his warmest admiration.

In age she was about thirty; but Frank, who was no great judge in
these matters, and who was accustomed to have very young girls round
him, at once put her down as being ten years older. She had a very
high colour, very red cheeks, a large mouth, big white teeth, a broad
nose, and bright, small, black eyes. Her hair also was black and
bright, but very crisp, and strong, and was combed close round her
face in small crisp black ringlets. Since she had been brought out
into the fashionable world some one of her instructors in fashion
had given her to understand that curls were not the thing. "They'll
always pass muster," Miss Dunstable had replied, "when they are done
up with bank-notes." It may therefore be presumed that Miss Dunstable
had a will of her own.

"Frank," said the countess, in the most natural and unpremeditated
way, as soon as she caught her nephew's eye, "come here. I want to
introduce you to Miss Dunstable." The introduction was then made.
"Mrs Proudie, would you excuse me? I must positively go and say a few
words to Mrs Barlow, or the poor woman will feel herself huffed;"
and, so saying, she moved off, leaving the coast clear for Master
Frank.

He of course slipped into his aunt's place, and expressed a hope that
Miss Dunstable was not fatigued by her journey.

"Fatigued!" said she, in a voice rather loud, but very good-humoured,
and not altogether unpleasing; "I am not to be fatigued by such a
thing as that. Why, in May we came through all the way from Rome to
Paris without sleeping--that is, without sleeping in a bed--and we
were upset three times out of the sledges coming over the Simplon. It
was such fun! Why, I wasn't to say tired even then."

"All the way from Rome to Paris!" said Mrs Proudie--in a tone of
astonishment, meant to flatter the heiress--"and what made you in
such a hurry?"

"Something about money matters," said Miss Dunstable, speaking rather
louder than usual. "Something to do with the ointment. I was selling
the business just then."

Mrs Proudie bowed, and immediately changed the conversation.
"Idolatry is, I believe, more rampant than ever in Rome," said she;
"and I fear there is no such thing at all as Sabbath observance."

"Oh, not in the least," said Miss Dunstable, with rather a joyous
air; "Sundays and week-days are all the same there."

"How very frightful!" said Mrs Proudie.

"But it's a delicious place. I do like Rome, I must say. And as