in astonishment, Caroline ran up and kissed her.

"You recollect, Mr Selwyn, aunt, do you not?"

"Yes," said Madame Bathurst, returning the salute of Mr Selwyn, "but
still I am surprised."

"Come with me, aunt, and I will tell you all about it."

Caroline then walked to a seat at a little distance, sat down, and
entered into conversation with Madame Bathurst. In a few minutes,
Madame Bathurst rose, and came up to our party, with Caroline on her
arm.

She first thanked Mr Selwyn for his kindness in bringing her niece to
the fete, and then turning to me, said with some emotion, as she offered
her hand, "Valerie, I hope we are friends. We have mistaken each
other."

I felt all my resentment gone, and took her offered hand.

She then led me aside and said, "I must beg your pardon, Valerie, I did
not--"

"Nay," replied I, interrupting her, "I was too hasty and too proud."

"You are a good kind-hearted girl, Valerie--but let us say no more about
it. Now introduce me to your friends."

I did so. Madame Bathurst was most gracious, and appeared very much
struck with Adele Chabot, and entered into conversation with her, and
certainly Adele would not have been taken for a French teacher by her
appearance. There was something very aristocratic about her. While
they were in converse, a very gentlemanlike man raised his hat to Madame
Bathurst, as I thought, and passed on. Adele coloured up, I observed,
as if she knew him, but did not return the salute, which Madame Bathurst
did.

"Do you know that gentleman, Mademoiselle Chabot?" inquired Caroline.
"I thought he bowed to you, and not to aunt."

"I have seen him before," replied Adele, carelessly, "but I forget his
name."

"Then I can tell you," added Madame Bathurst, "It is Colonel Jervis, a
very fashionable man, but not a very great favourite of mine, not that I
have any thing to accuse him of, particularly, except that he is said to
be a very worldly man."

"Is he of good family?" inquired Adele.

"Oh, yes, unexceptionable on that point; but it is time for me to go.
There it my party coming down the walk. Caroline, dear, I will call
upon you to-morrow at three o'clock, and then we will make our
arrangements."

Madame Bathurst then bade adieu to Mr Selwyn, and the rest, saying to
me, "_Au revoir_, Valerie."

Shortly afterwards, we agreed to leave. As Mr Selwyn was returning to
Kew, I would not accept the offer of his carriage to take Caroline and
me