see the speaker. It was the Duke of Wellington himself,
who, with his eye fixed upon some person at a distance, seemed to care
very little for any intervening obstruction. As I made way for him to pass
between us, he looked hardly at me, while he said in a short, quick way,--

"Know your face very well: how d'ye do?" With this brief recognition he
passed on, leaving me to console Inez for her crushed sleeve, by informing
her who had done it.

The ball was now at its height. The waltzers whirled past in the wild
excitement of the dance. The inspiriting strains of the music, the sounds
of laughter, the din, the tumult, all made up that strange medley which,
reacting upon the minds of those who cause it, increases the feeling
of pleasurable abandonment, making the old feel young, and the young
intoxicated with delight.

As the senhora leaned upon me, fatigued with waltzing, I was endeavoring to
sustain a conversation with her; while my thoughts were wandering with my
eyes to where I had last seen Lucy Dashwood.

"It must be something of importance; I'm sure it is," said she, at the
conclusion of a speech of which I had not heard one word. "Look at General
Picton's face!"

"Very pretty, indeed," said I; "but the hair is unbecoming," replying to
some previous observation she had made, and still lost in a revery. A
hearty burst of laughter was her answer as she gently shook my arm,
saying,--

"You really are too bad! You've never listened to one word I've been
telling you, but keep continually staring with your eyes here and there,
turning this way and looking that, and with a dull, vacant, and unmeaning
smile, answering at random, in the most provoking manner. There now, pray
pay attention, and tell me what that means." As she said this, she pointed
with her fan to where a dragoon officer, in splashed and spattered uniform,
was standing talking to some three or four general officers. "But here
comes the duke; it can't be anything of consequence."

At the same instant the Duke of Wellington passed with the Duchess of
Richmond on his arm.

"No, Duchess; nothing to alarm you. Did you say ice?"

"There, you heard that, I hope!" said Inez; "there is nothing to alarm us."

"Go to General Picton at once; but don't let it be remarked," said an
officer, in a whisper, as he passed close by me.

"Inez, I have the greatest curiosity to learn what that new arrival has to
say for himself; and if you will permit me, I'll leave