into the Turkish tent, Lady Clonbrony began to breathe more freely;
for here she thought she was upon safe ground: 'Everything, I flatter
myself' said she, 'is correct and appropriate, and quite picturesque.'
The company, dispersed in happy groups, or reposing on seraglio
ottomans, drinking lemonade and sherbet beautiful Fatimas admiring,
or being admired--'Everything here quite correct, appropriate, and
picturesque,' repeated Mrs. Dareville.

This lady's powers as a mimic were extraordinary, and she found them
irresistible. Hitherto she had imitated Lady Clonbrony's air and accent
only behind her back; but, bolder grown, she now ventured, in spite of
Lady Langdale's warning pinches, to mimic her kind hostess before her
face, and to her face. Now, whenever Lady Clonbrony saw anything that
struck her fancy in the dress of her fashionable friends, she had a
way of hanging her head aside, and saying, with a peculiar sentimental
drawl--

'How pretty!--how elegant! Now that quite suits my TEESTE! This phrase,
precisely in the same accent, and with the head set to the same angle
of affectation, Mrs. Dareville had the assurance to address to her
ladyship, apropos to something which she pretended to admire in Lady
Clonbrony's COSTUME--a costume which, excessively fashionable in each of
its parts, was, all together, so extraordinarily unbecoming as to be fit
for a print-shop. The perception of this, added to the effect of Mrs.
Dareville's mimicry, was almost too much for Lady Langdale; she could
not possibly have stood it, but for the appearance of Miss Nugent at
this instant behind Lady Clonbrony. Grace gave one glance of indignation
which seemed suddenly to strike Mrs. Dareville. Silence for a moment
ensued, and afterwards the tone of the conversation was changed.

'Salisbury!--explain this to me,' said a lady, drawing Mr. Salisbury
aside. 'If you are in the secret, do explain this to me; for unless I
had seen it, I could not have believed it. Nay, though I have seen it, I
do not believe it. How was that daring spirit laid? By what spell?'

'By the spell which superior minds always cast on inferior spirits.'

'Very fine,' said the lady, laughing, 'but as old as the days of Leonora
de Galigai, quoted a million times. Now tell me something new and to the
purpose, and better suited to modern days.'

'Well, then, since you will not allow me to talk of superior minds in
the present days, let me ask you if you have never obser