lots of people therealready, and the Baronne and the Comtesse received us in the hall. I wore the white silk and my pink tulle hat. The Marquis and theVicomte both flew across when we arrived, and the Vicomte got to mefirst, as Godmamma detained the Marquis; and this is where Frenchmenshine, for although he told me afterwards that he wanted to murder her, he stood with a beautiful grin on his face all the time. The Vicomte atonce began to assure me I had promised him the _cotillon_, but I wouldnot say; and as he could only get words in edgeways, with Victorinelistening all the time, it made it rather difficult for him. Then theComte and René, his little boy, came round with a silver basket full ofbuttonholes and little cards with names, and by the kind of flower wegot we were to know which table we were to sit at, as they were to bedecorated with the same. [Sidenote: _Les Jeunes Filles_] Of course the Baronne had arranged for the Vicomte to take me in; andour table was pink and white carnations. Presently the whole companyhad arrived, and we started--a huge train, two and two, arm-in-arm--forthe pavilion. It was pretty; all the trees hung with electric lightsand Chinese lanterns, and the pavilion itself a fairyland of flowers. There were about twelve tables, three of different coloured carnationsfor the "_jeunes filles_, " and the rest with roses for the marriedpeople. Godmamma thought it most imprudent separating them like that, and would hardly let Victorine sit down so far away from her until shesaw the daughter of the Princesse d'Hauterine at the same table. Victorine went in with another officer from Versailles, in the sameregiment of _Chasseurs_ as the Vicomte; he was like a small blackmonkey. The Marquis sat with the Comtesse at her table, and Godmammaand the other bores had a table with the old Baron, etc. The Baronnehad quite a young man next her. I expect she could not do with thechaperons and the old gentlemen. Most of the girls at our table were either ill-at-ease or excited atthe unusual pleasure of being without their mothers, and at first noone talked much. The French country people are almost as frumpy as theEnglish, only in a different way, but many of the guests were verysmart, and of course had come from Paris. The Vicomte did say such a lot of agreeable things to me, and theothers were so occupied with their one chance of talking to a young manthat they did not listen as much as usual. He said he had never spentsuch an agitated night as the one at Vernon. So I said No, the fleaswere horrid. He said he had not meant _them_; he meant that the sightof my beautiful hair hanging down had caused him "_une grande émotion_"and "_rêves délicieux_. " There was an oldish girl next to him whom he knew; she has coiffed St. Catherine for several years now, and was put at our table, I believe, to be a kind of chaperon. She happened to be listening just then, asher partner would talk to Victorine's friend--the pretty one with thedirty nails--who was at his other side. She caught the word "fleas, "and at once asked what we were talking about. "Un sujet sidésagréable, " she said. I said it was about our journey on the_Sauterelle_, where, at Vernon, Monsieur de la Trémors had been sobadly bitten by the fleas that they had given him silly dreams. He saidhis dreams were as beautiful as those produced by the Hachis of MonteCristo (whatever that is), so the old girl exclaimed, "Quel pouvoirpour une puce!" She thought we were mad; and I overheard her presentlytelling her partner--when she could get him to listen--that no onewould believe the _bizarre_ conversations of the _toqués_ Englishunless they actually heard them! [Sidenote: _The Cotillon_] I would not say I would dance the _cotillon_ with the Vicomte. I toldhim I had half promised it to the Marquis; and when he seemed offended, I said if he was going to be disagreeable I would certainly dance itwith Monsieur de Beaupré (the Marquis's name, which I forgot to tellyou before). I remember hearing Octavia say once that it never did tomake oneself easy to young men, that the more capricious one was thebetter; and you know how nice Octavia is, and I meant to be like her. He went on imploring; so I told him that I had come there to enjoymyself, not to amuse him, so I should just dance with whom I pleased, or not at all if I happened not to want to. He said I was "_trèscruelle_, " and looked perfectly wobbly-eyed at me, but I did not mind abit. As dinner went on all the girls began to talk and to get excited, andlaugh, and every one was so gay; but I could see Godmamma craning herneck with anxiety and disapproval, and I am sure, if it had not beenfor the Princesse d'Hauterine being at her table, she would have jumpedup and clawed Victorine away. It came to an end at last, and wereturned arm-in-arm to the house, while the servants arranged thepavilion for the _cotillon_. Godmamma collected Victorine and me, andmade us stay by her; and that horrid old Mme. De Visac--the one whocalled me a "_jeune femme_"--came up, and they had a conversation. Godmamma said it was "_très imprudent_" having the dinner first, thatthe champagne would go to the young men's heads, and with all the carein the world no one could foresee the consequences! The garden, too! Ifthey should dance the _farandole_! what opportunities! It was all thefault of the _chère Baronne_, so sadly giddy for her age. She neverthought of the anxieties of other mothers, having married her onlydaughter so young! I don't know what Godmamma feared, but I should hateto think you could not trust me to behave like a lady, Mamma, if I wasout of your sight a moment. [Sidenote: _Nearly a Duel_] I saw the Marquis talking to a very young youth; he seemed pleadingwith him about something, and presently the youth crossed over andkissed Godmamma's hand, then asked Victorine for the _cotillon_. Shelooked furious, but she was obliged to say yes, as no one else hadasked her; it was getting late, and the Marquis was busy speaking tosome other ladies. Presently he came up to us, and the young youth saidbefore he could speak: "N'ai-je pas de la veine, mon cher, Mlle. DeCroixmare m'a promis le cotillon. " Upon which the Marquis asked me todance it with him--right out loud before Godmamma! and when I said Ihad half promised it to Monsieur de la Trémors, he looked so cross andoffended, that I thought it was better to be firm with him, as I hadbeen with the Vicomte. He--the Vicomte--came up just then, and theylooked as if they wanted to fight each other; so I said if they wouldstop frowning, I would dance it with both of them, but if they werenasty, I should not dance it with either; and so that is how it ended, I was to have one on each side. Godmamma said to me that it was unheard of conduct, and might haveproduced a duel, and when I tried to explain to her that that was justwhat I had avoided, she looked angrier than ever, and would notunderstand. Wasn't it stupid of her, Mamma? [Sidenote: _The Two Partners_] At last we got to the pavilion, and all sat round, and having both theVicomte and the Marquis to talk to, I did have fun. They arranged thatour chairs should be against the wall, and not in the row that thechaperons were behind. Godmamma tried to make signs to me to come andsit by Victorine in front of her, but I pretended not to see, until allthe chairs were filled up. The Marquise de Vermandoise was next me, with the Vicomte between; she was dancing with the Comte. We _were_gay! The first set of presents were big brocade bags, and we called oneour "_pot au feu_" and pretended it was for the ingredients to make_bon ménage_, and so all the presents that were small enough afterwardswe put in there to keep for me. I did have _lots_! A _cotillon_ is veryeasy, Mamma, as you have often told me, and it was fun dancing with allsorts of strange people that one did not even know. In one figure ahuge Russian prince got hold of me, and squeezed me until I very nearlyscreamed; you see, Mamma, how dreadful foreigners are like that. It waslike being hugged by a bear in the Zoo; and after it, he kept giving meflowers or presents if I dared to sit down for a moment, but he did notsay a word except once or twice a mumble of "Adorable mademoiselle. " My two partners _were_ nice, we had a perfectly beautiful time, theylaughed at everything I said; and Madame de Vermandoise leant over andwhispered--while they were both away doing a figure--that never had anyone had such a _succès_ as me, and that all the old ladies would beready to tear my eyes out. Héloise did not dance with "Antoine, " but hesat next her, and they talked while his partner was away with otherpeople. It is much better to have two partners, Mamma, because then oneis not left to oneself at all, and they are each trying to be nicerthan the other all the time. The Comtesse led the _cotillon_ with acousin of hers; he does do it well, and does nothing else in Paris, theBaronne told me. At last we got on towards the end, and they began the_farandole_. You know it, Mamma? A lady and a gentleman take hands, then she beckons some one, and he has to come; and then he callsanother lady, and so on. It goes on until the whole company arehand-in-hand; and the leader runs about everywhere with this chain ofpeople after him, dancing a long sliding step, to such a lovelygo-ahead tune. The leader tears all over the garden, and one is obligedto follow in and out. It is too exciting, and just as we got to thefurthest end of the illuminated paths, and had rushed round into thedark, some one let go, and in the confusion of trying to catch onagain, the Marquis and I were left behind. [Sidenote: _To Elope with the Marquis_] It was _then_ the proposal happened, he did not wait a moment; hetalked so fast I could hardly understand him. He said he had heard thatit was the custom of our country to speak directly to the person oneloved, without consulting the parents; so he hoped I would believe hemeant me no disrespect, but that he _adored_ me. He had fallen in loveat first sight, when he went to review Victorine--that he implored meto fly with him, as his mother would never consent to his marrying anEnglish woman! Think of it, Mamma! me flying with the Marquis! withouta wedding cake, or bridesmaids, or pages, or trousseau, or any of thereally nice bits of getting married--only the boring part of justgoing away and staying with one man, without any of the other things tomake up for it. I nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of it, only hewas so deadly in earnest, and would hold my hand. I said I could notthink of such a thing, and would he take me back to the pavilion? Hebecame quite wild then, and said he would kill himself with grief; andsuch a lot of things about love; but I was so wanting to join in the_farandole_ again--we heard them coming nearer--that my attention wasall on that, and I did not listen much. Anyway, I am sure runaway matches aren't legal in France, from what Iheard Jean saying two nights ago at dinner; and I told him so at last, and that pulled him up short. And just then the train passed, and Istretched out my hand to the last man, and was whirled away back to thepavilion and the people. I _was_ glad to get away from the Marquis, because he looked desperate, and you can't trust foreigners, they havepistols and things in their pockets, and he might have shot me. Whenwe got back to our seats, the _défilé_ began and I took the Vicomte'sarm to go and make our curtsey to the Comtesse and the Baronne. It wasjust as well the Marquis was away, because they might have quarrelledas to which one's arm I was to take. [Sidenote: _Godmamma's Friends_] Just before the supper tables were brought in, Monsieur de Beaupréturned up again. His face was green; he came up behind me, andwhispered through his teeth that I had broken his heart, and that heshould marry Victorine! So you see, Mamma, nothing could have turnedout better, and they ought to be very grateful to me. We had the gayest supper, all at little tables; and it was arrangedthat we should go with the de Tournelles, and the Baronne, to a _Rallide Papier_ to-day, given by the _75th Cuirassiers_ at the Forêt deMarly. While we were going to the house to get our wraps, I overheard twoladies talking of Godmamma. They said she gave herself great airs, andconsidering that every one knew that years ago she had been the _amie_of that good-looking Englishman at the Embassy these high stilts ofvirtue were ridiculous. I suppose to be an _amie_ is something wickedin French, but it doesn't sound very bad, does it, Mamma? And, whateverit is, I wonder if poor papa knew, as he was at the Embassy, and itmight have been one of his friends, mightn't it? I expect she had not amoustache then. I am dreadfully afraid the Vicomte won't be able to be at the _Ralli_to-day, although he did whisper when he was putting on my cloak thatnothing should keep him away, and that then I would believe the extentof his devotion. He won't have gone to bed at all, if he does turn up, as he will only have got back to Versailles just in time for his dutyat six, and how he is to be in the Forêt de Marly by ten I don't know, but we shall see. It is just time to start, the brake is at the door, so good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Château de Croixmare, _Thursday Night, September 1st_. [Sidenote: _The "Ralli de Papier"_] Dearest Mamma, --I wonder if you have ever been to a _Ralli de Papier_?It is fun. We got to Marly at last after a long drive. The _rendezvous_was in the middle of the forest, in such a lovely glade, and althoughit rained for the last twenty minutes of our drive, the sun came outwhen we got there, and the lights through the trees on the wet greenwere so beautiful. There were quantities of carriages already arrived, every sort--victorias, coaches, pony carts, charabancs, motor cars, anda few of the really odd kinds of shandrydans that one sees coming tocountry garden parties in England. There were also numbers of officersriding in uniform--_cuirassiers, chasseurs, dragons_--and they were totake part in the chase. There was one officer who was to lead thecarriages in a procession through the short cuts, so that we might notmiss any of the jumps, and he had a horn slung over his shoulder. I dothink it such a sensible plan; and if we could have the foxes trainedin England to go just where they should, and then always drive to wherethe jumps are, like that, how much nicer hunting would be--wouldn't it, Mamma? [Sidenote: _Better than Fox-hunting_] Well, at last every one seemed to be arrived, and it was gay. I wasglad Godmamma had been too tired to come, so Victorine was actuallytrusted with Jean and Héloise and me. We had picked up the Baronne andthe Comte and the Marquise de Vermandoise at Tournelle on our way. Thebrake was not quite like an English one; it had seats facing, and thenan extra one behind for the grooms, and Jean drove with Héloise besidehim; but he does look like a trussed pigeon, and if the horses were notas quiet as mice, I am sure the Baronne would never have trustedherself with him. [Sidenote: _The Vicomte up to Time_] They all began to chaff about the Vicomte; "Il ne chevauchera jamais siloin, pas même pour vos beaux yeux, " the Marquise said. Victorineseemed annoyed that any one should expect he would do anything for me. "Evidemment Monsieur de la Trémors ne viendra pas, " she said. I saw abeautiful black horse being led about by a groom, apart from the crowd, and I wondered who would ride it. Just before the horn sounded for thecarriages to start, from the farthest end of the _allée_ we saw anofficer galloping as hard as he could. "Mon Dieu! C'est Gaston!"screamed the Baronne. "C'est pour vous, Enchanteresse, " said the Comte. "Que c'est ridicule, " snapped Victorine, while the Marquise laughed andput her tongue into her gap. "Oh! la belle jeunesse!" she said. Meanwhile the Vicomte had dismounted, jumped on to the fresh blackhorse, and was bowing beside us. "Vous voyez je suis venu, " he said, and he looked only at me. I don't know why, Mamma, but I felt the bloodrushing all over my cheeks; it was nice of him, wasn't it? He hadarranged it all yesterday, and by changing horses and galloping thewhole way, he had managed just to get to the _rendezvous_ in time. Idon't believe any Englishman that I know would do so much for me, andI was touched. We were fortunate in being almost the first carriagebehind our leader, the officer with the horn, and he took us acrossroads, and we halted at last, where we could see the whole huntadvancing to some hurdles which had been erected at a few yards'distance from each other down the _allée_. Such an excitement! everyone encouraging them at the top of their voices, their uniformsglittering in the sun. The jumps were not very high, and most of the officers got over allright, only one _cuirassier_ fell, and every one shrieked, but hewasn't a bit hurt. We clapped those who jumped especially well, andcried "Bravo!" It _was_ fun. Then, when they had all passed, we wereconducted through some more short cuts to another set of hurdlescovered with green boughs, and these were a little higher. It did soundlively, with horns blowing and people shouting all the time. TheVicomte was among the last, as he passed us following the paper, but hewaved gaily. We had to drive very quickly to be in time for the next"_obstacles_" and so it went on. When we watched the last ones, theVicomte was among the very front four. [Sidenote: _Rewards of Gallantry_] Then the exciting part began, as they had to race for the ribbons, white for the winner and blue for the second; but it was quite a longway, so we had time to get to the winning-post, the flat place nearwhere the Château stood formerly. There were long tables laid out with_goûter_, and the bands of the regiments playing nice tunes. Victorinebegan to be disagreeable directly we saw them coming, the Vicomte wellto the front. "Comme c'est cruel de Monsieur de la Trémors, de presserson cheval à ce point, " she said, while even the Comte became excited, and shouted, "Bravo, Gaston!" I _was_ pleased when he came in first, and really he rides quite nicely, Mamma. Then every one got out of the carriages and there was a ceremony. Thewife of the Colonel of the 75th chasseurs (young and nice looking)placed a white ribbon with gold fringe ends round the neck of theVicomte, while he knelt and kissed her hand on the damp grass, and whenhe got up there was quite a wet stain on his knees. The second man--agreat lumbering _cuirassier_--got a blue ribbon, and as he was heavierthe stain showed worse on his red trousers. After that, we all began toeat cakes and drink drinks (I don't know what they were made of, thatis why I say "drinks, " anyway they were sweet and nice), and as therain had stopped we danced on the green, after we had finished. Now youknow, Mamma, we could never have any fun like this in England. WhatEnglishman would think of dancing the Lancers on sopping grass, quitegravely, with a white ribbon round his neck like a pet lamb, and histrousers wet through at the knees? They would simply laugh in themiddle, and spoil the whole thing. The Vicomte danced with me, ofcourse, and while we were advancing to our _vis-à-vis_ in the firstfigure, he managed to whisper that he adored me, and now that he hadridden all night, and won the white ribbon for me, I ought to believehim. I did not answer because there was not time just then, and helooked so reproachfully at me for the rest of the Lancers. [Sidenote: _The Whispered Declaration_] It began to rain again before we finished, and we got into the brake asquickly as we could. It was a perfect wonder that they were not allexclaiming at their wet feet, and catching cold; but it seems thatdancing on the green and these sort of _fêtes champêtres_ are nationalsports, and you don't catch cold at them. It is only washing, andhaving the windows open, and the house aired, and things like that, that give cold in France. The Vicomte came back with us, and, as he wasone too many for the brake, we had to sit very close on our seat. Hewas between the Baronne and