he became aware after a while that the Duchess was giving her
a history of some marvellous new dresses she had brought from Paris, and
which were to be displayed lavishly during the short time left of the
London season, and at Goodwood, and afterwards at various
country-houses.

'You're sleepy, child,' the Duchess suddenly said, 'and I am keeping you
up with my talk.'

'No, indeed, Duchess, I am not in the least sleepy, and it's very kind
of you to come and talk to me.'

'Well, if you ain't sleepy you are sorrowful, or something like it. So
your Dictator _is_ going to try his luck again! Well, clear, I just wish
you and I could help some. By the way, don't you take my countrymen here
as just our very best specimens of Americans.'

'I hadn't much noticed,' Helena said listlessly. 'They seemed very quiet
men.'

'Meaning that American men in general are rather noisy and
self-assertive?' the Duchess said with a smile.

'Oh, no, Duchess, I never meant anything of the kind. But they _do_ seem
very quiet, don't they?'

'Stupid, _I_ should say,' was the comment of the Duchess. 'I didn't talk
much with Mr. Copping, but I had a little talk with Professor Flick. I
am afraid, by the way, _he_ thinks me very stupid, for I appear to have
got him mixed up in my mind with somebody quite different, and you know
it vexes anybody to be mistaken for anybody else. I meant to ask him
what State he hailed from, but I quite forgot. His accent didn't seem
quite familiar to me somehow. I wish I had thought of asking him.' The
Duchess seemed so much in earnest about the matter that Helena felt
inspired to say, by way of consoling her:

'Dear Duchess, you can ask him the important question to-morrow. I dare
say he will not be offended.'

'Well, now that's just what I have been thinking about, dear child. You
see, I have already put my foot in it.'

'Won't do much harm,' Helena said smiling--'foot is too small.'

'Come now, that's very prettily said;' and the gratified Duchess
stretched out half-unconsciously a very small and pretty foot, cased in
an exquisite shoe and stocking, and then drew it in again, as if
thinking that she must not seem to be personally vindicating Helena's
compliment. 'But he might be offended, perhaps, if I were to convey the
idea that I knew nothing at all of him or his place of birth. Well--good
night, child; we shall meet him anyhow to-morrow.' She kissed Helena and
left the room.

When the Duchess had go