harm to Miss Fanny! For though Hicks is not a brilliant or poetical
genius, I am bound to say that the fellow has good sense, good manners,
and a good heart; and with these qualities, a competent sum of money,
and a pair of exceedingly handsome moustaches, perhaps the poor little
Mrs. Launcelot Hicks may be happy.

No accident befell Lady Kicklebury on her voyage homewards: but she got
one more lesson at Aix-la-Chapelle, which may serve to make her ladyship
more cautious for the future: for, seeing Madame la Princesse de Mogador
enter into a carriage on the railway, into which Lord Talboys followed,
nothing would content Lady Kicklebury but to rush into the carriage
after this noble pair; and the vehicle turned out to be what is called
on the German lines, and what I wish were established in England, the
Rauch Coupe. Having seated himself in this vehicle, and looked rather
sulkily at my lady, Lord Talboys began to smoke: which, as the son of
an English earl, heir to many thousands per annum, Lady Kicklebury
permitted him to do. And she introduced herself to Madame la Princesse
de Mogador, mentioning to her highness that she had the pleasure of
meeting Madame la Princesse at Rougetnoirbourg; that she, Lady K., was
the mother of the Chevalier de Kicklebury, who had the advantage of
the acquaintance of Madame la Princesse; and that she hoped Madame la
Princesse had enjoyed her stay at the waters. To these advances
the Princess of Mogador returned a gracious and affable salutation,
exchanging glances of peculiar meaning with two highly respectable
bearded gentlemen who travelled in her suite; and, when asked by milady
whereabouts her highness's residence was at Paris, said that her hotel
was in the Rue Notre Dame de Lorette: where Lady Kicklebury hoped to
have the honor of waiting upon Madame la Princesse de Mogador.

But when one of the bearded gentlemen called the princess by the
familiar name of Fifine, and the other said, "Veux-tu fumer, Mogador?"
and the princess actually took a cigar and began to smoke, Lady
Kicklebury was aghast, and trembled; and presently Lord Talboys burst
into a loud fit of laughter.

"What is the cause of your lordship's amusement?" asked the dowager,
looking very much frightened, and blushing like a maiden of sixteen.

"Excuse me, Lady Kicklebury, but I can't help it," he said. "You've
been talking to your opposite neighbor--she don't understand a word
of English--and calling her princess