Victorine, who made room for him when hewas just going to sit down by me. She kept giggling all the way home, and the Vicomte looked so squashed and uncomfortable. I was next, beyond the Baronne, and as both of them could not keep up theirumbrellas, Victorine was obliged to put down hers, and the drips fromthe Baronne's umbrella got on to the roses in Victorine's hat. At lastthey ran in a red stream right down her nose, and she did look odd, andeach time she said anything to the Vicomte, he nearly had a fit tokeep from laughing, and when we got back and she found how she waslooking she _was_ cross. The Vicomte took hold of my hand when he helped me out, it wasn't insaying good-bye, as of course unmarried people only bow and don't shakehands. Somehow his spur caught in my dress, and we had to stop a minuteto disentangle it, the others had bolted into the house, as they wereafraid of the rain, so we were alone for an instant. The Vicomte atonce kissed my hand and said, "_Je vous adore. _" It was done so quicklythat even Hippolyte, who had come out with an open umbrella to help us, did not see--at least I hope he didn't. We went in to Tournelle to havesomething to drink, while the horses were being rubbed down, as we hadhad such a long drive; and it was at the first mirror Victorinediscovered her red striped nose. While I was sipping my punch, I heard the Baronne telling Héloise thather nephew, the Marquis, had consented to marry Victorine; and that theBaron would go over to Croixmare the next day to make the formaldemand for her hand. Then she whispered something, and they looked atme, and Héloise laughed, while the Baronne said, "Pauvre garçon. C'estdommage qu'il ne puisse pas combiner le plaisir avec les affaires. " Andwhen we got back to Croixmare, Héloise came to my room and kissed me, and thanked me; she had heard, she said, from the Baronne, how I hadbroken the Marquis's heart, and so got him to consent to takeVictorine! I am glad, Mamma, that getting married is differently arranged with us. I should hate to have some one because somebody else that he wantedwould not have him. However, Victorine is as pleased as can be, and hasbeen smiling to herself all the evening. Now I must go to bed, so good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Château de Croixmare, _Saturday, September 3rd_. [Sidenote: _In Due Form_] Dearest Mamma, --I am sure what I am going to tell you will surprise youquite as much as it has done me. Victorine is really engaged! The dayafter the _Ralli de Papier_ it rained again, and as we were sitting inthe little salon after breakfast the old Baron was announced. He wasdressed in a frock coat and a tall hat, just as if it was Paris and theheight of the season. They made conversation for about ten minutes, andthen he got up and, putting his heels together, he said he had come torequest a private interview with Mme. La Comtesse Douairière deCroixmare, and Monsieur le Comte de Croixmare, son fils; upon whichVictorine looked coy, and began scrabbling with her toes on the paquet. Héloise was not in the room, and Godmamma said to me that it was timefor our walk, as the rain had stopped, and Mdlle. Blanc ("the Tug")would be waiting. So we bundled out of the room, and Victorine for thefirst time became affectionate as we went upstairs. "Il est venu pour demander ma main, pour son neveu, Monsieur deBeaupré, " she said, putting her arm round my waist; "J'espère que celane vous chagrine pas, chérie?" And when I asked her why in the world itshould grieve _me_ she said that, as every one had noticed how I hadflirted with the Marquis, she supposed his preferring another girlcould not be quite pleasant! I could have screamed with laughter, if Ihad not been so angry; I felt dreadfully tempted to tell her of theMarquis's proposal to me, and why he was marrying her--only that wouldhave been playing down to her level of meanness. So I said that theEnglish idea of flirting and the French were different; that theMarquis seemed to me to be quite an agreeable Frenchman, and no doubtshe would be very happy; and far from it grieving me, I was delightedto think she would be settled at last, as twenty-two was rather on theroad to fixing St. Catherine's tresses. She dragged her arm away insuch a hurry that she scratched her hand on a pin that Agnès hadstupidly left in my belt. "Voyez! vous avez fait saigner ma main, " shesaid almost crying with fury. All I said was, "Qui s'y-frotte s'ypique, " and as we had got to the door of my room, I went off in fits oflaughter--she looked so like a cross monkey I could not help it! [Sidenote: _Girlish Amenities_] Well, you can think, Mamma, we did not have an agreeable walk. Victorinetalked in her most prudish goody style to "the Remorqueur, " and neveraddressed me; while poor Mademoiselle Blanc was so nervous trying to speakto both. As we got to the turn into Vinant, Monsieur Dubois--Victorine'smusic-master--came up the street. He is a rather vulgar looking person, with a black moustache, and lemon yellow gloves, and _horrid_ if you haveto be quite close to him. Just then we stopped to give some sous to abeggar-woman, so as he passed he said, with a great flourish of the hat:Was he to come on Saturday as usual for the lesson? Victorine looked downall the time modestly, and "the Tug" answered: Of course; so he said itwould be a never-to-be-sufficiently-thanked kindness, if Mademoisellewould take back with her this roll of music he had been on his way todeliver _chez elle_, as it was much out of his road, and he was pressedfor time at his next lesson. Victorine at once seized it, and he bowedagain and walked on. Mademoiselle Blanc had already a parcel in each handshe was taking to the embroidery shop. After that Victorine was _distraite_, and seemed in a great hurry toget home; she even spoke to me, and while "the Tug" was looking atwools in the shop she fidgeted so with the music that it came undone. Ioffered to carry it, as I had no parcels, but she snatched it up as ifit was gold, and in doing so a bit of paper fell out of it, and as Ipicked it up I could not help seeing it began "_Ma cruelle adorée_. "She said, in a great rage, that it was only the words of a song, as sheput it in her pocket; so I don't see why she should have been sofurious with me seeing it, do you, Mamma?--but she had not got overthe pin in my belt, I suppose. Anyway she made us trot home withseven-leagued boots. [Sidenote: _The Music-master_] Godmamma met us in the hall, radiant, and, clasping Victorine to herbreast, said she must announce to her the joyful news that M. Le Baronde Frémond had made the _demande_, on the part of his sister, theMarquise de Beaupré, for the hand of her peerless Victorine, for herson and his nephew, the Marquis de Beaupré, and that she--Godmamma--hadconsented to relinquish to them this treasure. Jean came out of thesmoking-room just then and they all began kissing--it was awful. I got upstairs as quickly as I could, and Héloise soon joined me there. She was enchanted at the idea of really getting rid of Victorine, andshe said Godmamma's rheumatism was growing so bad she would soon haveto spend the summer at German baths, and so they would fortunately atlast have Croixmare to themselves; and she could not thank me enoughfor having assisted at this _dénoûment_. All the evening Victorine played the tunes the music-master gave her, and once or twice broke into a song of joy; but when I asked her to trythe one beginning "_Ma cruelle adorée, _" she looked green, and said shewas tired, and would go to bed. [Sidenote: _A Game of Billiards_] Then Jean and I had a game of billiards--we often do now after dinner. The _salle de billard_ opens out of the salon, and there is a glasslike a window over the mantelpiece, so that you can see into the tworooms from each other. It always reminds me of Alice, in "Through theLooking Glass"--you expect to find a mirror, and you see into anotherroom. Godmamma generally accompanies us into the billiard-room, andsits bolt upright in an armchair watching us, but to-night she was tooexcited to pay us so much attention, and stayed talking to Héloiseabout the engagement. Jean seemed nervous and sad, and knocked aboutthe balls aimlessly, not trying a bit. It is only French billiards, butstill one has to play properly, so at last I said that evidently thegood news of Victorine's engagement had so distracted him that hecould not pay attention to the game. He seemed quite startled. "Ma foi!le jeu!" he said vacantly. I put down my cue and asked him quite gentlywhat was the matter? Just then the bangle you gave me last Christmas came undone, so Jeanput his cue down too, and offered to fasten it. It is difficult to dooneself, so I thanked him and handed him my wrist; his hands trembledso he could not do it. I thought he was ill, and bent over him to see. Fortunately at that moment we happened to be at the one part of thetable which can't be seen from the other room; because Jean behaved soqueerly--I feel sure Godmamma would have been horrified. He did notworry about the bangle, but just began kissing my hand; simply _dozens_of kisses. I pulled and pulled to try and get it away, but he would notlet go, and kept murmuring that at last, at last, he was alone with me! Now wasn't it too annoying, Mamma? I could not call out or make a fuss, because there would have been _such_ a scene, and you would neverthink a Frenchman could be so strong. For although I wrenched anddragged I could not get my hand away, and it was making me crosser andcrosser every minute. At last, when he began to kiss my wrist, ittickled so I was afraid I should laugh, and then he would think I wasnot serious; so I seized my cue with the other hand, and just told Jeanin a firm voice that if he did not let go that instant I would break itover his head! That stopped him! He pulled himself together and said "Oh! pardon, pardon, " and that hewas awfully sorry, and that it was because I was going away soon and hewas mad. And that is what I believe it was, Mamma--a fit of some kind. Did you ever hear there was anything odd in the Croixmare family?Anyway it shows foreigners are not to be trusted, for, even if theyhaven't pistols ready to shoot you, they are doing something queer likethis. [Sidenote: _Indigestion!_] Presently he took up his cue and began playing again, and Héloise camein from the salon. She noticed he looked different and said at once, "Qu'avez-vous, mon ami?" "Une mauvaise digestion, " replied Jean, and hewent and drank _sirop_ at the side-table. I think I should perhaps tellHéloise what it really was, and warn her to keep an eye on him, butthen it might worry her, and he may not have another attack for a longtime. No one would suspect him of being cracked, he looks as quiet andrespectable as the pony that mows the lawn. The post is starting, and Imust go to breakfast, so now good-bye, with love from your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--The day after to-morrow there is to be a dinner-party here forthe _fiancés_ to meet. All the Tournelle party, and his mother and acouple of cousins will be here, besides the Vicomte and "Antoine, " andthe Marquise, who are staying at Tournelle. Château de Croixmare, _Tuesday, September 6th. _ [Sidenote: _Victorine's Indisposition_] Dearest Mamma, --The dinner for the _fiancés_ came off last night. Itwas the first time we have had real evening dresses on since I havebeen here. I wore the pink silk, and Héloise was delighted with it, shesays you could not possibly improve upon the style you dress me in--itis ideal for a young girl. The day after Jean behaved so queerly, he was not at breakfast; he wentto Paris and I did not see him until the evening, when he was as stolidand quiet as usual, so it must have been a fit, and perhaps he went upto Paris to see his doctor. Victorine had her music lesson, and I don't know what could have upsether; but "the Tug, " who always sits in the room with her, came flyingout, saying Victorine was faint and she must get her a glass of water;so I ran into the _salle d'étude_ to see if I could help her. There shewas flopping on the music-stool, with Monsieur Dubois kneeling by her, looking cross and reproachful, and just like the villain in thepantomimes. I heard her say, "Cela doit être complètement oublié entrenous à présent que je vais être Marquise. " I don't know what it wasabout, but if she was telling him she would not be friendly with himany more, I do call it snobbish, don't you, Mamma? just because she isgoing to be a _Marquise_. It isn't as if he was an English Marquiseven, like Lord Valmond, that would be of some importance--but atrumpery French title, without any land or money, it is ridiculous. Ofcourse, here no one has his own land really since the Revolution, Imean like "Tournelle, " they only call the new house that; I believe thereal "Tournelle" is down in Touraine somewhere and belongs to some oneelse now. This _is_ Château de Croixmare, but then Jean'sgreat-grandfather bought it back again. Now I have wandered from what I was telling you--oh! yes, aboutVictorine and M. Dubois. He got up from his knees when he saw me, andbegan fanning her, while she flopped more than ever, but I don't thinkshe felt very faint, her face was so red. And when "the Tug" returnedwith the water I came away, as they both looked as if they wanted tomurder me. The excitement had made Monsieur Dubois' collar quite giveway, and he looked a dirtier and more pitiable object than usual. [Sidenote: _The "Dîner des Fiançailles"_] Such an affair the "_Dîner des fiançailles!_" Victorine wore a pinkdress too, with horrid bunches of daisies on her shoulders and in herhair; and, as that is dark and greasy, and dragged off her face, anddone in the tightest twist at the top, it does not look a suitableplace for daisies to be sprouting from. I hate things in the hairanyway, don't you, Mamma? However she was delighted with herself, so itwas all right. We waited in the big salon, standing behind Godmamma to receive thecompany. First arrived the old Baron and the Baronne, and the Marquisand his mother. The Marquis kissed Victorine's hand as well asGodmamma's and Héloise's, and you should have seen her bridling! Whenhe got to me he made the stiffest bow; and just then the Comte andComtesse de Tournelle, the Marquise de Vermandoise, and the Vicomtewere announced, and immediately following, "Antoine" and two cousins ofGodmamma's. To finish the party there were a batch of the Marquis'srelations, who had come specially from Paris. We were spared Yolandeand Marie, who usually sit up to dinner with their German _bonne_, andeat everything that they shouldn't, and then scream in the night. There was a buzz of conversation, and the Vicomte talked to me, but Icould not help hearing what the Marquis said to Victorine-- "Vous aimez la bicyclette, mademoiselle?" "Oui, monsieur. " "Moi j'aime mieux l'automobile. " "Mais il y a toujours de la poussière!" And they are going to be married in a month! The Vicomte kept bending over me and looking silly, and the Marquisfidgeted so that he could not go on talking to Victorine--one eye wasalways fixed on us. That seemed to please the Vicomte, for he got moreand more _empressé_, and I could not help laughing in return. At dinnerhe took in Mme. De Vermandoise, but sat next me, and on my other handwas one of the cousins, a harmless idiot too timid to speak much, andwith all kinds of horrid baby fluffs growing on his face. If men are towear beards (which I should forbid if I were the Queen) they ought tobe shut up till they are really grown. [Sidenote: _A Contretemps_] Opposite to us were Victorine and the Marquis, and Godmamma and theBaron, and Jean and the Marquis's mother. They did look a dull lot, andthe Marquis's mother eats worst of all! We had the greatest fun at ourside, Mme. De Vermandoise was delicious with gaiety, the Comte was onher other hand, and we four never stopped joking and laughing the wholeof dinner. It was such a big party, so the conversation could not bequite as general as usual. The Marquis got gloomier and gloomier as time went on. I could not lookup that I did not find his angry eyes fixed on me. Even Victorine'saggressive joy at having caught him was damped when she could not gethim to pay attention to what she was saying. At last when he wasstraining his ears to try and hear my conversation with the Vicomte, she got absolutely exasperated with him, and addressed a question tohim in a loud, sharp voice. It made him jump so that he bounced roundin his seat; and as she had lowered her head to put the piece of_bécassine_--which had been poised on her fork while she spoke--intoher mouth, his jumping round, and her raising her head suddenly, madeher daisies catch on his beard; and you never saw such a funny sight, Mamma! It was a nasty little wired dewdrop that got fixed in poorMonsieur de Beaupré's fur, and there they were: she still grasping herfork and he looking ready to eat her with annoyance. Their two headswere fastened together, and there they would have remained, onlyHippolyte (who always goes everywhere with the Baronne) came to therescue, and untangled them. But it hurt the Marquis very much, as someof the hairs had to be pulled out, and it did not mend mattersHippolyte muttering, "Cela doit être que Monsieur le Marquis doit faireplus attention à l'affaire qu'il a en main, s'il désire garder sescheveux intacts. " [Sidenote: _The Vicomte's Proposal_] The affair made quite a commotion at the table, and Victorine so nearlycried with rage that the Marquis's mother had to give her smellingsalts. Mme. De Vermandoise was overcome with laughter, and her tonguewas hardly ever out of her gap, while the Marquis sat, white with fury. When we left the table, arm-in-arm, things cleared up, and, while wewere alone when the men went back to smoke, Victorine was made to "playsomething, " and she really plays very well. It was so stiflingly hotthat at last some one--the Comtesse, I believe--asked to have thewindows opened on to the terrace. There was a fair-sized moon, and weall went out there, even Godmamma for a few moments. The men came outof the smoking-room windows and joined us, and for the first time sinceI have been in France we talked to the persons we wanted to, withouteither shouting across some one else or making a general conversation. "Antoine" and Héloise leant over the balustrade; the Comte and theMarquise stayed by the window, while the Vicomte whispered to me by thesteps; and Victorine and her Marquis stood like two wax figures, notsaying a word, by the orange trees. I don't know whether it was owingto the moon or not, but the Vicomte did say such a lot of charmingthings to me. He said he loved me, and would I marry him; he wouldarrange it all, as fortunately he has no parents to consult. I seem to be getting quite used to proposals now, because it did notexcite me in the least. But I don't think I want to marry any one yet, Mamma; so I told him you would never let me marry a Frenchman, and hehad better forget all about me. He said as much about love as he couldin the ten minutes we were left talking together, and put it sonicely--not a bit that violent want-to-eat-one-up-way the Marquis has. I felt once or twice quite inclined to say yes, if only it had been anaffair of a week; but unfortunately, even in France, you have to stayon with people longer than that, and that is the part I could not havemanaged. I made him understand at last that I really meant not to have him, andhe was very miserable. But you can't tear your hair or cry, with everyone looking on, and, as it all had to be done in a voice as if one wastalking about the weather, he did not show much. Only he looked verywhite when we came into the lights again, but he whispered as he saidgood-night that he did not despair; he would always love me, and when Imarried some one else his day would come, which I did not think kind ofhim, as I don't want to be a widow. The Marquis had not a chance to say a word to me; he tried often, but Iavoided him, he looked so out of temper. I am sure it would have beensomething disagreeable. He and the Vicomte