red her brow before she joined
the family, and appeared in the drawing-room before supper-time with a
countenance of tolerable serenity.

"How d'ye do, aunt?" was the Countess's salutation. "I declare now, I
was taking a nap when your ladyship arrived! Hope you found your room
fixed to your liking!"

Having addressed three brief sentences to the astonished old lady, the
Countess now turned to her other guests, and directed her conversation
to them. Mr. Warrington was not a little diverted by her behaviour,
and by the appearance of surprise and wrath which began to gather over
Madame Bernstein's face. "La petite," whom the Baroness proposed to
"form," was rather a rebellious subject, apparently, and proposed to
take a form of her own. Looking once or twice rather anxiously towards
his wife, my lord tried to atone for her pertness towards his aunt by
profuse civility on his own part; indeed, when he so wished, no man
could be more courteous or pleasing. He found a score of agreeable
things to say to Madame Bernstein. He warmly congratulated Mr.
Warrington on the glorious news which had come from America, and on his
brother's safety. He drank a toast at supper to Captain Warrington. "Our
family is distinguishing itself, cousin," he said; and added, looking
with fond significance towards his Countess, "I hope the happiest days
are in store for us all."

"Yes, George!" says the little lady. "You'll write and tell Harry that
we are all very much pleased with him. This action at Quebec is a most
glorious action; and now we have turned the French king out of the
country, shouldn't be at all surprised if we set up for ourselves in
America."

"My love, you are talking treason!" cries Lord Castlewood.

"I am talking reason, anyhow, my lord. I've no notion of folks being
kept down, and treated as children for ever!"

George! Harry! I protest I was almost as much astonished as amused.
"When my brother hears that your ladyship is satisfied with his conduct,
his happiness will be complete," I said gravely.

Next day, when talking beside her sofa, where she chose to lie in state,
the little Countess no longer called her cousin "George," but "Mr.
George," as before; on which Mr. George laughingly said she had changed
her language since the previous day.

"Guess I did it to tease old Madam Buzwig," says her ladyship. She wants
to treat me as a child, and do the grandmother over me. I don't want no
grandmothers, I don't. I'm the