Constance had quadrupled; at the least; his house she had rendered
the most brilliant in London, and his name the most courted in the lists
of the peerage. Though munificent, she was not extravagant; though a
beauty, she did not intrigue; neither, though his inconstancy was open,
did she appear jealous; nor, whatever the errors of his conduct, did
she ever disregard his interest, disobey his wishes, or waver from
the smooth and continuous sweetness of her temper. Of such a wife Lord
Erpingham could not complain: he esteemed her, praised her, asked her
advice, and stood a little in awe of her.

Ah, Constance! had you been the daughter of a noble or a peasant--had
you been the daughter of any man but John Vernon--what a treasure beyond
price, without parallel, would that heart, that beauty, that genius have
been!

CHAPTER XXV.

THE PLEASURE OF RETALIATING HUMILIATION.--CONSTANCE'S DEFENCE
OF FASHION.--REMARKS ON FASHION.--GODOLPHIN'S WHEREABOUT.--FANNY
MILLINGER'S CHARACTER OF HERSELF.--WANT OF COURAGE IN MORALISTS.

It was a proud moment for Constance when the Duchess of Winstoun and
Lady Margaret Midgecombe wrote to her, worried her, beset her, for a
smile, a courtesy, an invitation, or a ticket to Almack's.

They had at first thought to cry her down; to declare that she was
plebeian, mad, bizarre, and a blue. It was all in vain. Constance rose
every hour. They struggled against the conviction, but it would not do.
The first person who confounded them with a sense of their error was the
late King, then Regent; he devoted himself to Lady Erpingham for a whole
evening, at a ball given by himself. From that hour they were assured
they had been wrong: they accordingly called on her the next day.
Constance received them with the same coldness she had always evinced;
but they went away declaring they never saw any one whose manners were
so improved. They then sent her an invitation! she refused it; a second!
she refused; a third, begging her to fix the day!!! she fixed the day,
and disappointed them. Lord bless us!--how sorry they were, how alarmed,
how terrified!--their dear Lady Erpingham must be ill!--they sent every
day for the next week to know how she was!

"Why," said Mrs. Trevor to Lady Erpingham,--"why do you continue so
cruel to these poor people? I know they were very impertinent, and so
forth, once; but it is surely wiser and more dignified now to forgive;
to appear unconscious of the past: people of t