nearly came to blows goingout of the door, just over a silly thing like the Vicomte's swordknocking against the Marquis's boot. I hope they won't really fight. When they had all gone, and we were going up to bed, I thought Jeanlooked as if his fit was coming on again, so I bolted into my room;and on the whole I am rather glad to be coming back to England onThursday. To-day we go over to Tournelle, a visit of ceremony for me to saygood-bye, and they are all dear people there, and I shall always hopeto see them again. --Now good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--I wish his hair wasn't cut _en brosse_. But of course onecouldn't marry a Frenchman anyway. Château de Croixmare, _Wednesday, September 7th. _ [Sidenote: _Hippolyte's Testimonial_] Dearest Mamma, --It was really quite sad saying good-bye to all thepeople at Tournelle. The Baronne almost wept over me, and said thatthey would be dreadfully dull without me. They all kissed me on bothcheeks, and even Hippolyte as he put us into the carriage after Itipped him, remarked, "Mieux vaut épouser un français et restertoujours chez nous, vous êtes trop belle demoiselle pour le brouillardd'Angleterre!" I wonder after all if the Marquis will ever marry Victorine, as itseems, when he got back last night, he was in such a temper that hemade a scene with the Baronne and his mother. He said that Victorinemade him look ridiculous, that she was unappetising, without wit, andugly enough to have tranquillised St. Anthony at his worst moment oftemptation--whatever that means. (I overheard the Baronne tell all thisto Héloise while the old Baron was making me compliments in his fearfulEnglish. ) The Marquis stamped his foot, and finally, bursting intotears, announced that he would go to Paris, back to Adèle--whoever sheis--and find consolation! So off he started this morning the firstthing. What a man, Mamma! crying like a child! His mother and the Baronne are very anxious about him, as if he reallydecides to "_jeter le manche après la cognée_, " who is to pay hisdebts! The Baronne also said, that if "Elisabet" (that's me) had onlybeen married, it would have been all a simple matter; because thenthere would be no cause for him to despair, and he would not haveoccupied himself about an ordinary subject, like who they married himto in the meantime. But, as it is, the contrast between us--Victorineand me--whom he cannot obtain--is too great, and the sooner I am out ofhis sight the better! It does sound all Greek, doesn't it to you, Mamma? I repeat it just as the Baronne said it. [Sidenote: _Etiquette for the Fiancés_] We went into the garden presently, and the Marquise and the Comte and Iwalked together; she had not got over the affair at dinner, and didnothing but laugh and joke about it. She said that Victorine at allevents will give the Marquis no anxieties in the future, but she issure he will have to "_se griser_" to get through the wedding. Fortunately Victorine was not with us, as Godmamma was too tired toaccompany her; it would not have been proper for her to come with onlyher brother and sister-in-law, as her _fiancé_, being supposedto be at Tournelle, she might have had private conversation with himnot under Godmamma's eye! Oh! mustn't it be awful to be French! Héloise says it isn't so bad asthis in the smart set in Paris; they speak to one another there quite alot before getting married, and do almost English things, but Godmammais of the old school. Before we left, the Marquis turned up, he looked thoroughly worn outand as _piano_ as a beaten dog. He was awfully polite to Jean andHéloise, and hardly looked at me, but as I did not want to leave withhim still feeling cross with me, I got the chance at last to tell him Ihoped he would be happy, and to congratulate him. He bowed deeply andthanked me, and then under his breath, as he stooped to pick up aflower I had dropped, he said, "Vous avez brisé mon coeur, et celam'est égal ce qui arrive, "--but I don't believe it, Mamma, he has notgot a heart to break, he is only a silly doll and worthy of Victorine. I saw the Baronne talking to him seriously while we were having "fiveo'clock;" and just as we were starting, she came up and said low toHéloise, who was beside me, "J'espère que tout va bien, Adèle l'aremplacé, et ne veut plus de lui! Oh! la bonne fille!" So whoever"Adèle" is, I suppose she has done Victorine a good turn. I askedHéloise on our way home if "Adèle" was a relation of the Marquis's, andshe went into fits of laughter and said, "Oui, une très proche, " but Ican't see anything to laugh at, can you, Mamma? [Sidenote: _A Country Dinner Party_] In the evening there was a _ghastly_ dinner party at Croixmare. Threesets of provincial families. They are really awful theseentertainments, and so different to English ones! Nobody bothers abouteven numbers. You feel obliged to ask the X's, the Y's, and the Z'sfrom duty, and so you do. It doesn't in the least matter if they aremostly females; you have to ask the family, because if the daughtersare grown up they can't be left at home alone--they would be gettinginto mischief. This is the kind of assortment that arrives: Papa X, Mamma X, and two girl X'es; Papa Y, Mamma Y, and Master and Miss Y;Papa Z, Mamma Z, Aunt Z, and Mdlle. Z--such a party! Godmamma just revels in these frumps; they make Héloise furious, andthe airs of Victorine, her coyness and giggling, nearly drove me wild. I sat next to Monsieur Y, and although he is a Baron of very old familyhe ate like a _pig_. The food was extraordinarily good, but the proofof good service here is to get the whole dinner--of I don't know howmany courses--over under the hour. So one has no sooner swallowed amouthful, when one's plate is snatched away, and one begins to devoursomething else. But with this awful man gobbling at my side, and thosefoolish girls giggling beyond, even the forty minutes seemed ages. Afterwards in the salon the "_jeunes filles_" were sent to talk at theother side of the room, supervised by "the Tug, " who did not dine, butwas in waiting. If you had heard their conversation, Mamma! It wasworse than the day the two came to breakfast. Just one endless stringof questions to Victorine about the Marquis, with giggles overpossibilities of their own _fiançailles!_ It is so extraordinary thatthey can ever turn into witty, fascinating women like Héloise and theMarquise. Of course, these are just provincial nobodies, whom Héloisewould not dream of knowing in Paris; perhaps the girls there arebetter. [Sidenote: _A Cure for a Fit_] Victorine told them the Marquis was "Beau comme l'Archange Michel, " andhad for her "une brûlante dévotion!" What will she say if after all herefuses to come to the scratch! Jean is to accompany Agnès and me up toParis to-morrow to see us safely off to Dieppe. I hope he won't haveanother fit in the train, I shall tell Agnès to take plenty of saltsand brandy in her bag, and a bottle of soda water, because I havealways heard that a sudden shock is best for people in fits, and onecould pop the soda water over him if the worst came to the worst. --Now, good-night, dear Mamma, your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--An awful wind is blowing. I hope I shan't be drowned crossingthe Channel. --E. Château de Croixmare, _Thursday night_. [Sidenote: _The Emotion of the Marquis_] Dearest Mamma, --I hope you got the telegram all right to-day saying Iwould not leave. The storm became really so fearful they would not hearof my starting, and as it has turned out I am very glad, for to-nightwe dined at Tournelle to celebrate the Baronne's birthday, and we hadsuch an amusing time. All the usual lot were there, as well as thosetwo officers who came to the _Foire_ with us, and about three or fourmore people from Paris, so we were quite a large party. Everybody gavethe Baronne a present, and _such_ baskets of flowers as she had in thesalon! "Assez pour tourner la tête, " as Hippolyte said. The Baronne was dressed in pale mauve and looked lovely, only such afunny thing happened at dinner. The Vicomte, who sat next to her, madeher laugh dreadfully, just as she was eating her soup, and she choked, and suddenly one cheek quite fell in, while the other stuck out as if apotato was in it. One could not _think_ what had happened; but itappears that she wears "plumpers, " of a kind of red guttapercha, tokeep her face nice and round, and in choking the right cheek's one gotjerked across into the left cheek, and that is how she got thetoothachy look. Mustn't it be a bother, Mamma, to have to do all that?but the Baronne is such a dear that one did not even laugh. The Marquis had to sit by Victorine, and I saw him looking at the pinkrosebuds in her hair with a cautious eye; and he sat up as straight asanything in case she should get caught in him again. But it is all right, he means to go through with it--the Baronne toldHéloise directly we got there. So I thought, as it was finally settled, there would be no harm in talking to him a little. He looked at me atdinner, I smiled, and it was so quaint, Mamma, his whole face seemed toflush until his forehead was even pink, with the veins showing at theside. He lifted his champagne glass and kissed the edge of it, andbowed to me, and no one saw but the Comte, and he went into a chuckleof laughter, as he whispered to me that if Victorine had seen she wouldcertainly tear my eyes out on the way home. [Sidenote: _Elizabeth Sandwiched_] Afterwards, in the salon, the Vicomte managed to stand behind me whileI was talking to the old Baron, and he said in a low voice: Why had Icome back? He was at peace waiting till his day came, and here I hadupset everything, and he should have to go through endless morerestless nights! I said that I was sorry the storm had prevented mystarting, especially as I was unwelcome. So he threw prudence to thewinds, and said out loud before the Baron that I knew it was not that, and he looked so devoted and distressed that the dear old Baron pattedhim on the back, and turning away said, "Mon brave Gaston, moi aussij'étais jeune une fois. " And he left us alone by the window, while hestood a sort of sentry in front. The Vicomte did whisper a lot of things; he said just for one evening Imight make him happy and pretend I loved him, and let him call me"_chérie_. " So I said "all right;" I did not think it _could_ matter, as I am coming home to-morrow, Mamma, and shall probably never see himagain, and you said one ought always to be kind-hearted and do littlethings for people. When I said "all right, " his forehead got pink, andthe veins showed just like the Marquis's had done at dinner, and hesaid, "_Chérie--ma chérie, ma bien-aimée_" in such a voice! It made mefeel quite as if I wanted to listen to some more, only, unfortunatelyat that moment, Godmamma came up; she brushed the Baron aside, and saidI should certainly catch cold by the window, and must come with her, while she annihilated the Vicomte with a look. There I was, taken off to a sofa at the other side of the room, andstuffed down between Godmamma and the Marquis's mother. You can think Iwas cross. However, I paid her out, for I just looked at the Marquis, who was seated by his Victorine almost silent and like a dummy (theyare allowed to talk together now, as long as they are not alone in theroom). It made him fidget so, he could not attend to what she wassaying. And when finally he got up and came over to us and said, had Iseen the new "Nattier" the Comte had just bought, which was in theother salon, and would I come and look at it?--I think Godmamma wishedshe had left me safe with the Vicomte. She could not say anything, ashalf the party had already gone to look at the picture, so I got up atonce and went with him. His mother is years older than the Baronne, andnot a bit gay like her. I saw them--her and Godmamma--nodding theirheads anxiously as we left; no doubt they were deploring the badbringing-up of the English. [Sidenote: _The Fiancés Together_] The Marquis said it was awful what he was going through; and when thedancing began presently would I give him the first valse? I saidCertainly, and by that time we were in the other salon, and beside theMarquise. She smiled her dear little smile, which always seems to mockat everything, and put her tongue into her gap and whispered: "Quellecomédie! c'est bien petite espiègle, amusez-vous!" _And so I did!_ Ican't tell you what fun it was, Mamma. I was in wild spirits, and theMarquis answered back, and we were as gay as larks, until I overheardthe Marquis's mother, who had followed us, say to him, in an acidvoice, that he seemed to have forgotten that it was arranged for him togive Victorine the engagement ring that evening and say a fewappropriate words to her, and he must take her to see the flowers inthe conservatory, and get it over there. So off he had to go, lookingblack and peevish, and supervised by the two mothers--who stood at therisk of catching their deaths of cold by the door--he and Victorinewent arm-in-arm into the conservatory, and disappeared behind some potsof palms. It appears Mme. De Vermandoise and the Comte were in there too, and sawwhat happened, and she told Héloise and me afterwards. The _fiancés_came and stood quite close to them, with only a bank of flowersbetween; and they said the palms were pretty and were growing verytall, and the Marquis coughed, and Victorine began scrabbling with hertoes on the marble floor in that irritating way she has, and theyneither of them spoke. At last the Marquis dashed at it, and said, asshe already knew, their parents had arranged they should marry, and hehoped he would make her happy. At that moment the piano struck up veryloud in the salon, and prevented Victorine from quite catching what hesaid; he got very red and repeated it again, but he mumbled so shestill was not sure, and had to say "_Pardon?_" for the second time. That upset the Marquis to such a point that he said "Damn, " which isthe only English word he knows, and when Victorine looked horriblysurprised, he dived into his waistcoat pocket and fished out the ring. Then he took her hand, pulled off her glove backwards, and pushed it onto the first finger he came to, which happened to be the middle one! Hejust said he hoped she would wear it for his sake; and when sheexclaimed, "Mais, monsieur! ce n'est pas sur ce doigt que vous devezmettre la bague!" he hardly waited to apologise or put it right beforehe dragged her back to the salon and deposited her with the anxiousmothers! [Sidenote: _The Baronne's Diplomacy_] Mme. De Vermandoise said she and the Comte nearly had a fit to keepthemselves from laughing out loud. Wasn't it too comic, Mamma? How Ishould hate to be betrothed like that! However, Victorine seems tothink half a loaf is better than no bread, for she kept her glove offall the rest of the evening, and looked at her ring with consciouspride. It is a very nice one, a ruby and a pearl heart connected by adiamond Marquis's coronet. They ought to have added a money-bagrepresenting the dot, and then the symbol would have been complete. We had begun to dance when they got back, and, as the Marquis had notbeen there to claim me, I was valsing with Jean. The Baronne kept theVicomte close to her side all the rest of the evening--she told me, asshe kissed me in saying good-bye, that she had done it for peace sake, as she knew he and the Marquis would have had a quarrel otherwise, theywere both so madly in love with me. "Petite embrouillante d'heureusesfamilles va!" she said--"Mais je t'aime bien quand même!"--She is adarling, the Baronne! The Marquis stood there glowering, and neveroffered to dance with Victorine; she must have been cross! We had another farewell all round when the valse was over--Godmammawould not stay for another, and even "Antoine" seemed sorry to say"_Adieu. _" "Dépêchez-vous de vous marier, " he said, "et ensuite revenezauprès de nous. J'ai envie de vous faire la cour, mais vous êtesbeaucoup trop dangereuse pour le moment. " "Ça, c'est vrai!" said the Comte and Jean together, and every onelaughed. Now that the betrothal ring is really on Victorine's finger, andHéloise knows she will be got off, she does not mind a bit about theMarquis looking at me. She kept laughing to herself over it all the wayhome; she really detests Victorine. Godmamma and the bride-elect hardlyspoke a word, and I am sure if a perfect hurricane blows to-morrow, they won't suggest my waiting another day, so I shall be glad to beoff. Good-night, dear Mamma; you will see me almost as soon as you get this, as I shall only sleep the night in London at Aunt Mary's. --With lovefrom your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. RETBY Retby, _September 20th_. [Sidenote: _Lady Theodosia's Pets_] Dearest Mamma, --You might have prepared me for what Lady Theodosialooks like, because when I arrived yesterday and was shown into herboudoir, and found her lying on the sofa, covered with dogs and cats, Ias nearly as possible laughed out loud, and it would have been so rude. She had evidently been asleep, and it looked like a mountain having anearthquake when she got up, and animals rolled off her in alldirections. A poodle, two fox terriers, a toy Spitz, and a cat andkitten, had all been sleeping in the nooks her outline makes. They allbarked in different keys, and between saying, "Down, Hector!" "Quiet, Fluff!" "Hush, hush, Fanny!" "Did um know it was a stranger?" etc. , etc. , she got in that she was glad to see me, and hoped you werebetter. When she stands up she is _colossal_! Her body dressed in thelast fashion, and then the queerest face with no neck, andlemon-coloured hair parted down the middle, and not matching a bit withthe chignon of thick plaits at the back. It looks as if it werestrapped on with a black velvet band that comes across her forehead, like in the pictures on the nursery screen at home that the Great-auntsmade when they were children. She seems as kind as possible, and hasthe fattest wheezy voice. [Sidenote: _"Clever Darlings"_] Her room is appalling; it is full of Early Victorian furniture, andhorrid alabaster statuette things, under glass cases, and then a fewmodern armchairs covered in gorgeous brocade, but it is all clawed bythe cats, and soiled by the dogs' muddy feet, and you are unable tomake up your mind where it will be safe to sit. When tea came in, whichit did immediately, you can't think what it was like! A St. Bernard andanother poodle joined the party, and while we were trying to getsomething to eat and drink, they all begged or barked or pushed theirnoses under the muffin dish lid, or took cakes from the side table; andLady Theodosia kept saying, "Clever darlings; see, they know wheretheir favourite bits are. " It is impossible to have a connectedconversation with her, because between every few words she puts inejaculations about the dogs. I was obliged to simply bolt my crumpetlike a Frenchman, to keep it from being snatched from me. Just as wewere finishing tea, Mr. Doran and three men came in. He is ateeny-weeny man with a big head and rather weak eyes, and he and she dolook odd together. What could it have been like when they trotted downthe aisle after getting married! It is a mercy Lady Theodosia is only your second cousin, and that hershape has not descended to our branch of the family. All the"children"--as she calls the animals--barked again when the men camein. There was only a _miserable_ tea left, and, when Mr. Doran venturedto say the dogs had made things rather messy, Lady Theodosiaannihilated him. It was as if he had insulted her nearest and dearest!But one of the men got quietly to the bell, and when the footmen camethey grasped the situation and brought some clean things, so teafinished better than it had begun. Just before they went to dress LadyTheodosia remembered to introduce them. The only young one is Mr. Roper, the great shot, and the other two are Sir Augustus Grant andCaptain Fieldin; they are oldish. When they had gone, Lady Theodosia said to me that men were a greatnuisance as a rule, but that she had a pet friend, a "dear docilecreature, so useful with the dogs, " and he was coming back by the 6. 