are the
worse for it, when it looks so prettily out of your brown eyes. I
wonder what you expect to see? The ruined gamester shooting himself on
every path, eh?'

'No, no; I don't suppose I should see anything horrid or even
disagreeable. I know it is all very beautiful; but then every person
who goes for the innocent pleasures' sake only helps to keep up the
whole thing--evil and all.'

'And what would the old women of all sorts here and at Nice do without
such a choice temple of scandal to whet their teeth upon? Well, I
suppose you and your precious daughter can take care of yourselves.
There are the gardens, or you can tell Gregorio to order you a
carriage.'

'Then you are going?'

'Yes, I promised Grafton. Don't be afraid, Mistress Edda, I'm not
going to stake Bridgefield and reduce you to beggary. I'm an old hand,
and was a cool one in my worst days, and whatever I get I'll hand over
to appease you.'

That was all she could obtain, and she secretly hoped there would be no
winnings to perplex her. Thankful that she had not made him angry by
the resistance for which she had prepared herself with secret prayer
ever since the Mentone scheme had been proposed, she placed herself at
Nuttie's disposition for the rest of the day.

They had a charming donkey-ride, and, still unsatiated with beauty,
Ursula made her mother come out again to wonder at the trees in the
public gardens. Rather tired, they were sitting on a shaded bench,
when a voice close to them exclaimed, 'It is; yes, it must be; 'tis the
voice--yes, and the face prettier than ever. Little Alice--ah! you
don't know me. Time has been kinder to you than to me.'

'Oh! I know you now! I beg your pardon,' cried Alice, recognising in
the thin nutcracker parchment visage and shabbily-dressed figure the
remnant of the brilliant aquiline countenance and gay attire of
eighteen years ago. 'Mrs. Houghton! I am so glad to have met you, you
were so kind to me. And here she is.'

'What! is this the child? Bless me, what a proof how time goes! Young
lady, you'll excuse my not knowing you. You were a very inconvenient
personage not quite born when I last met your mother. What a likeness!
I could have known her for Alwyn Egremont's daughter anywhere!'

'Yes, they all say she is a thorough Egremont.'

'Then it is all right. I saw Alwyn Egremont, Esquire, and family among
the arrivals at Nice, but I hardly durst expect that it was you. It
seemed to