an? Did you see me wave my
handkerchief from the carriage window?

"Adieu! Rejoice in my good luck: congratulate me on my supreme
happiness, and believe me, dear cynic and misanthrope, yours, in the
best of health and spirits,

GINEVRA LAURA DE HAMAL, nee FANSHAWE.

"P.S.--Remember, I am a countess now. Papa, mamma, and the girls at
home, will be delighted to hear that. 'My daughter the Countess!' 'My
sister the Countess!' Bravo! Sounds rather better than Mrs. John
Bretton, hein?"

* * * * *

In winding up Mistress Fanshawe's memoirs, the reader will no doubt
expect to hear that she came finally to bitter expiation of her
youthful levities. Of course, a large share of suffering lies in
reserve for her future.

A few words will embody my farther knowledge respecting her.

I saw her towards the close of her honeymoon. She called on Madame
Beck, and sent for me into the salon. She rushed into my arms laughing.
She looked very blooming and beautiful: her curls were longer, her
cheeks rosier than ever: her white bonnet and her Flanders veil, her
orange-flowers and her bride's dress, became her mightily.

"I have got my portion!" she cried at once; (Ginevra ever stuck to the
substantial; I always thought there was a good trading element in her
composition, much as she scorned the "bourgeoise;") "and uncle de
Bassompierre is quite reconciled. I don't mind his calling Alfred a
'nincompoop'--that's only his coarse Scotch breeding; and I believe
Paulina envies me, and Dr. John is wild with jealousy--fit to blow his
brains out--and I'm so happy! I really think I've hardly anything left
to wish for--unless it be a carriage and an hotel, and, oh! I--must
introduce you to 'mon mari.' Alfred, come here!"

And Alfred appeared from the inner salon, where he was talking to
Madame Beck, receiving the blended felicitations and reprimands of that
lady. I was presented under my various names: the Dragon, Diogenes, and
Timon. The young Colonel was very polite. He made me a prettily-turned,
neatly-worded apology, about the ghost-visits, &c., concluding with
saying that "the best excuse for all his iniquities stood there!"
pointing to his bride.

And then the bride sent him back to Madame Beck, and she took me to
herself, and proceeded literally to suffocate me with her unrestrained
spirits, her girlish, giddy, wild nonsense. She showed her ring
exultingly; she called herself Madame la Comtesse de Ham