30train. You would have laughed, if you could have seen him when he didarrive! A fair humble thing, with a squeaky voice and obsequiousmanners. He had been up to town to get the dogs new muzzles, as themuzzling order has just been put in force in this county. It appearsLady Theodosia has him always here, and he attends to the dogs for ahome, but I would rather be a stable--boy, wouldn't you, Mamma? Hisname is Frederick Harrington, and Lady Theodosia calls him "Frederick"when she is pleased, and "Harrington" if anything puts her out. And asshe says it, "Harrington" sounds the fattest word you ever heard. I wasglad to get to my room! Most of the house that I have yet seen, which was not refurnished whenshe married in 1870, is really fine, with beautiful old furniture andchina; only everything within reach is scratched and spoilt by the"children. " It must make the family portraits turn in their frames tosee Fluff eating one of their tapestry footstools, or the cats clawingthe Venetian velvet chairs. [Sidenote: _Feeding the Aborigines_] There was a dinner party in the evening. As we went upstairs to dress, Lady Theodosia told me about it. She said she was obliged to entertainall the Aborigines twice a year, and that most people gave them gardenparties; but she found that too fatiguing, so she had two dinners inthe shooting season, and two at Easter, to which she asked every one. She just puts all their names in a bag, and counts out twelve couplesfor each party, and then she makes up the number to thirty-six withodd creatures, daughters and old maids, and sons and curates, &c. , andshe finds it a capital plan. She said, "I give 'em plenty to eat anddrink, and they draw for partners, and all go home as happy as possiblefeeling there has been no favouritism!" She explained that the lawyers and doctors enjoyed having their foodwith the earls and baronets much more than just prancing about lawns. And when I asked her how the earls and baronets liked it, she saidthere were only three or four, and they had to put up with it or stayat home; she had done it now for thirty years, and they were accustomedto it; besides, she had the best _chef_ in England, and anyway it was anice change for people not knowing who they were going to be put nextto. It took her such a long time to tell me all this, and to see me tomy room, that I was almost late, and she did not get into the statedrawing-room until all the guests had arrived. You never saw anything so funny as it was, Mamma. Mr. Doran was tryingto be polite to the odd collection, evidently not quite knowing whichwas which. Old Lord and Lady Devnant were glaring at the rest of thecompany from the hearth-rug, with a look of "You invade this mat atyour peril!" Sir Christopher Harford paying extravagant compliments tothe parson's wife (I knew which they were because I heard themannounced), and the "Squire" and Mrs. De Lacy--who came over with theConqueror--standing apart with their skinny daughters, all holdingtheir noses in the air. Everybody seemed to be in their best clothes, and most of the women had flowers and tulle or little black featherssticking up in their hair, and bare red arms, and skirts inches off theground in front; you know the look. But everything seemed to be goingbeautifully after Lady Theodosia rolled in (she does not walk, likeordinary people)! [Sidenote: _Drawing for Partners_] Mr. Doran did the handing round of the drawing-papers, and they were"Marshall and Snelgrove, " and "Lewis and Allenby, " and "Debenham andFreebody, " &c. , and if you drew "Lewis" you went in with whoever drew"Allenby, " and so on; it was a capital plan, only for one incident. Iwas near Lady Theodosia when Mr. Harrington rushed from the other endof the room, and whispered to her in an agitated voice that the"Dickens" of Lady Devnant's "Jones" was Dr. Pluffield. She was not onspeaking terms with him, having quarrelled with him for sending herteething powders by mistake, when it ought to have been something forher nerves. All Lady Theodosia said was-- "Harrington, you're a fool. What are their little differences to me? Igive 'em the best dinner in England, and they must settle the restthemselves!" So poor Mr. Harrington had to go back and smooth down Lady Devnant asbest he could; and presently we all started for the banqueting-hall. There were several really decent county people there, of course, butthey all looked much the same as the others, except that they haddiamonds on. Old Admiral Brudnell, who has a crimson face, was takingin the younger Miss de Lacy, and just in front of him were Dr. Pluffield and Lady Devnant, whom the Admiral hates. I heard him say, getting purple like a gobbler, "Come on, come on, I don't mean to letthat old catamaran get in front of me!" And he dragged Miss de Lacythrough the doorway, bumping the others to get past; and she told meafterwards her funny-bone had got such a knock that she could hardlyhold her soup spoon! [Sidenote: _Marshall and Snelgrove_] It was quainter even than the frumps' dinner that Godmamma gave. I hada very nervous young man with red hair and glasses to take me in; Idrew "Snelgrove, " so he was "Marshall. " He evidently had not understooda bit about the drawing, and kept calling me "Miss Snelgrove, " until Iwas obliged to say to him, "But my name is not Snelgrove any more thanyours is Marshall. " "But my name _is_ Marshall, " he said, "and I was told to find a lady ofthe name of 'Snelgrove, ' and I wondered at the strange coincidence. " He looked so dreadfully distressed that I had to explain to him; and hegot so nervous at his mistake that he hardly spoke for the rest ofdinner. The dishes were exquisite, and Lady Theodosia enjoyed them all, inspite of "Fanny" (that is the Spitz) constantly falling off her lap, and having to be fished for by her own footman, who always standsbehind her chair, ready for these emergencies. I call it very plucky ofthe dog to go on trying; for what lap Lady Theodosia has is so steep itmust be like trying to sleep on the dome of St. Paul's. Mr. Roper satat my other side, and after a while he talked to me; he said he cameevery year to shoot partridges, and it was always the same. On thenight he arrived there was always this dinner party, and some years themost absurd things had happened, but Lady Theodosia did not care abutton. He thought there were a good many advantages in being a Duke'sdaughter; they don't dare to offend her, he said, although they areready to tear one another's eyes out when they are put with the wrongpeople. Lady Theodosia puffed a good deal as dinner went on, I couldhear her from where I sat. She is in slight mourning, so below herdiamond necklace--which is magnificent, but has not been cleaned foryears--she had a set of five lockets, on a chain all made of bog oak, and afterwards I found each locket had a portrait of some pet animalwho is dead in it, and a piece of its hair. You would never guess thatshe is Lady Cecilia's sister, except for the bulgy eyes. Towards theend of dinner Mr. Doran got so gay, he talked and laughed so you wouldnot have recognised him, as ordinarily he is a timid little thing. [Sidenote: _After Dinner_] When we returned to the great drawing-room, it was really comic. LadyTheodosia did not make any pretence of talking to the people. Her wholeattention was with the "children, " who had just been let loose from herboudoir, where her maid had been keeping them company while we dined. They were as jealous as possible of Fanny, who never leaves any part ofLady Theodosia she can stick on to. She is so small that she gets lotsof nice rides asleep on the folds of her velvet train. Most of thecompany were terrified at this avalanche of dogs, and kept saying, whenthey came and sniffed and barked at them, "poor doggie, " "nice doggie, ""good doggie, " etc. , in different keys of nervousness. I felt gladAgnès had insisted that I should not put on one of my best dresses. Shehighly disapproves of this place. As well spend the time in the Jardindes Plantes with the cage doors undone, she says! Now and then, when Lady Theodosia could bring herself to remember shehad a party, she would make a dash at some one, and as likely as notcall them by a wrong name. Lady Devnant and Mrs. De Lacy and the fewmore county people made a little ring with her by themselves, andgradually the doctors', and parsons', and lawyers' families gottogether, and so things settled down, and we were getting on quitenicely when the men came in. It did all seem queer after the extremeceremony and politeness in France. When she had fed them, LadyTheodosia seemed to think her duty to her guests had ended. Mr. Doran was still as gay as possible, and insisted upon Mrs. Pluffield singing; it was a love-and-tombstone kind of song, andsounded so silly and old-fashioned. And after that lots of people hadto sing, and I felt so sorry for them; but soon their carriages came, and they were able to go home; if I were they nothing would induce meto come again. I got up early to write this as the post goes at an unearthly hour, sonow I must go down to breakfast. --Good-bye, dear Mamma, youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Retby, _September 22nd_. [Sidenote: _Settling Down_] Dearest Mamma, --I was surprised yesterday when I got down to breakfastto find Lady Theodosia already there. She is awfully active, and puffsabout everywhere like a steam-engine. She will pour out the tea andcoffee herself, and there is just the one long table, not a lot oflittle ones like at Nazeby; but our party is quite small, the fourother guns were to come from the neighbourhood. Lady Theodosia asks youif you take sugar and cream, and then perhaps a dog takes off herattention, and as likely as not, when she remembers the pouring out, you get just what you have said you don't take. I wonder she does notleave it to the servants. Mr. Doran was as quiet as a mouse, and said he had a bad headache. Thethree other men had enormous breakfasts, and did not speak much, exceptthat Captain Fieldin asked if we were not coming out to lunch; and LadyTheodosia said of course we were--she intended to drive me in her ponycarriage. When they had all started, she took me back to the boudoir, as it was a Wednesday, and the state apartments were on show, and shehates meeting the tourists from Bradford. I think it must be dreadfulhaving to let everybody look through your home, just because you havefine pictures, and it is historical, and a prince got murdered there ahundred years ago. Mr. Doran inherited it through his mother, I thinkyou said, as there are no Lord Retbys left. [Sidenote: _A Show Place_] I went to get the photograph of you I always have on my dressing-table, to show it to Lady Theodosia, and I met quite a troop of tourists onthe stairs, and all the place railed off with fat red cords, andeverything being explained to them by a guide who has the appearance ofa very haughty butler, and lives here just to do this, and look afterthe things. The tourists stared at me because I was inside the rope, just as if I had been a Royalty, and whispered and nudged one another, and one said, "Is that Lady Theodosia?" and I felt inclined to call out"No, not by twelve stone. " It was funny seeing them. The housekeeperhates it; she says it takes six housemaids the rest of the day removingtheir traces, and getting rid of the smell. And as for the Bank Holidayones, they have no respect for the house at all. Lady Theodosia told methe housekeeper came to her nearly weeping after the last one. "Oh, mylady, " she said, "they treats us as if we was _ruins_. " Mr. Harrington had not been allowed to shoot, because the St. Bernardand Fluff hated their muzzles so, when they were tried on, that he hadto go in to the local harness-maker and have them altered under his owneye. He got back just as we were starting for lunch, and Lady Theodosiamade him come with us, and sent the groom on with the lunch carts. Shedrives one of those old-fashioned, very low pony-shays, with a seat upbehind for the groom, and two such ducks of ponies. There hardly seemedroom for me beside her, and the springs seemed dreadfully down on herside. She generally sits in the middle when alone, Mr. Harrington toldme afterwards. She noticed about the springs herself, and said, "Frederick, you must lean all your weight on the other side. " We musthave looked odd going along; I squashed in beside her with a poodle andFanny at my feet, and poor Mr. Harrington clinging to one side likegrim death, so as to try and get the balance more level. It seemedquite a long drive, and lunch was laid out on a trestle table in afarmhouse garden, and was a splendid repast, with hot _entrées_, andLady Theodosia had some of them all. [Sidenote: _Mr. Doran's Philanthropy_] It appears Captain Fieldin and Sir Augustus Grant are constantlystaying here; they help to ride Mr. Doran's horses and shoot his birds. They are all old friends, and rather hard up, so Mr. Doran just keepsthem. He--Mr. Doran--seems different after meals; from being as quietas a lamb, he gets quite coarse and blunt. The rest of the party werejust the kind of neighbours that always come to shoot. Mr. Roper toldme they never have smart parties, with only the best shots, and heapsof beautiful ladies. Mr. Doran asks just any one he likes, or hehappens to meet, and the shooting is some of the best in England, andawfully well preserved. Lady Theodosia had a very short tweed skirt on, a black velvet jacketwith bugles, and a boat-shaped hat and cocks' feathers; but she alwayswears the black velvet band round her forehead. Her ankles seemed tobe falling over the tops of her boots, and as she only walked from thecarriage to the lunch table, I don't think her skirt need have been soshort; do you, Mamma? But although she was got up like an old gipsy youcould not help seeing through it all that she really is well-bred; Idon't think even Agnès would dare to be uppish with her. They live hereat Retby all the year round. The town house is only opened for threedays, when Lady Theodosia comes up for the Drawing-room. And they seemto have a lot of these rather dull, oldish men friends who make longvisits. Going home after lunch Lady Theodosia took several of the pies andjoints to poor people in the cottages near, and she was so nice tothem, and so friendly; she knows them all and all their affairs, andnever makes mistakes with their names, or is rude and discourteous asshe was to the people at the dinner party. They all adore her. Shehates the middle classes, she says, she would like to live in Russia, where there are only the upper and lower. [Sidenote: _Croquet under Difficulties_] When we got back, Lord and Lady Tyneville had arrived with their twodaughters. They are about my age, and quite nice and pretty; but theirmother dresses them so queerly, they look rather guys. I am glad, Mamma, that you have none of those silly ideas, and that I have not gotto have my hair in a large bun with ribbons twisted in it for dinner. They seem quite accustomed to stay here, and know all the dogs andtheir ways. They are much nicer than French girls, but not soattractive as Miss La Touche. We had an early tea in the hall, andafter tea we played croquet until it got dark, though one could not geton very well as the dogs constantly carried off the balls in theirmouths, and one had to guess where to put them back, and in that wayLady Theodosia, who was my partner, managed to get through three hoopsshe wouldn't have otherwise. It isn't much fun playing so late in theyear, as it gets so cold. I think the elder Miss Everleigh is in love with Mr. Roper, because sheblushed, just as they do in books, when he came in, and from beingquiet and nice, got rather gigglish. I hope I shan't do that when I amin love. We had quite a gay dinner; Lady Tyneville talks all the time, and sayssuch funny things. I am really enjoying myself very much in spite of there being noexcitements, like the Marquis and the Vicomte. To-day we are going tomake an excursion into Hernminster to see the Cathedral, and to-morrowthey shoot again. --Good-bye, dear Mamma, with love from youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. RETBY, _Thursday_. Dearest Mamma, --I don't think I care about looking at churches much. They don't smell here as they do in France, but on the other hand theylook deserted, and as if no one cared a pin, and there are generallyrepairs going on or monuments piled up at the side waiting to be putback or something that doesn't look tidy--in the big ones I mean, likeYork and Hernminster that we saw yesterday. Mr. Doran drove us in onthe coach, and Lady Theodosia sat on the box beside him. It was toowonderful to see her climbing up, and from the near side she completelyhid Mr. Doran; the reins looked as if they were staying up bythemselves, you could not see even his hands, her mountainous outlineblocked all the space. Miss Everleigh and Mr. Roper and I and SirAugustus sat in the seat behind the box seat, and the other Everleighsat with her father in the back, while Mr. Harrington had to go insidewith Lady Tyneville as she was afraid of the cold wind. They must havehad a nice time, for both poodles were in there too, and one terrier, and we could hear them barking constantly. Fanny, who has a wonderfulsense of balance, was poised somewhere on Lady Theodosia. The horsesare beauties and we went at a splendid pace. [Sidenote: _An Agreeable Drive_] Sir Augustus doesn't seem so old when he is sitting by you; he said alot of nice things to me. We went straight to the "Red Lion" and hadlunch, and it was a horrid meal, everything over or underdone, andmessy and nasty. The dinner at a teeny place like Caudebec in Francewas delicious. I wonder why food at country hotels in England is sobad? At Retby Lady Theodosia won't touch anything unless it isabsolutely perfect. She sent a dish away yesterday just because a whiffof some flavouring she does not like came to her, but at the "Red Lion"she did not grumble at all; it must be for the same reason that wettingtheir feet doesn't give French people cold if it is at a nationalsport, that made her put up with the lunch because it was English andhad always been the same. I was glad to have a nice piece of cheese. All the time I was withGodmamma I was not allowed to, as it isn't considered proper for girlsthere, and when I asked Victorine why one day, she told me it gaveideas, and was too exciting, whatever that could mean. So at the "RedLion" I just had two helpings to see, as this is the first chance Ihave had, as you don't care for cheese at home. But nothing happened, Idid not feel at all excited, so it must be because they are French. Mustn't it? [Sidenote: _Country Shopping_] First we went to a curiosity shop before going to the Cathedral, andthere was such an odd man owned it. "My good Griggson, " Lady Theodosiacalled him; he seemed quite pleased--although we none of us boughtanything--and so friendly with Lady Theodosia. When we had finishedtrotting about looking at the old streets and the Cathedral, we went tobuy some mauve silk to line a cushion that Lady Tyneville hasembroidered as a present to Lady Theodosia. It is so funny in thesecountry shops, they always bring you what you don't want. LadyTyneville said she wanted mauve, and showed her pattern, and after sometime the girl who served her came back and said, "Oh! we are out ofmauve, but green is being very much worn. " We went back to the "Red Lion" and Mr. Doran and Captain Fieldin joinedus. They had been at the Club all the time, and were full of local newsabout the cub hunting, &c. On the way back to Retby Sir Augustus toldme he was struck with me the moment he came into Lady Theodosia'sboudoir, and he tried to take hold of my hand. I call it very queer, don't you? I suppose it is because they think I am young and wantencouraging, but I simply detest it, and I told him so. I said, "Whyshould you want to hold my hand?" and when he looked foolish andmumbled some answer, I just said, "Because if you are afraid offalling, and it is to hold on, there is the outside rail of the coachfor you; I _hate_ being