wcome, the
princess is going to establish an order," cried Bob in ecstasy. Every
one of her aides-de-camp had a bunch of orders at his button, excepting,
of course, poor Jones.

Like all persons who beheld her, when Miss Newcome and her party made
their appearance at Baden, Monsieur de Florac was enraptured with her
beauty. "I speak of it constantly before the Duchesse. I know it pleases
her," so the Vicomte said. "You should have seen her looks when your
friend M. Jones praised Miss Newcome! She ground her teeth with fury.
Tiens ce petit sournois de Kiou! He always spoke of her as a mere sac
d'argent that he was about to marry--an ingot of the cite--une fille de
Lord Maire. Have all English bankers such pearls of daughters? If
the Vicomtesse de Florac had but quitted the earth, dont elle fait
l'ornement--I would present myself to the charmante meess and ride
a steeple-chase with Kiou!" That he should win it the Viscount never
doubted.

When Lady Anne Newcome first appeared in the ballroom at Baden, Madame
la Duchesse d'Ivry begged the Earl of Kew (notre filleul, she called
him) to present her to his aunt miladi and her charming daughter. "My
filleul had not prepared me for so much grace," she said, turning a
look towards Lord Kew, which caused his lordship some embarrassment.
Her kindness and graciousness were extreme. Her caresses and compliments
never ceased all the evening. She told the mother and the daughter too
that she had never seen any one so lovely as Ethel. Whenever she saw
Lady Anne's children in the walks she ran to them (so that Captain
Blackball and Count Punter, A.D.C., were amazed at her tenderness), she
etouffed them with kisses. What lilies and roses! What lovely little
creatures! What companions for her own Antoinette. "This is your
governess, Miss Quigli; mademoiselle, you must let me present you to
Miss O'Gredi, your compatriot, and I hope your children will be
always together." The Irish Protestant governess scowled at the Irish
Catholic--there was a Boyne Water between them.

Little Antoinette; a lonely little girl, was glad to find any
companions. "Mamma kisses me on the promenade," she told them in her
artless way. "She never kisses me at home!" One day when Lord Kew
with Florac and Clive were playing with the children, Antoinette said,
"Pourquoi ne venez-vous plus chez nous, M. de Kew? And why does mamma
say you are a lache? She said so yesterday to ces messieurs. And why
does mamma say t