I leave it for the company; but I can't wait to talk
any longer, miss, I must give coachman his orders."

"I never asked you to talk, Mr Lionel," said I.

"No, you didn't, but still I know you like to hear me: you can't deny
that. Now to use my lady's style, I am to tell the coachman to put a
girdle round the park in forty minutes;" so saying, the lad vanished, as
he usually did, in a second.

The lad was certainly right when he said that I did like to hear him
talk, for he amused me so much, that I forgave his impudence and
familiarity. Shortly afterwards, we went out in the carriage, and
having driven two or three times round the park, returned home to
dinner. At ten o'clock, we went to Mrs Allwood's party. I was
introduced to a great many great literary stars, whom I had never before
heard of; but the person who attracted the most attention was a Russian
Count, who had had his ears and nose cut off by the Turks. It certainly
did not add to his beauty, however it might have to his interest.
However, Lionel was right. It was a very stupid party to me: all
talking at once and constantly on the move to find fresh listeners; it
_was_ all buzz, buzz, buzz, and I was glad when the carriage was
announced. Such were the events of the first day which I passed under
the roof of Lady R--.

Indeed, this first day may be taken as a sample of most others, and a
month passed rapidly away. Each day, however, was marked with some
peculiar eccentricity on her part, but these diverted me. I was often
requested to do strange things in my position as a model, but with all
her oddities Lady R--was a gentlewoman in manner and in feeling, and
what I should certainly have refused to anyone else, I did for her
without reluctance. I now called her Sempronia, as she requested, and,
moreover, I became very intimate with Master Lionel, who would be
intimate, whether or no, and who, like Lady R--, was a source of great
amusement. At times, when I was alone and communed with myself, I could
not help surveying my peculiar position. I was engaged at a large
salary--for what? to look handsome, to put myself in attitudes, and to
do nothing. This was not flattering to my talents (such as I had), but
still I was treated with kindness and confidence; was the companion of
her ladyship; was introduced and taken to all the parties to which she
was asked, and never made to feel my dependence. I had already imbibed
a strong friendship for Lad