pawed. " He said I was a disagreeable littlething, and would never get on in life. But you can see, Mamma, howeverything has changed since you were young. [Sidenote: _Mr. Harrington's Fault_] Lady Theodosia put on such a splendid purple brocade tea-gown for tea, but Fluff would jump up at the tray, and succeeded at last in upsettinga whole jug of cream over her. She was sitting in a very low chair thatit is difficult to get out of, and she looked quite piteous withbillows of cream rolling off her; it got into Fanny's nose and made hersneeze, and that annoyed the other dogs, and they all began to fight, and the St. Bernard joined in, and in his excitement he overturned thewhole table and tray. You never saw such a catastrophe! The dogs gotquite wild with joy, and left off fighting to gobble cakes, and whenMr. Harrington, who had been away writing letters, rushed in to seewhat the commotion was, he did catch it! We extricated Lady Theodosiafrom masses of broken china and dribbles of jam, in the most awfulrage. She said it was entirely Mr. Harrington's fault for not beingthere to look after the dogs. Considering she had sent him to writeabout their muzzles, I do call it hard, don't you? Mr. Doran came in, and when he saw the best Crown Derby smashed on the floor, and theteapot all bent, he became quite transformed, and swore _dreadfully_. He said such rude words, Mamma, that I cannot even write them, and itended up with, "If you keep a d----d puppy to look after your other d----d puppies, why the devil don't you see he does it!" I hope you aren't awfully shocked, Mamma, at me writing that; I wasobliged to, to show you what awful creatures men really are underneath, even if their outsides look as meek as Mr. Doran's. Lady Theodosiaburst into tears, and it was altogether a fearful scene if it had notbeen so funny to look at. We none of us got any tea, for by the timeLady Theodosia had been got to dry her eyes, and things were clearedup, we were all only too glad to disperse. I am sure a lot of childrencould not be so naughty as these dogs are. [Sidenote: _A prudent Retirement_] Dinner began by being rather strained, but gradually got quite gay. Mr. Doran would have up three different brands of champagne for every oneto try, and the men seemed to like them very much. By desserteverything was lively again, and dinner ended by Mr. Doran singing "Thehounds of the Meynell, " with one foot on the table as gay as a lark. But wasn't it tiresome, Mamma? when we got into the drawing-room, LadyTheodosia said we had had a long day, and must be tired, and she packedthe two Everleighs and me off to bed before the men came in, and sohere I am writing to you, because it is ridiculous to suppose I amgoing to sleep at this hour. Agnès and I leave by the early train onSaturday morning, so good-bye till then, dear Mamma; love from youraffectionate daughter, Elizabeth. CARRISTON TOWERS Carriston Towers, _27th October_. [Sidenote: _Carriston Towers_] Dearest Mamma, --I shall never again arrive at a place at three o'clockin the afternoon; it is perfectly ghastly! As we drove up to thedoor--it was pouring with rain--I felt that I should not like anythinghere. It does look such a large grey pile: and how cold and draughtythat immense stone hall must be in winter! There were no nice big sofasabout, or palms, or lots of papers and books; nothing but suits ofarmour and great marble tables, looking like monuments. I was takendown endless passages to the library, and there left such a long timethat I had got down an old _Punch_ and was looking at it, and trying towarm my feet, when Lady Carriston came in with Adeline. I remember howI hated playing with her years ago; she always patronised me, beingthree years older, and she is just the same now, only both their backshave got longer and their noses more arched, and they are the image ofeach other. Adeline seems very suppressed; Lady Carriston does not--herface is carved out of stone. They look very well bred and respectable, and badly dressed; nothing rustled nicely when they walked, and theyhad not their nails polished, or scent on, or anything like that; butLady Carriston had a splendid row of pearls round her throat, on thetop of her rough tweed dress and linen collar. They pronounce their words very distinctly, in an elevated kind of way, and you feel as if icicles were trickling down your back, and you can'tthink of a _thing_ to say. When we had got to the end of your neuralgiaand my journey, there was such a pause! and I suppose they thought Iwas an idiot, and were only too glad to get me off to my room, whereAdeline took me, and left me, hoping I had everything I wanted, andsaying tea was at five in the blue drawing-room. And there I had tostay while Agnès unpacked. It was dull! It is a big room, and the firehad only just been lit. The furniture is colourless and ugly, and, although it is all comfortable and correct, there are no books about, except "Romola" and "Middlemarch" and some Carlyle and John StuartMill, and I did not feel that I could do with any of that just then. Sothere I sat twiddling my thumbs for more than an hour, and Agnès didmake such a noise, opening and shutting drawers, but at last Iremembered a box of caramels in my dressing-bag, and it was betterafter that. [Sidenote: _A Dull Hour_] Agnès had put out my white cashmere for tea, and at five I started tofind my way to the blue drawing-room. The bannisters are so broad andslippery--the very things for sliding on. I feel as if I should startdown them one day, just to astonish Adeline, only I promised you Iwould be good. Well, when I got to the drawing-room, the party--abouttwelve--had assembled. The old Earl had been wheeled in from his rooms:he wears a black velvet skull-cap and a stock but he has a splendidand distinguished old face. If I were he, I would not have such a dulldaughter-in-law to live with me as Lady Carriston is, even if my sonwas dead. The boy, Charlie Carriston, was there too; he does look agoose. He is like those pictures in the _Punch_ that I was looking at, where the family is so old that their chins and foreheads have gone. Heis awfully afraid of his mother. There were two or three elderlypepper-and-salt men, and that Trench cousin, who is a very High Churchcurate (you know Aunt Mary told us about him), and there are a SirSamuel and Lady Garnons, with an old maid daughter, and Adeline'sGerman governess, who has stayed on as companion, and helped to pourout the tea. [Sidenote: _A Modern Grandison_] The conversation was subdued; about politics and Cabinet Ministers, andpheasants and foxes, and things of that kind, and no one said anythingthat meant anything else, as they did at Nazeby, or were witty likethey were at Tournelle, and the German governess said "Ach" toeverything, and Lady Garnons and Miss Garnons knitted all the time, which gave their voices the sound of "one-two-three" when they spoke, although they did not really count. No one had on tea-gowns--just aSunday sort of clothes. I don't know how we should have got through teaif the coffee-cream cakes had not been so good. The old Earl called meto him when he had finished, and talked so beautifully to me; he paidme some such grand old-fashioned compliments, and his voice sounds asif he had learnt elocution in his youth. There is not a word of slangor anything modern; one quite understands how he was able to wake upthe House of Lords before his legs gave way. It seems sad that such aninny as Charlie should succeed him. I feel proud of being related tohim, but I shall never think of Lady Carriston except as a distantcousin. Both Charlie and Adeline are so afraid of her that they hardlyspeak. I shan't waste any of my best frocks here, so I made Agnès put me onthe old blue silk for the evening. She was disgusted. At dinner I satbetween Charlie and one of the pepper-and-salts--he is a M. P. They aregoing to shoot partridges to-morrow; and I don't know what we shall do, as there has been no suggestion of our going out to lunch. After dinner we sat in the yellow drawing-room; Lady Carriston and LadyGarnons talked in quite an animated way together about using theirpersonal influence to suppress all signs of Romanism in the services ofthe Church. They seemed to think they would have no difficulty instopping it. They are both Low Church, Miss Garnons told me, but sheherself held quite different views. Then she asked me if I did notthink the Reverend Ernest Trench had a "soulful face, " so pure andabstracted that merely looking at him gave thoughts of a higher life. Isaid No; he reminded me of a white ferret we had once, and I hatedcurates. She looked perfectly sick at me and did not take the troubleto talk any more, but joined Adeline, who had been winding silk withFräulein Schlarbaum for a tie she is knitting. So I tried to read the_Contemporary Review_, but I could not help hearing Lady Carristontelling Lady Garnons that she had always brought up Adeline and Charlieso carefully that she knew their inmost thoughts. (She did not mentionCyril, who is still at Eton. ) "Yes, I assure you, Georgina, " she said, "my dear children have neverhad a secret from me in their innocent lives. " [Sidenote: _The Duke's Shirt_] When the men came in from the dining-room, one of the old fellows cameand talked to me, and I discovered he is the Duke of Lancashire. He isordinary looking, and his shirts fit so badly--that nasty sticking-outlook at the sides, and not enough starch. I would not have shirts thatdid not fit if I were a Duke, would you? They are all staying here forthe Conservative meeting to-morrow evening at Barchurch. These threepepper-and-salts are shining lights in this county, I have gathered. Lady Carriston seems very well informed on every subject. It does notmatter if she is talking to Mr. Haselton or Sir Andrew Merton, (the twoM. P. 's), or the Duke, who is the M. F. H. , or the curate; she seems toknow much more about politics, and hunting, and religion than they do. It is no wonder she can see her children's thoughts! At half-past ten we all said good-night. The dear old Earl does notcome in from the dining-room; he is wheeled straight to his rooms, so Idid not see him. Miss Garnons and Adeline both looked as if they couldhardly bear to part with their curate, and finally we got upstairs, andnow I must go to bed. --Best love, from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--Everything is kept up with great state here; there seems to bea footman behind every one's chair at dinner. Carriston Towers, _28th October_. [Sidenote: _Charlie's Dissimulation_] Dearest Mamma, --I was so afraid of being late for breakfast thismorning that I was down quite ten minutes too soon, and when I got intothe breakfast-room I found Charlie alone, mixing himself a brandycocktail. He wanted to kiss me, because he said we were cousins, but Idid not like the smell of the brandy, so I would not let him. He mademe promise that I would come out with him after breakfast, before theystarted to shoot, to look at his horses; then we heard some one coming, and he whisked the cocktail glass out of sight in the neatest waypossible. At breakfast he just nibbled a bit of toast, and drank aglass of milk, and Lady Carriston kept saying to him, "My dear, dearboy, you have no appetite, " and he said, "No, having to read so hard ashe did at night took it away. " The Duke seemed a little annoyed that there was not a particularchutney in his curried kidneys, which I thought very rude in anotherperson's house; and, as it was Friday, the Reverend Mr. Trench refusedevery dish in a loud voice, and then helped himself to a whole sole atthe side-table. The food was lovely. Miss Garnons did not eat a thing, and Lady Garnonswas not down nor, of course, the old Earl. After breakfast we meandered into the hall. Smoking is not allowedanywhere except in the billiard-room, which is down yards and yards ofpassages, so as not to let the smell get into the house. We seemed tobe standing about doing nothing, so I said I would go up and get myboots on, or probably there would not be time to go with Charlie to seehis horses before they started. You should have seen the family's three faces! Charlie's silly jawdropped, Adeline's eyebrows ran up to her hair almost, while LadyCarriston said in an icy voice: "We had not thought of visiting thestables so early. " Did you ever hear of anything so ridiculous, Mamma? Just as though Ihad said something improper! I was furious with Charlie, he had noteven the pluck to say he had asked me to go; but I paid him out. I justsaid, "I concluded you had consulted Lady Carriston before asking me togo with you, or naturally I should not have suggested going to getready. " He did look a stupid thing, and bolted at once; but LadyCarriston saw I was not going to be snubbed, so she became more polite, and presently asked me to come and see the aviary with her. [Sidenote: _The Slip of Paper_] As we walked down the armour gallery she met a servant with a telegram, and while she stopped to read it I looked out of one of the windows. The wall is so thick they are all in recesses, and Charlie passedunderneath, his head just level with the open part. The moment he sawme he fished out a scrap of paper from his pocket and pressed it intomy hand, and said, "Don't be a mug this time, " and was gone before Icould do anything. I did not know what to do with the paper, so I hadto slip it up my sleeve, as with these skirts one hasn't a pocket, andI did feel so mad at having done a thing in that underhand way. The aviary is such a wonderful place, there seem to be birds of everykind, and the parrakeets do make such a noise. There are lots of palmshere and seats, but it is not just an ideal place to stay and talk in, as every creature screams so that you can hardly hear yourself speak. However, Miss Garnons and Mr. Trench did not seem to think so, as, while Lady Carriston stopped to say, "Didysy, woodsie, poppsie, dicksie, " to some canaries, I turned a corner to see some owls, andthere found them holding hands and kissing (the White Ferret and MissGarnons I mean, of course, not the owls). [Sidenote: _The Mysteries of Religion_] They must have come in at the other door, and the parrots' noises hadprevented them from hearing us coming. You never saw two people sotaken aback. They simply jumped away from one another. Mr. Trench gotcrimson up to his white eyelashes, and coughed in a nervous way, whilepoor Miss Garnons at once talked nineteen to the dozen about the"darling little owlies, " and never let go my arm until she had got measide, when she at once began explaining that she hoped I would notmisinterpret anything I had seen; that of course it might look odd toone who did not understand the higher life, but there were mysteriesconnected with her religion, and she hoped I would say nothing aboutit. I said she need not worry herself. She is quite twenty-eight, youknow, Mamma, so I suppose she knows best; but I should hate a religionthat obliged me to kiss White Ferret curates in a parrot-house, shouldn't you? Lady Carriston detests Mr. Trench, but as he is a cousin she has to befairly civil to him, and they always get on to ecclesiastical subjectsand argue when they speak; it is the greatest fun to hear them. Theywalked on ahead and left me with Miss Garnons until we got back to thehall. By this time the guns had all started, so we saw no more of them. ThenAdeline suggested that she and I should bicycle in the Park, which hasmiles of lovely road (she is not allowed out of the gates by herself), so at last I got up to my room, and there, as I was ringing the bellfor Agnès, Charlie's piece of paper fell out on the floor. I hadforgotten all about it. Wasn't it a mercy it did not drop while I waswith Lady Carriston? This was all it was: "Come down to teahalf-an-hour earlier; shall sham a hurt wrist to be back from shootingin time. Charlie. " I could not help laughing, although I was cross at his impertinence--intaking for granted that I would be quite ready to do whatever hewished. I threw it in the fire, and, of course, I shan't go down amoment before five. Adeline has just been in to see why I am so longgetting ready. --Good-bye, dear Mamma, love from your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. Carriston Towers, _Saturday_. [Sidenote: _An Anchor in Life_] Dear Mamma, --Oh! what a long day this has been! But I always get somuddled if I don't go straight on, that I had better finish telling youabout Friday first. Well, while Adeline and I were bicycling, she toldme she thought I should grow quite pretty if only my hair was arrangedmore like hers--she has a jug-handle chignon--and if I had less of thatFrench look. But she supposed I could not help it, having had to spendso much time abroad. She said I should find life was full oftemptations, if I had not an _anchor_. I asked her what that was, andshe said it was something on which to cast one's soul. I don't see howthat could be an anchor--do you, Mamma? because it is the anchor thatgets cast, isn't it? However, she assured me that it was, so I askedher if she had one herself, and she said she had, and it was her greatreverence for Mr. Trench, and they were secretly engaged! and she hopedI would not mention it to anybody; and presently, when he joined us, would I mind riding on, as she had so few chances to talk to him? Thatshe would not for the world deceive her mother, but there weremysteries connected with her religion which Lady Carriston could notunderstand, being only Low Church. But when they saw a prospect ofgetting married they would tell her about it; if they did it now, shewould persuade the Duke not to give Mr. Trench the Bellestoke living, which he has half promised him, and so make it impossible for them tomarry. I asked her if Mr. Trench was Miss Garnons' anchor too? and she seemedquite annoyed, so I suppose their religion has heaps of differentmysteries; but I don't see what all that has got to do with telling hermother, do you? And I should rather turn Low Church than have to kissMr. Trench, anyway. He came from a side path and joined us, and as soonas I could I left them; but they picked me up again by the inner gate, just as I was going in to lunch, after having had a beautiful ride. ThePark is magnificent. [Sidenote: _Putting on the Clock_] At lunch I sat by the old Earl. He said my hair was a sunbeam's home, and that my nose was fit for a cameo; he is perfectly charming. Afterwards we went _en bloc_ to the library, and the Garnons began toknit again. Nobody says a word about clothes; they talked about theGirls' Friendly Society, and the Idiot Asylum, and the Flannel Union, and Higher Education, and whenever Lady Garnons mentions any one thatLady Carriston does not know all about, she always says, "Oh! and _whowas_ she?" And then, after thoroughly sifting it, if she finds that theperson in question does not belong to any of the branches of the familythat she is acquainted with, she says "Society is getting very mixednow. " Presently about six more people arrived. There seems to benothing but these ghastly three o'clock trains here. All the new lotwere affected by it, just as I was. There were endless pauses. I would much rather scream at Aunt Maria for a whole afternoon thanhave to spend it with Lady Carriston. I am sure she and Godmamma wouldbe the greatest friends if they could meet. When I got up to my room Iwas astonished to find it was so late. I had not even scrambled into myclothes when the clock struck five. I had forgotten all about Charlieand his scrap of paper, but when I got into the blue drawing-room, there he was, with his wrist bandaged up, and no signs of tea about. What do you think the horrid boy had done, Mamma? Actually had the biggold clock in my room put on! There were ten chances to one, he said, against my looking at my watch, and he knew I would not come downunless I thought it was five. I was so cross that I wanted to goupstairs again, but he would not let me; he stood in front of the door, and there was no good making a fuss, so I sat down by the fire. He said he had seen last night how struck his Grandfather had