e the habitual iniquities
of the duke with a voice nearly as potent as that which was expressed
in the gradual fall of her eye and the gradual pressure of her lips.
When she commenced her curtsy she was looking full in her foe's face.
By the time that she had completed it her eyes were turned upon the
ground, but there was an ineffable amount of scorn expressed in the
lines of her month. She spoke no word, and retreated, as modest
virtue and feminine weakness must ever retreat, before barefaced vice
and virile power; but nevertheless she was held by all the world
to have had the best of the encounter. The duke, as he begged her
pardon, wore in his countenance that expression of modified sorrow
which is common to any gentleman who is supposed by himself to
have incommoded a lady. But over and above this,--or rather under
it,--there was a slight smile of derision, as though it were
impossible for him to look upon the bearing of Lady Lufton without
some amount of ridicule. All this was legible to eyes so keen as
those of Miss Dunstable and Mrs. Harold Smith, and the duke was known
to be a master of this silent inward sarcasm; but even by them,--by
Miss Dunstable and Mrs. Harold Smith,--it was admitted that Lady
Lufton had conquered. When her ladyship again looked up, the duke
had passed on; she then resumed the care of Miss Grantly's hand, and
followed in among the company.

"That is what I call unfortunate," said Miss Dunstable, as soon as
both belligerents had departed from the field of battle, "The Fates
sometimes will be against one."

"But they have not been at all against you here," said Mrs. Harold
Smith. "If you could arrive at her ladyship's private thoughts
to-morrow morning, you would find her to be quite happy in having
met the duke. It will be years before she has done boasting of her
triumph, and it will be talked of by the young ladies of Framley for
the next three generations."

The Gresham party, including Dr. Thorne, had remained in the
ante-chamber during the battle. The whole combat did not occupy above
two minutes, and the three of them were hemmed off from escape by
Lady Lufton's retreat into Dr. Easyman's lap; but now they, too,
essayed to pass on.

"What, you will desert me," said Miss Dunstable. "Very well; but I
shall find you out by and by. Frank, there is to be some dancing in
one of the rooms,--just to distinguish the affair from Mrs. Proudie's
conversazione. It would be stupid, you know,