' said Lady Monteagle.

'What it is to have a friend like you, Gertrude,' said Cadurcis, 'a
friend who is neither a Goth, nor a Vandal, nor a Hun, nor a Calmuck,
nor a Canadian savage; but a woman of fashion, style, ton, influence
in the world! It is impossible that a greater piece of good fortune
could have befallen me than having you for a friend.'

'Ah, mechant! you may mock,' said the lady, triumphantly, for she was
quite satisfied with the turn the conversation had taken; 'but I am
glad for your sake that you take such a sensible view of the case.'

Notwithstanding, however, this sensible view of the case, after
lounging an hour at Monteagle House, Lord Cadurcis' carriage stopped
at the door of Venetia's Gothic aunt. He was not so fortunate as
to meet his heroine; but, nevertheless, he did not esteem his time
entirely thrown away, and consoled himself for the disappointment
by confirming the favourable impression he had already made in this
establishment, and cultivating an intimacy which he was assured must
contribute many opportunities of finding himself in the society
of Venetia. From this day, indeed, he was a frequent guest at her
uncle's, and generally contrived also to meet her several times in
the week at some great assembly; but here, both from the occasional
presence of Lady Monteagle, although party spirit deterred her from
attending many circles where Cadurcis was now an habitual visitant,
and from the crowd of admirers who surrounded the Herberts, he rarely
found an opportunity for any private conversation with Venetia.
His friend the Bishop also, notwithstanding the prejudices of Lady
Annabel, received him always with cordiality, and he met the Herberts
more than once at his mansion. At the opera and in the park also he
hovered about them, in spite of the sarcasms or reproaches of Lady
Monteagle; for the reader is not to suppose that that lady continued
to take the same self-complacent view of Lord Cadurcis' acquaintance
with the Herberts which she originally adopted, and at first flattered
herself was the just one. His admiration of Miss Herbert had become
the topic of general conversation; it could no longer be concealed or
disguised. But Lady Monteagle was convinced that Cadurcis was not a
marrying man, and persuaded herself that this was a fancy which must
evaporate. Moreover, Monteagle House still continued his spot of most
constant resort; for his opportunities of being with Venetia were,
wit