been withme, and he did want me to get round him, as he had got into an awfulmess, and had not an idea how he was going to get out of it, unless Ihelped him. I said I was sorry, but I really did not see how I could doanything, and that he had better tell his Mother, as she adored him. [Sidenote: _Cora's Necklace_] He simply jumped with horror at the idea of telling his Mother. "GoodLord!" he said, "the old girl would murder me, " which I did not thinkvery respectful of him. Then he fidgeted, and humm'd and haw'd for sucha time that tea had begun to come in before I could understand theleast bit what the mess was; but it was something about a Cora de laHaye, who dances at the Empire, and a diamond necklace, and how he wasmadly in love with her, and intended to marry her, but he had lost sucha lot of money at Goodwood, that no one knew about, as he was supposednot to have been there, that he could not pay for the necklace unlesshis grandfather gave him a lump sum to pay his debts at Oxford with, and that what he wanted was for me to get round the old Earl to givehim this money, and then he could pay for Cora de la Haye's necklace. He showed me her photo, which he keeps in his pocket. It is just likethe ones in the shops in the Rue de Rivoli that Mademoiselle neverwould let me stop and look at in Paris. I am sure Lady Carriston can'thave been having second sight into her children's thoughts lately! Just then Lady Garnons and some of the new people came in, and he wasobliged to stop. We had a kind of high tea, as the Conservative meetingwas to be at eight, and it is three-quarters of an hour's drive intoBarchurch, and there was to be a big supper after. Lady Carriston didmake such a fuss over Charlie's wrist. She wanted to know was it badlysprained, and did it ache much, and was it swollen, and he had theimpudence to let her almost cry over him, and pretended to wince whenshe touched it! As we were driving in to the meeting he sat next me inthe omnibus, and kept squeezing my arm all the time under the rug, which did annoy me so, that at last I gave his ankle a nasty kick, andthen he left off for a little. He has not the ways of a gentleman, andI think he had better marry his Cora, and settle down into a class moresuited to him than ours; but _I_ shan't help him with his Grandfather. [Sidenote: _Politics and Principle_] Have you ever been to a political meeting, dear Mamma? It is funny! Allthese old gentlemen sit up on a platform and talk such a lot. The Dukeput in "buts" and "ifs" and "thats" over and over again when he couldnot think of a word, and you weren't a bit the wiser when he hadfinished, except that it was awfully wrong to put up barbed wire; but Ican't see what that has to do with politics, can you? One of thepepper-and-salts did speak nicely, and so did one of the newpeople--quite a youngish person; but they all had such a lot of words, when it would have done just as well if they had simply said that ofcourse our side was the right one--because trade was good when we werein, and that there are much better people Conservatives than Radicals. Anyway, no one stays a Radical when he gets to be his own father, as itwould be absurd to cut off one's nose to spite one's face--don't youthink so, Mamma? So it is nonsense talking so much. One or two rude people in the back called out things, but no one paidany attention; and at last, after lots of cheering, we got into theomnibus again. I _was_ hungry. At supper we sat more or less anyhow, and I happened to be next the youngish person who spoke. I don't knowhis name, but I know he wasn't any one very grand, as Lady Carristonsaid, before they arrived in the afternoon, that things were changingdreadfully; that even the Conservative party was being invaded bypeople of no family; and she gave him two fingers when she said "Howd'ye do?" But if he is nobody, I call it very nice of him to be aConservative, and then he won't have to change afterwards when he getshigh up. The old Earl asked me what I thought of it all, so I told him;and he said that it was a great pity they could not have me at the headof affairs, and then things would be arranged on a really simple andsatisfactory basis. After breakfast this morning most of the new people went, and the Dukeand the pepper-and-salts; Lady Carriston drove Lady Garnons over to seeher Idiot Asylum. They were to lunch near there, so we had our food inpeace without them, and you would not believe the difference therewas! Everyone woke up: Old Sir Samuel Garnons, who had not spoken oncethat I heard since I came, joked with Fräulein Schlarbaum. Charlie hadtwo brandies-and-sodas instead of his usual glass of milk, and Adelineand Miss Garnons were able to gaze at their _anchor_ without fear. This afternoon I have been for a ride with Charlie, and do you know, Mamma, I believe he is trying to make love to me, but it is all in suchhorrid slang that I am not quite sure. I must stop now. --With love, from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. [Sidenote: _A Good Protestant_] _P. S. _--Sunday. I missed the post last night. We did spend a boringevening doing nothing, not even dummy whist, like at Aunt Maria's, andI was so tired hearing the two old ladies talking over the idiots theyhad seen at the Asylum, that I was thankful when half-past ten came. Asfor to-day, I am glad it is the last one I shall spend here. There is asettled gloom over everything, a sort of Sunday feeling that makes oneeat too much lunch. Mr. Trench had been allowed to conduct the servicein the chapel this morning, and Lady Carriston kept tapping her footall the time with annoyance at all his little tricks, and once ortwice, when he was extra go-ahead, I heard her murmuring to herself"Ridiculous!" and "Scandalous!" What _will_ she do when he is herson-in-law? Adeline and Miss Garnons knelt whenever they could, and as long as theycould, and took off their gloves and folded their hands. I thinkAdeline hates Miss Garnons, because she is allowed to cross herself;and of course Adeline daren't, with her mother there. After tea Charlie managed to get up quite close to me in a corner, andhe said in a low voice that I was "a stunner, " and that if I would just"give him the tip, " he'd "chuck Cora to-morrow;" that I "could give herfits!" And if that is an English proposal, Mamma, I would much ratherhave the Vicomte's or the Marquis's. We are coming by the evening train to-morrow; so till thengood-bye. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. CHEVENIX CASTLE Chevenix Castle, _8th November_. [Sidenote: _Chevenix Castle_] Dearest Mamma, --I am sure I shall enjoy myself here. The train was solate, and only two other people were coming by it besides me, so we alldrove up in the omnibus together. One was a man, and the other a woman, and she glared at me, and fussed her maid so about her dressing-bag, and it was such a gorgeous affair, and they had such quantities ofluggage, and the only thing they said on the drive up was how cold itwas, and they wondered when we should get there. And when we didarrive, there was only just time to rush up and dress for dinner; allthe other people had come by an earlier train. I left them both in thecare of the groom of the chambers, as even Cousin Octavia had goneupstairs, and there was not a soul about, but she had left a messagefor me; and while Agnès was clawing the things out of the trunks, Iwent to her room. She was just having her hair done, but she did not mind a bit, and wasawfully glad to see me. She is a _dear_. Her hair is as dark asanything underneath, but all the outside is a bright red. She says itis much more attractive like that, but it does look odd before thefront thing is on, and that is a fuzzy bit in a net, like whatRoyalties have. And then she has lots of twist-things round at theback, and although it doesn't look at all bad when the diamondstick-ups are in and she is all arranged. She went on talking all thetime while her maid was fixing it, just as if we were alone in theroom. She told me I had grown six inches since she was with us atArcachon three years ago, and that I was quite good-looking. She saidthey had a huge party for the balls, some rather nice people, and LadyDoraine and one or two others she hated. I said why did she havepeople she hated--that I would not if I were a Countess like her; soshe said those were often the very ones one was obliged to have, because the nice men wouldn't come without them. [Sidenote: _The Test of a Gentleman_] She hoped I had some decent clothes, as she had got a tame millionairefor me. So I said if it was Mr. Wertz she need not bother because Iknew him; and, besides, I only intended to marry a gentleman, unless, of course, I should get past twenty and _passé_, and then, goodnessknows _what_ I might take. She laughed, and said it was ridiculous tobe so particular, but that anyway that would be no difficulty, as everyone was a gentleman now who paid for things. Then she sent me off to dress, just as she began to put some red stuffon her lips. It is wonderful how nice she looks when everything isdone, even though she has quite a different coloured chest to the topbit that shows above her pearl collar, which is brickish-red fromhunting. So is her face, but she is such a dear that one admires evenher great big nose and little black eyes, which one would thinkhideous in other people. I met Tom just going into her room as I cameout; he said he had come to borrow some scent from her. He looksyounger than she does, but they were the same age when they gotmarried, weren't they? He kissed me and said I was a dear little cousin, and had I been boxingany one's ears lately. Before I could box his for talking so, Octaviacalled out to him to let me go, or I should be late, and had I not toscurry just? Agnès fortunately had everything ready, but I fussed sothat my face was crimson when I got downstairs, and every one wasalready there. There seemed to be dozens of people. You will see in the list in the_Morning Post_ to-morrow what a number of the Nazeby set there arehere. Lord Valmond is here, but he did not see me until we were at dinner. Iwent in with Mr. Hodgkinson, who is contesting this Division; he isquite young and wears an eyeglass, which he keeps dropping. He reallylooks silly, but they say he says some clever things if you give himtime, and that he will be a great acquisition to the party he hasjoined now, as it is much easier to get made a peer by the Radicals;and that is what he wants, as his father made a huge fortune in bonesand glue. He did not talk to me at all, but eat his dinner at first, and thensaid: "I don't believe in talking before the fish, do you?" So I said: "No, nor till after the ices, unless one has something tosay. " He was so surprised that his eyeglass dropped, and he had to fumble tofind it, so by that time I had begun to talk to old Colonel Blake, whowas at the other side of me. [Sidenote: _The Game of Bridge_] Lady Doraine was looking so pretty; her hair has grown much fairer andnicer than it was at Nazeby. Lord Doraine is here too; his eyes are soclose together! He plays a game called "Bridge" with Mr. Wertz and Mr. Hodgkinson and Tom all the time--I mean in the afternoon beforedinner--so Mr. Hodgkinson told me when we got to dessert. I suppose itwas the first thing he had found to say! I asked him if it was a kindof leapfrog; because don't you remember we called it "Bridge" when youhad to jump two? He said No; that it was a game of cards, and much moreprofitable if one had the luck of Lord Doraine, who had won heaps ofmoney from Mr. Wertz. Afterwards, in the drawing-room, Lady Dorainecame up to me and asked me where I had been hiding since the Nazebyvisit, and when she heard I had been in France, she talked a lot aboutthe fashions. She has such a splendid new rope of pearls, and suchlovely clothes. The Rooses are here too, and Jane has a cold in herhead. She says she heard by this evening's post that Miss La Touche isgoing to be married to old Lord Kidminster, and that he is "too deaf tohave heard everything, so it is just as well. " I can't see why, as MissLa Touche is so nice, and never talks rubbish; so I think it a pity hecan't hear all she says, don't you? Lady Doraine calls Octavia "darling!" She stood fiddling with herdiamond chain and purring over her frock, so I suppose she is fond ofher in spite of Octavia hating her. [Sidenote: _An Englishman's Views_] After dinner Lord Valmond came up to me at once. I felt in such a goodtemper, it was hard to be very stiff, he seemed so awfully glad to seeme. He said I might have let him know what day it was that I crossedover to France after leaving Hazeldene Court--he would have taken suchcare of me. I said I was quite able to take care of myself. Then heasked me if the people were nice in France? and when I said perfectlycharming, he said some Frenchwomen weren't bad but the men weremonkeys. I said it showed how little he knew about them, I had foundthem delightful, always polite and respectful and amusing, quite acontrast to some English people one was obliged to meet. His eyes blazed like two bits of blue fire, and when he looked likethat, it made my heart beat, Mamma, I don't know why. He is sonice-looking, of course no Frenchman could compare to him, but I wasobliged to go on praising them because it annoyed him so. He said Imust have stayed there ages, he had been wondering and wondering whenhe was to see me again. He said Mr. Hodgkinson was an ass, and he hadbeen watching us at dinner. Then Lord Doraine came up and Lady Doraine introduced him to me, and hesaid a number of nice things, and he has a charming voice; and Mr. Wertz came up too, and spoke to me; and then Lady Doraine called LordValmond to come and sit on the little sofa by her, and she looked athim so fondly that I thought perhaps Lord Doraine might not like it. Hetried not to see, but Mr. Wertz _did_, and I think he must have a kindheart, because he fidgeted so, and almost at once went and joined themto break up the tête-à-tête, so that Lord Doraine might not be teasedany more, I suppose. And every one went to bed rather early, because ofthe ball and shoot to-morrow, and I must jump in too, as I am sleepy, so good-night, dearest Mamma. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Chevenix Castle, _9th November_. [Sidenote: _The Peers' Sad Case_] Dearest Mamma, --Such a lot to tell you, and no time, as I must go downto tea. We passed rather a boring morning after the men had started fortheir shoot. Only a few people were down for breakfast, and none of themen who weren't guns. I suppose they were asleep. But Lady Grace Fentonwas as cross as a bear because she wanted to go and shoot too. She isjust like a man, and does look so odd and almost improper in theevening in female dress. And Tom won't have women out shooting, exceptfor lunch. Lady Doraine and Lady Greswold talked by the fire while theysmoked, and Lady Greswold said she really did not know where the peerswere to turn to now to make an honest penny, their names being no moregood in the City, and that it was abominably hard that now, she hadheard, they would have to understand business and work just likeordinary Stock Exchange people if they wanted to get on, and she didnot know what things were coming to. At lunch, in the châlet in the wood, it was rather fun. Mr. Hodgkinsonand Lord Doraine sat on either side of me. Lord Valmond came up withthe last guns, rather late, and he looked round the table and frowned. He seems quite grumpy now, not half so good-tempered as he used to be. I expect it is because Mrs. Smith isn't here. Mr. Wertz was so beautifully turned out in the newest clothes and theloveliest stockings, and he had two loaders and three guns, and LordDoraine told me that he had killed three pheasants, but the ground wasknee-deep in cartridges round him, and Tom was furious, as he likes anenormous bag. So I asked why, if Mr. Wertz was not a sportsman, had hetaken the huge Quickham shoot in Norfolk? Then Mr. Hodgkinson chimedin: "Oh! to entertain Royalty and the husbands of his charming ladyfriends!" and he fixed his eyeglass and looked round the corner of itat Lord Doraine, who drank a glass of peach brandy. After lunch the men had to start quickly, as we had dawdled so, and sowe turned to go back to the house. Octavia put her arm through mine, and we were walking on, when LadyDoraine joined us, with the woman who had glared at me in the omnibus. She looked as if she hated walking. She is not actually stout, buteverything is as tight as possible, and it does make her puff. She wasawfully smart, and had the thinnest boots on. Lady Doraine was being solovely to her, and Octavia was in one of her moods when she talks overpeople's heads, so we had not a very pleasant walk, until we came tothe stable gate, when Octavia and I went that way to see her newhunters. We had hardly got out of hearing when she said-- "Really, Elizabeth, how I dislike women!" [Sidenote: _The Millionaires_] So I asked her who the puffing lady was, and she said a Mrs. Pike, thenew Colonial millionairess. "Horrid creature, as unnecessary as can be!" So I asked her why she had invited her, then. And she said hersister-in-law, Carry, had got round Tom and made a point of it, as shewas running them, and now Carry had got the measles and could not cometo look after the creature herself; and it would serve her right ifFolly Doraine took them out of her hands. And so you see, Mamma, everything has changed from your days, because this isn't a person youwould dream of knowing. I don't quite understand what "running them"means, and as Octavia was a little out of temper, I did not like to askher; but Jane Roose is sure to know, so I will find out and tell you. I went and played with the children when we got in. They are suchducks, and we had a splendid romp. Little Tom is enormous for five, andso clever, and Gwynnie is the image of Octavia when her hair was dark. Now I _must_ go down to tea. [Sidenote: _Teaching Patience_] 7. 