,
though I own that neither the house nor the son of the house is very
much to my liking. But I hear that he has gone back to the country. And
there are a few people who frequent Lady Hubert, who might just now
be of use."

Lady Henry gave her consent that Mademoiselle Le Breton should accompany
the Duchess to Lady Hubert's party almost with effusion. "It will be
very dull," she said. "My sister-in-law makes a desert and calls it
society. But if you want to go, go. As to Evelyn Crowborough, I am
engaged to my dentist to-morrow morning."

When at night this message was reported to the Duchess, as she and Julie
were on their way to Rutland Gate, she laughed.

"How much leek shall I have to swallow? What's to-morrow? Wednesday.
Hm--cards in the afternoon; in the evening I appear, sit on a stool at
Lady Henry's feet, and look at you through my glasses as though I had
never seen you before. On Thursday I leave a French book; on Friday I
send the baby to see her. Goodness, what a time it takes!" said the
Duchess, raising her very white and very small shoulders. "Well, for my
life, I mustn't fail to-morrow night."

At Lady Hubert's they found a very tolerable, not to say lively,
gathering, which quite belied Lady Henry's slanders. There was not the
same conscious brilliance, the same thrill in the air, as pertained to
the gatherings in Bruton Street. But there was a more solid social
comfort, such as befits people untroubled by the certainty that the
world is looking on. The guests of Bruton Street laughed, as well-bred
people should, at the estimation in which Lady Henry's salon was held,
by those especially who did not belong to it. Still, the mere knowledge
of this outside estimate kept up a certain tension. At Lady Hubert's
there was no tension, and the agreeable nobodies who found their way in
were not made to blush for the agreeable nothings of their conversation.

Lady Hubert herself made for ease--partly, no doubt, for stupidity. She
was fair, sleepy, and substantial. Her husband had spent her fortune,
and ruffled all the temper she had. The Hubert Delafields were now,
however, better off than they had been--investments had recovered--and
Lady Hubert's temper was once more placid, as Providence had meant it to
be. During the coming season it was her firm intention to marry her
daughter, who now stood beside her as she received her guests--a blonde,
sweet-featured girl, given, however, so it was said, to good works