30. --I was so late. Every one was there when I got down in suchgorgeous tea-gowns; I wore my white mousseline delaine frock. TheRooses have the look of using out their summer best dresses. Jane'scold is worse. The guns had got back, and came straggling in one byone, as they dressed, quickly or slowly; and Lord Doraine had such alovely velvet suit on, and he said such nice things to me; and LordValmond sat at the other side, and seemed more ill-tempered than ever. I can't think what is the matter with him. At last he asked me to playPatience with him; so I said that was a game one played by oneself, andhe said he knew quite a new one which he was sure I would like tolearn; but I did not particularly want to just then. Lady Doraine wasshowing Mr. Wertz her new one at the other side of the hall. There aresome cosy little tables arranged for playing cards, with nice screensnear, so that the other people's counting, &c. , may not put one out. Mrs. Pike was too splendid for words, in petunia satin, and sable, andquantities of pearl chains; and Tom was trying to talk to her. Nobodyworries about Mr. Pike much; but Lord Doraine took him off to thebilliard-room, after collecting Mr. Wertz, to play "Bridge"--everybodyplays "Bridge, " I find--and then Lady Doraine came and joined LordValmond and me on the big sofa. Lord Valmond hardly spoke after that, and she teased him and said:"Harry, what a child you are!" and she looked as sweetly malicious asthe tortoise-shell cat at home does when it is going to scratch whileit is purring. And presently Dolly Tenterdown came over to us (he is inCousin Jack's battalion of the Coldstreams, and he looks about fifteen, but he behaves very "grown up"), and he asked Lady Doraine to come andteach him her new "Patience"; and they went to one of the screentables, and Lord Valmond said he was a charming fellow, but I thoughthe looked silly, and I do _wonder_ what she found to say to him. Shemust be quite ten years older than he is, and Jane Roose says it is anawful sign of age when people play with boys. Lord Valmond asked me to keep him some dances to-night, but I said Ireally did not know what I should do until it began, as I had neverbeen at a ball before. I haven't forgiven him a bit, so he need notthink I have. Now I must stop. Oh! I am longing to put on my whitetulle, and I do feel excited. --Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--I asked Jane Roose what "running them" means, and it's beingput on to things in the City, and having all your bills paid if youintroduce them to people; only you sometimes have to write theirletters for them to prevent them putting the whole grand address, &c. , that is in the Peerage; and she says it is quite a profession now, anddone by the best people, which of course must be true, as Carry isTom's sister. E. Chevenix Castle, _10th November_. [Sidenote: _A Modern Industry_] Dearest Mamma, --Oh! it was too, too lovely, last night. I am having mybreakfast in bed to-day, just like the other grown-up people, and itreally feels so grand to be writing to you between sips of tea andnibbles of toast and strawberry jam! Well, to tell you about the ball. First my white tulle was a dream. Octavia said it was by far theprettiest débutante frock she had ever seen; and when I was dressed shesent for me to her room, and Tom was there too, and she took out of aduck of a white satin case a lovely string of pearls and put it roundmy throat, and said it was their present to me for my first ball!Wasn't it angelic of them? I hugged and kissed them both, and almostsquashed Tom's buttonhole into his pink coat, I was so pleased, but hesaid he didn't mind; and then we all went down together, and no oneelse was ready, so we looked through the rooms. The dancing, of course, was to be in the picture gallery, and the flowers were so splendideverywhere, and Octavia was quite satisfied. It is a mercy it is such abig house, for we weren't put out a bit beforehand by the preparations. I don't know if you were ever like that, Mamma, but I felt as if I mustjump about and sing, and my cheeks were burning. Octavia sat down andplayed a valse, and Tom and I opened the ball by ourselves in theempty room, and it _was_ fun, and then we saw Lord Valmond peeping inat the door, and he came up and said Tom was not to be greedy, and so Idanced the two last rounds with him, and he had such a strange look inhis eyes, a little bit like Jean when he had the fit, and he never saidone word until we stopped. [Sidenote: _Forgiveness_] Then Octavia went out of the other door, and I don't know where Tomwent, but we were alone, and so he said, would I forgive him foreverything and be friends, that he had never been so sorry for anythingin his life as having offended me. He really seemed so penitent, and hedoes dance so beautifully, and he is so tall and nice in his pink coat;and, besides, I remembered his dinner with Aunt Maria, and how nasty Ihad been to him at Hazeldene! So I said, all right I would try, if hewould promise never to be horrid again; and he said he wouldn't; andthen we shook hands, and he said I looked lovely, and that my frock wasperfect; and then Tom came back and we went into the hall, andeverybody was down, and they had drawn for partners to go in to dinnerwhile we were in the ballroom. Tom had made Octavia arrange that weshould draw, as he said he could not stand Lady Greswold two nightsrunning. Octavia said she had drawn for Lord Valmond because he wasn'tthere, and that his slip of paper was _me_, and he said on our way intothe dining-room that Octavia was a brick. We _had_ such fun at dinner. Now that I have forgiven him, and have not to be thinking all the timeof how nasty I can be, we get on splendidly. [Sidenote: _The Ball_] Mr. Wertz was at the other side of me with Mrs. Pike; but as he isn't"running" them he had not to bother to talk to her, and he is reallyvery intelligent, and we three had such an amusing time. Lord Valmondwas in a lovely temper. Jane Roose said afterwards in the drawing-roomthat it was because Mrs. Smith was coming with the Courceys to theball. Lady Doraine had drawn Mr. Pike, who is melancholy-looking, witha long Jew nose; but she woke him up and got him quite animated bydessert, and Mrs. Pike did not like it one bit. I overheard herspeaking to him about it afterwards, and he said so roughly, "You mindyour own climbing, Mary; you ought to be glad as it's a titled lady!"Well, then, by the time we were all assembled in the hall, every onebegan to arrive. Oh, it was so, so lovely! Every one looked at me as Istood beside Octavia at first, because they all knew the ball was givenfor me, and then for the first dance I danced with Tom, and after thatI had heaps of partners, and I can't tell you about each dance, but itwas all heavenly. I tried to remember what you said and not dance morethan three times with the same person, but, somehow, Lord Valmond gotfour, and another--but that was an extra. Mrs. Smith did come with the Courceys, and she was looking so smartwith a beautiful gown on, and Jane Roose said it was a mercy Valmondwas so rich; but I don't see what that had to do with it. I saw himdancing with her once, but he looked as cross as two sticks, perhapsbecause she was rather late. Do you know, Mamma, a lot of the beautieswe are always reading about in the papers as having walked in the Parklooking perfectly lovely were there, and some of them are _quite, quiteold_--much older than you--and all trimmed up! Aren't you astonished?And one has a grown-up son and daughter, and she danced all the timewith Dolly Tenterdown, who was her son's fag at Eton, Lord Doraine toldme. Isn't it odd? And another was the lady that Sir Charles Helmsfordwas with on the promenade at Nice, when you would not let me bow tohim, do you remember? And she is as old as the other! Lord Doraine was rather a bother, he wanted to dance with me so often;so at last I said to Octavia I really was not at my first ball to dancewith old men (he is quite forty), and what was I to do? And she was socross with him, and I could see her talking to him about it when shedanced with him herself next dance; and after that till supper hedisappeared--into the smoking-room, I suppose, to play "Bridge. " [Sidenote: _At Supper_] I went in to supper first with the Duke of Meath--he had just finishedtaking in Octavia--he is such a nice boy; and then, as we were comingout, we went down a corridor, and there in a window-seat were LordValmond and Mrs. Smith, and he was still gloomy, and she had the samegreen-rhubarb-juice look she had the last night at Nazeby. He jumped upat once, and said to me he hoped I had not forgotten I had promised togo in to supper with him, so I said I had just come from supper; andwhile we were speaking Mrs. Smith had got the Duke to sit down besideher, and so I had to go off with Lord Valmond, and he seemed so odd andnervous, and as if he were apologising about something; but I don'tknow what it could have been, as he had not asked me before to go in tosupper with him. He seemed to cheer up presently, and persuaded me to go back into thesupper-room, as he said he was so hungry, and we found a dear littletable, with big flower things on it, in a corner; but when we got therehe only played with an ortolan and drank some champagne, but he didtake such a while about it; and each time I said I was sure the nextdance was beginning he said he was still hungry. I have never seen anyone have so much on his plate and eat so little. At last I insisted ongoing back, and when we got to the ballroom an extra was on, and hesaid I had promised him that, but I hadn't. However, we danced, andafter that, having been so long away at supper, and one thing andanother, my engagements seemed to get mixed, and I danced with allsorts of people I hadn't promised to in the beginning. At last it cameto an end, and when the last carriage had driven away, we all went andhad another hot supper. [Sidenote: _End of the Ball_] Mr. Pike would sit next to Lady Doraine, and he was as gay as ablackbird, and I heard Octavia saying to Lady Greswold that Carry hadbetter hurry up and get that house in Park Street, or Lady Dorainewould have it instead. Then we all went to bed, and Lord Valmondsqueezed my hand and looked as silly as anything, and Jane Roose, whosaw, said I had better be careful, as he was playing me off againstMrs. Smith. It was great impertinence of her, I think--don'tyou?--especially as Mrs. Smith had gone, so I can't see the point. --NowI am going to get up. Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Chevenix Castle, _13th November_. [Sidenote: _Tableaux_] Dearest Mamma, --I enjoyed my self last night quite as much as at theball here; but first, I must tell you about Thursday and yesterday. Themorning after the ball here no one came down till lunch, and in theafternoon Lady Doraine suggested we should have some tableaux in theevening, and so we were busy all the time arranging them. They were allbosh; but it was so amusing. Mrs. Pike lent every one her tea-gowns--she has dozens--and they didsplendidly for the Queen of Sheba; and Mr. Pike played Charles I. Having his head cut off, as Lady Doraine told him he had just the typeof lofty melancholy face for that. I was the Old Woman in the Shoe, with all the biggest people for children; but the best of all was DollyTenterdown as "Bubbles. " Lord Doraine and Mr. Wertz and Tom and someothers played "Bridge" all the time while we were arranging them; butLord Valmond was most useful, and in such a decent temper. After theywere over we danced a little, and it was all delightful. [Sidenote: _A Game of Patience_] Yesterday, the day of the county ball in Chevenix, they shot again; andit rained just as we all came down ready to start for the lunch; so wecouldn't go, and had to lunch indoors without most of the men. Mr. Pikehadn't gone shooting, because I heard Tom saying the night before toLady Doraine that he wouldn't chance the party being murdered again, and that she must keep him at home somehow. So she did, and taught himPatience in the hall after lunch; and Mrs. Pike went and wanted tolearn it too, but Lady Doraine--who was lovely to her--somehow did notmake much room on the sofa, so she had to go and sit somewhere else. [Sidenote: _A Broad Hint_] Half the people were playing "Bridge, " and the rest were verycomfortable, and smoking cigarettes, of course; so Mrs. Pike did too. Her case is gold, with a splendid monogram in big rubies on it; but Iam sure it makes her feel sick, because she puffs it out and makes itburn up as soon as she can without its being in her mouth. She had togo and lie down after that, as she said she would be too tired for theball; but nobody paid much attention. It was more lively at tea-time, when the guns came in. And Lord Dorainewould sit by me; he talked about poetry, and said dozens of nice thingsabout me, and all sorts of amusing ones about every one else; and LordValmond, who had gone to write some letters at a table near, seemed soput out with every one talking, that he could not keep his attention, and at last tore them up, and came and sat close to us, and told LordDoraine that he could see Mr. Wertz was longing for "Bridge. " And so hegot up, and laughed in such a way, and said, "All right, Harry, oldboy, " and Valmond got crimson--I don't know what at--and looked ascross as a bear for a few minutes. We had rather a hurried dinner. [Sidenote: _The Duchess's Ball_] My white chiffon is as pretty as the tulle, and Octavia was quitepleased with me. There were omnibuses and two broughams for us to goin. Octavia took me with her alone in one. I wanted to go in one of theomnibuses--it looked so much gayer--but she wouldn't let me. It is notmuch of a drive, as you know, and we all got there at the same timealmost, and our party did look so smart as we came in. Octavia sailedlike a queen up the room to a carpeted raised place at the end, andthere held a sort of court. The Duchess of Glamorgan was already there with her three daughters, and their teeth stick out just like Mrs. Vavaseur's; only they lookready to bite, and she was always smiling. The men of their party wereso young, and looked as if they would not hurt a fly, and the Duchesshad me introduced to her and asked about you. And Mrs. Pike tried tojoin in the conversation, and the Duchess fixed on her _pince-nez_ andlooked at her for quite ten seconds, and then said, when she hadretired a little, "Who is this gorgeous person?" And when I said Mrs. Pike, she said, "I don't remember the name, " in a tone that dismissedMrs. Pike from the universe as far as she was concerned; and Jane Roosesays she is almost the only Duchess who won't know _parvenues_, andthat is what makes her set so dull. There were such a lot of funny frumpy people at the other end of theroom--"the rabble, " Mrs. Pike called them. "Let us walk round and lookat the rabble, " she said to Lord Doraine, who was standing by her. Andthey went. [Sidenote: _The Ride Home_] I had such lots of partners I don't know what any one else did; I wasenjoying myself so, and I hope you won't be annoyed with me, as I amafraid I danced oftener than three times with Lord Valmond. Mrs. Smithseemed to be with the little Duke a great deal, and she glared at mewhenever she passed. I like English balls much better than French, though, perhaps, I can't judge, as I was never at a real one there. But Englishmen are so much better-looking, and everybody doesn't get sohot, and it is nice having places to sit out and talk without feelingyou are doing something wrong. Coming home, Octavia made Lady Doraineand Mrs. Pike go in her brougham, and she and I went in one of theomnibuses. Lord Doraine sat between me and Octavia, and I suppose hewas afraid of crushing her dress, for he positively squashed me, he satso close. Lord Valmond was at the other side of me, and somebody musthave been pushing him, because he sat even nearer me than Lord Doraine, and between them I could hardly breathe; it was fortunate it was a coldnight. Before we got to the Park gates somehow the light went out, and all theway up the avenue people held each of my hands. I could not see whothey were, and I tried to get them away, but I couldn't, and I wasafraid to kick like I did to Charlie Carriston, as it might have beenMr. Hodgkinson who was sitting opposite, and so there would have beenno good in kicking Lord Doraine, or Lord Valmond; but I just made myfingers as stiff as iron and left them alone. It is a surprise to me, Mamma, to find that gentlemen in England behave like this, I call itawfully disappointing, and I am sure they could not have done so whenyou were young, it seems they are just as bad as the French. I toldOctavia about it when she came to tuck me up in bed; and she only wentinto a fit of laughter, and when I was offended, she said she would seethat the next time I went to a ball with her, that I had a chaperon oneach side coming home. [Sidenote: _An Awkward Situation_] I bowed as stiffly as I could in saying good-night to Lord Doraine andLord Valmond, and they both looked so astonished, that perhaps it wasMr. Hodgkinson after all; it _is_ awkward not knowing, isn't it? Thismorning all the guests are going, and on Monday, as you know, Tom andOctavia take me with them to stay at Foljambe Place, with theMurray-Hartleys for the Grassfield Hunt Ball. It will be fun, I hope, but I can never enjoy myself more than I have done here. --Now, good-bye, dear Mamma, your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. [Sidenote: _The Murray-Hartleys_] _P. S. _--Octavia says the Murray-Hartleys aren't people you would know, but one must go with the times, and she will take care of me. E. FOLJAMBE PLACE Foljambe Place, _15th November_. [Sidenote: _The Coat of Arms_] Dearest Mamma, --We arrived here this afternoon in time for tea. It is asplendid place, and everything has been done up for them by that manwho chooses things for people when they don't know how themselves. Heis here now, and he is quite a gentleman, and has his food with us; Ican't remember his name, but I daresay you know about him. Everything is Louis XV. And Louis XVI. , but it doesn't go so well inthe saloon as it might, because the panelling is old oak, with theFoljambe coats of arms still all round the frieze, and over themantelpiece, which is Elizabethan. And I heard this--(Mr. Jones I shallhave to call him)--say that it jarred upon his nervous system like anintense pain, but that Mrs. Murray-Hartley would keep them up, becausethere was a "Murray" coat of arms in one of the shields of the peoplethey married, and she says it is an ancestor of hers, and that is whythey bought the place; but as Octavia told me that their real name wasHart, and that they hyphened the "Murray, " which is his Christian name(if Jews can have Christian names) and put on the "ley" by royallicence, I can't see how it could have been an ancestor, can you? They are quite established in Society, Octavia says; they have beenthere for two seasons now, and every one knows them. They got LadyGreswold to give their first concert, and enclosed programmes with theinvitations, so hardly any of the Duchesses felt they could refuse, Octavia said, when they were certain of hearing the best singers fornothing; and it was a splendid plan, as many concerts have been spoiltby a rumour getting about that Melba was not really going to sing. Everybody smart is here. I am one of the few untitled people. [Sidenote: _A Friendly Little Party_] Mrs. Murray-Hartley doesn't look a bit Jewish, or fat and uneasy, likeMrs. Pike, but then this is only Mrs. Pike's first year. She--Mrs. M. -H. --is beautifully dressed, and awfully genial; she said it was"just more than delightful" of Octavia to bring me, and that it was sosweet of her to come to this friendly little party. "It is so muchnicer to have just one's own friends, " she said, "instead of those hugecollections of people one hardly knows. " There are quite twenty of ushere, Mamma, so I don't call it such a very weeny party, do you? My bedroom is magnificent, but it hasn't all the new books as they haveat Chevenix, and although the writing-table things are tortoise-shelland gold, there aren't any pens in the holders, that is why I amwriting this in pencil. The towels have such beautifully embroidereddouble crests on them, and on the Hartley bit, the motto is "_La finvaut l'eschelle_. " Octavia, who is in the room now looking ateverything, said Lady Greswold chose it for them when they wanted acrest to have on their Sèvres plates and things for their concert. Octavia keeps laughing to herself all the time, as she looks at thethings, and it puts me out writing, so I will finish this when I cometo bed. [Sidenote: _A Question of Taste_] 12. 30. --We had a regular banquet, I sat next to Lord Doraine--I did notcatch the name of the man who took me in--I forgot to tell you theDoraines and Sir Trevor and Lady Cecilia and lots of others I know arehere. Mrs. Murray-Hartley does hostess herself, which Octavia says isvery plucky of her, as both Lady Greswold, who gave her concert, andLady Bobby Pomeroy, who brought all the young men, are staying in thehouse; and Octavia says it shows she is really clever to haveemancipated herself so soon. We had gold plate with the game, and china up to that, and afterwardsLady Greswold talked to Octavia, and asked her if she thought it wouldlook better perhaps to begin gold with the soup, and have the _horsd'oeuvres_ on specimen Sèvres just to make a point. I hate gold platemyself, one's knife does make such slate-pencilish noises on it. [Sidenote: _Lord Valmond's Arrival_] The man who took me in kept putting my teeth so on edge that I wasobliged to speak to him about it at last. We had sturgeon from theVolga, or wherever the Roman emperors got theirs, but the plates werecold. Violins played softly all the time, behind a kind of NiagaraFalls at the end of the room, which is magnificent; it is hung withaubusson, almost as good as what they had at Croixmare, which has beenthere always. After dinner, while we were in the drawing-room alone, a note came forMrs. Murray-Hartley. She was talking to Octavia and me, so she read italoud; it was from Lord Valmond, and sent from the inn in the littletown. He said he had intended staying there by himself for the HuntBall, but that on arrival he found no fire in his room, so he waswriting to ask if Mrs. Murray-Hartley would put him up. She wasenchanted, and at once asked Lady Greswold if it would not be better toturn Lord Oldfield out of his room--which is the best in the bachelors'suite--as he is only a baron; but Lady Greswold said she did not thinkit would matter. I do call it odd, don't you, Mamma? because LordValmond told me, when he left Chevenix on Saturday, that he had to goto another party in Yorkshire, and was as cross as a bear because hewould not be able to be at the Grassfield ball. He turned upbeautifully dressed as usual, as quickly as it was possible for thebrougham which was sent for him to get back. He could not have kept itwaiting a moment; so I don't believe the story about there being nofire in his room, do you? [Sidenote: _Friendly Offers_] Mrs. Murray-Hartley did gush at him. Octavia says it is the first timeshe has been able to get him to her house, as he is ridiculouslyold-fashioned and particular, and actually in London won't go to placesunless he knows the host and hostess personally. He stood with a vacantfrown on his face all the time Mrs. Murray-Hartley was speaking, and achild could have seen he wanted to get away. It is in these kind ofways Frenchmen are more polite, because the Marquis always wore aninterested grin when Godmamma kept him by her. He got away at last, and came across the room, but by that time Sir Trevor and Mr. Hodgkinson were talking to me, and there was no room for him on oursofa, and he had to speak to Lady Cecilia, who was near. She was asabsent as usual, and he was talking at random, so their conversationwas rather funny; I heard scraps of it. [Sidenote: _A Sense of Honour_] Mr. Murray-Hartley must be very nice, although he looks so unimportant, for all the men call him "Jim, " and are awfully friendly. Lord Oldfieldand Lord Doraine seem ready to do anything for him. Lord Oldfieldoffered to hunt about and get him just the right stables for his housein Belgrave Square; he knew of some splendid ones, he said, that weregoing a great bargain, on a freehold that belongs to his sister'shusband. And Lord Doraine says he will choose his horses for him atTattersall's next week, as he wants some good hunters; he knows of thevery ones for him. "You leave it all to me, dear boy, " he said; and atthat Sir Trevor, who was listening (they were all standing close to oursofa) went into a guffaw of laughter. "Hunters, " he whispered, quiteloud, "beastly little Jew, he'd have to have a rocking-horse, and holdon by its mane. " And when I said I did not think one ought to speak soof people when one was eating their salt, he seemed to think that quitea new view of the case, and said, "By Jove! you are right, Elizabeth. Our honour and our sense of hospitality are both blunted nowadays. " Presently Lady Cecilia called Mr. Hodgkinson to her, and in one momentLord Valmond had slipped into his place. I asked him why he was not inYorkshire, and he said that he thought, after all, it was too far togo, and it was his duty to be at the Grassfield ball, as he has huntedwith this pack sometimes. He looked and looked at me, and I don't knowwhy, Mamma, but I felt so queer--I almost wish he had not come. Isuppose Mrs. Smith is somewhere in this neighbourhood, and that is whyhe did not go to Yorkshire. Sir Trevor monopolised most of theconversation, until we all got up to play baccarat. I did not want toplay as I don't know it, and Lord Valmond said it would be much nicerto sit and talk, but Mrs. Murray-Hartley would not hear of our notjoining in; and Octavia handed me a five-pound note and said I was notto lose more than that, so I thought I had better not go on refusing, and we went with the rest into the saloon, where there was a long tablelaid out with cards and counters. [Sidenote: _Playing Baccarat_] Lord Valmond said he would teach me the game, and that we would banktogether; however, Lady Doraine sat down in the chair he was holdingfor me, and she put her hand on his coat sleeve and said in such alovely voice, "Harry, it is ages since I have had a chat with you, sitdown here by me. " But he answered No, he had promised to show me how toplay, and his mouth was set quite square. She looked so alluring Idon't know how he could have done it, it was almost as flattering to meas the Vicomte's riding all night from Versailles. She laughed--but itwas not a very nice laugh--and she said, "Poor boy, is it as bad asthat?" and he looked back at her in an insolent way, as if they werecrossing swords, but he said nothing more, only we moved to the otherside of the table, to where there were two empty chairs together. When we sat down he said women were devils, which I thought very rudeof him. I told him so, and he said I wasn't a woman; but I remembernow, Mamma, he called me a "little devil" that time when he was so rudeat Nazeby, so it shows how inconsistent men are, doesn't it? Isometimes think he would like to say all the nice things the Vicomteused to, only with Englishmen I suppose you have to be alone in theroom for them to do that; they have not the least idea, like theFrench, of managing while they are speaking out loud about somethingelse. Every one looks very anxious here when they play; it is not at all ajoke as the roulette used to be at Nazeby; and they do put a lot on, although counters don't seem to be much to look at. It is not at all adifficult game, Mamma, and some of the people were so lucky turning up"naturels, " but we lost in spite of them at our side of the table, andLord Doraine said at last, that it was because we--Lord Valmond andI--were sitting together. Valmond looked angry, but he chaffed back. Idon't know what it was all about, and I was getting so sleepy, thatwhen a fresh deal was going to begin I asked Octavia, who was near, ifI might not go to bed. She nodded, so I slipped away. Lord Valmondfollowed, to light my candle he said, but as there is nothing butelectric light that was nonsense. He was just beginning to saysomething nice, when we got beyond the carved oak screen that separatesthe staircase from the saloon, and there there were rows of footmen andpeople peeping in, so he just said "Good-night. " [Sidenote: _A Good-night_] And I also will say good-night to you, Mamma, or I shall look uglyto-morrow for the ball. --Love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. Foljambe Place, _16th November_. [Sidenote: _Bad Weather_] Dearest Mamma, --I have just come up to dress for tea, but I find it isearlier than I thought, so I shall have time to tell you about to-day. It has absolutely poured with rain and sleet and snow and blown a galefrom the moment we woke this morning until now--quite the most horridweather I ever remember. All the men were in such tempers, as it wasimpossible to shoot. Mr. Murray-Hartley had prepared thousands of tamepheasants for them, Tom said, although this wasn't to be a big shoot, only to amuse them by the way; and they were all looking forward to aregular slaughter. Octavia, and I, and Lady Bobby, were among the few women down tobreakfast besides our hostess, who is so bright and cheery in themorning; and when you think how morose English people are until lunchtime it is a great quality. Some of the men came down ready to start, and these were the ones in the worst humour. After breakfast half ofthem disappeared to the stables, and the rest played "Bridge, " exceptLord Valmond and Mr. Hodgkinson, who wanted to stay with us, only wewould not have them, so we were left to ourselves more or less. [Sidenote: _An Amusing Mistake_] Mrs. Murray-Hartley took us to see the pictures and the collections ofchina and miniatures; and she talks about them all just like a book, and calls them simple little things, and you would never have guessedthey cost thousands, and that she had not been used to them always, until she showed us a beautiful enamel of Madame de Pompadour, andcalled it the Princesse de Lamballe, and said so sympathetically thatit was quite too melancholy to think she had been hacked to pieces inthe Revolution; only perhaps it served her right for saying "_Après moile déluge!_". Octavia was in fits, and I wonder no one noticed it. Thenshe said she must leave us for a little in the music-room, as shealways went to see her children at this hour--they live in anotherwing. [Sidenote: _Gossip_] By that time Lady Doraine and Lady Greswold, and most of the otherswere down, and some of them looked as if they had been up awfully late. It seems they did not finish the baccarat until half-past three, andthat Lord Oldfield won more than a thousand pounds. Mrs. Murray-Hartleyhad hardly got out of the door, when Lady Doraine said what a beautifulwoman she was, and Lady Greswold began "yes and such tact, " and LadyBobby said, "and so charming, " and Lady Cecilia--who was doing ribbonwork on a small frame that sounds like a drum every time you put theneedle through--looked up and drawled in her voice right up at the top, "Yes, I have noticed very rich people always are. " Then they all talked at once, and by listening carefully one made outthat they were saying a nice thing about every one, only with adifferent ending to it, like: "she is perfectly devey but what a pityshe makes herself so remarkable, " and "Darling Florrie, of course sheis as straight as a die, but wearing those gowns so much too young forher, and with that very French figure, it does give people a wrongimpression, " and "It is extraordinary luck for dear Rosie, herhusband's dying before he knew anything. " I suppose it is all right, Mamma, but it sounds to me like giving back-handers. The French womennever talked like this; they were witty and amusing and polite, justthe same as if the men were in the room. [Sidenote: _The Gossips Rebuked_] Octavia did not join in it, but read the papers, and when they gotround to Mrs. Murray-Hartley again, and this time simply clawed her topieces, Octavia looked up and said in a downright way, "Oh! come, weneed none of us have known this woman unless we liked, and we are allgetting the _quid pro quo_ out of her, so for goodness' sake let usleave her alone. " That raised a perfect storm, they denied having saida word and were quite indignant at the idea of getting anything out ofher; but "It's all bosh, " Octavia said, "I am here because it is thenearest house to the Grassfield ball, and the whole thing amuses me, and I suppose you all have your reasons. " Lady Doraine looked at herout of the corner of her eyes, and said in her purry voice, "DarlingOctavia--you are so original, " and then she turned the conversation inthe neatest way. [Sidenote: _Octavia's Philosophy_] Octavia said to me, as we went upstairs before lunch, that they were aset of cats and harpies, and she hated them all, only unfortunately theothers--the nice good ones--taken _en bloc_ made things so dull, itwas better to put up with this set. Then she kissed me as I went intomy room and said; "At this time of the world's day, my littleElizabeth, there is no use in fighting windmills. " At luncheon Lord Valmond sat next to me; he said we had been horrid notto have wanted him to spend the morning with us, and would I let himteach me "Bridge" afterwards? I said I really was not a bit interestedin cards, but he said it was a delightful game, so I said All right. After lunch in the saloon I overheard Mrs. Murray-Hartley say to LadyGreswold that she feared this awful weather would make her party afailure, and what was she to do to amuse them this afternoon? So LadyGreswold said: "Leave 'em alone with plenty of opportunities to talk totheir friends, and it will be all right. " And so she did. [Sidenote: _An Afternoon at Cards_] Lord Valmond and I found a nice little table in a corner by the fire, and we began to turn over the cards, and presently every onedisappeared, except Lady Doraine and Mr. Wertz, who played Patience orsomething, beyond one of the Spanish leather screens; and Lady Bobbyand Lord Oldfield, who were smoking cigarettes together on the bigsofa. We could just hear their voices murmuring. You can't play"Bridge" with only two people, I find, and when Lord Valmond hadexplained the principles to me, I was none the wiser. I suppose I wasthinking of something else, and he said I was a stupid little thing, but in such a nice voice, and then we talked and did not worry aboutthe cards. But after a while he said he thought it was draughty for mein the saloon, and it would be cosier in one of the sitting-rooms, butI would not go, Mamma, as I did not find it at all cold. [Sidenote: _Lord Doraine intrudes_] Then Lord Doraine came in, and went over and disturbed everybody inturn, and finally sat down by us, and Lady Bobby laughed out loud, andLady Doraine peeped round the screen with her mischievoustortoise-shell cat expression, so I just said I would go and dress fortea, and came upstairs. I am sure they were all trying to make me feeluncomfortable, but I didn't a bit. I heard them shrieking with laughteras I left, and I caught a glimpse of Lord Valmond's face, and it wasset as hard as iron. Octavia wants me to wear my only other new ball dress to-night, thewhite gauze, so I suppose I must, and I do hope the rain will stopbefore we start. --With love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--Agnès says she won't sup downstairs, as there was so muchchampagne in the "room" last night that several of the valets gotdrunk, and she thinks it is not _distingué_. Foljambe Place, _Wednesday_. [Sidenote: _Sir Hugh d'Eynecourt_] Dearest Mamma, --Octavia is writing to you, and we have such a piece ofnews for you! I will tell you presently. Part of the ball last night was quite delightful, and fortunately therain had stopped before we started, in fact, I saw the stars shiningwhen I looked out on my way down to tea. A new man had arrived, SirHugh d'Eynecourt, I remember you have often spoken of him. He isnice-looking though quite old, over forty, I should think. It appearshe has been away from the world for more than two years; he has onlycome to this party now because Lady Bobby made him; he met her lately, and is a great friend of hers. The other men, Lord Doraine, &c. , werechaffing him by the fireplace--no one else was down--and they did saysuch odd things. Tom asked him why he had disappeared for so long, andhe said, Time was, when--if one stuck to one's own class--to live andlove was within the reach of any gentleman, but since the fashion ofthe long strings of pearls came in, it had become more expensive thanthe other class, and he could not compete with Jews and financiers, sohe had gone to live quietly in Paris. I don't know what it meant, butit seemed to amuse them all awfully. [Sidenote: _The Perfect Height_] When they saw me sitting on the sofa they stopped talking at once, andthen began about how horrid the day had been; and Sir Hugh wasintroduced and asked about you. He said I was not nearly so pretty asyou had been at my age, but I should do, he dared say. Then when Istood up, and he saw my height, he said that he had always thought fivefoot seven a perfect measure for women, so I said I did feeldisappointed, as I was only five foot six and three-quarters; helaughed and whispered, "Oh yes, I am sure you will do--very wellindeed. " He is charming, and he says he will be an uncle to me. At tea Octavia and he and I sat on the big sofa, and Lady Bobby did notlike it a bit. She tried to talk to Lord Valmond, who was fidgetingabout, looking as cross as a bear; but he would not stay still longenough to have any conversation. [Sidenote: _The Quarrel_] As we were going upstairs afterwards, he ran after me and said he musttell me that Sir Hugh was not at all the kind of man I ought to talk somuch to, and would I promise him the first dance to-night? I said No, that I was going to give it to Sir Hugh, and that he had better mindhis own business or I would not dance with him at all. I was not reallyangry, Mamma--because he is so nice-looking--but one is obliged to befirm with men, as I am sure you know. He turned round and stamped downthe stairs again, without a word, in a passion. At dinner, which I wentin to with Mr. Wertz, Sir Hugh was at the other side, and you can'tthink how friendly we got. He says I am the sweetest little darling hehas seen in a month of Sundays. I kept catching sight of Lord Valmond'sface between the flowers--he had taken in Mrs. Murray-Hartley--and itwas alternately so cross and unhappy looking, that he must have hadviolent indigestion. We went to the ball in omnibuses and broughams, the usual thing; butOctavia took care that I sat between her and Lady Cecilia. Mrs. Murray-Hartley was so beautifully dressed, and her jewels were superb, and everything in very good taste. She is really a very agreeable womanto talk to, Mamma, and one can't blame her for wanting to be inSociety. It must be so much nicer than Bayswater, where they came from, and Octavia says it proves her intelligence; it is easier to rise fromthe gutter than from the suburbs. Everybody had arrived when our party got to the ball. The Rooses arestaying at Pennythorn, and Jane came and said to me at once how sorryshe was to see me looking pale, and she hoped I would be able to enjoymyself--I wasn't pale, Mamma, I am sure, but I did feel just a teenybit sorry I had quarrelled again with Lord Valmond. He never came nearme, and everything seemed to be at sixes and sevens; people got crossbecause I mixed up their dances quite unintentionally, and, I don'tknow why, I did not enjoy myself a bit, in spite of Sir Hugh sayingevery sort of lovely thing to me. I had supper with him, and LordValmond was near with Lady Doraine, and she was being so nice to him, Mamma, leaning over and looking into his eyes, and I don't think itgood form, do you? Two or three dances afterwards, when we went back tothe ballroom, there was a polka; I danced it with some idiot who almostat once let yards and yards of my gauze frills get torn, so I wasobliged to go to the cloak-room to have it pinned up. [Sidenote: _An Unpleasant Incident_] It was a long way off, and when I came out my partner had disappeared, and there was no one about but Lord Doraine, and the moment I saw him Ihated the look in his eyes, they seemed all swimming; and he said insuch a nasty fat voice: "Little darling, I have sent your partner away, and I am waiting for you, come and sit out with me among the palms, "and I don't know why, but I felt frightened, and so I said, "No!" thatI was going back to the ballroom. And he got nearer and nearer, andcaught hold of my arm, and said, "No, no, you shall not unless you giveme a kiss first. " And he would not let me pass. I can't imagine why, Mamma, but I never felt so frightened in my life; and just then, walking aimlessly down the passage, came Lord Valmond. He saw us and came up quickly, and I was so glad to see some one, thatI ran to him, as Lord Doraine let me pass directly he caught sight ofHarry--I mean Lord Valmond--and he was in such a rage when he saw how Iwas trembling, and said, "What has that brute been saying to you?" andlooked as if he wanted to go back and fight him; but I was so terrifiedthat I could only say, "Do come away!" [Sidenote: _The Engagement_] We went and sat in the palm place, and there was not a soul there, asevery one was dancing; and I really don't know how it happened, I wasso upset about that horrid Lord Doraine, that Harry tried to comfortme, and we made up our quarrel, and--he kissed me again--and I hope youwon't be very cross, Mamma; but somehow I did not feel at all angrythis time. And I thought he was fond of Mrs. Smith; but it isn't, it'sMe! And we are engaged. And Octavia is writing to you. And I hope youwon't mind. And the post is off, so no more. --From your affectionatedaughter, Elizabeth. _P. S. _--I shall get married before the Drawing Room in February, because then I can wear a tiara. [Sidenote: _Victorine is outdone_] _P. S. Again. _--Of course an English marquis is higher than a Frenchone, so I shall walk in front of Victorine anywhere, shan't I? E.