so irresistibly bewitching, that all the fair round
arms of Paris opened spontaneously at the sight, as though to offer a
nestling-place to the little beauty, and raise her from a contact
unworthy of so peerless a creature.

Any price, no matter how exorbitant, that could have been asked for this
little paragon, Madame de N. would very gladly have paid; but,
unhappily, Sylphide was not to be sold: Lady R. was very fond of her,
and never seemed to understand the various hints thrown out from time to
time, with the utmost tact and delicacy, but still quite intelligibly,
by Madame de N.; and all that the latter could do was to bring her
utmost power of petting to bear on the subject of her adoration,
trusting to some unlooked-for stroke of good fortune to aid her in the
accomplishment of her heart's desire.

Sylphide was excessively fond of sugar-plums (in which she was a great
connoisseur), and also of fresh _brioche_, crumbs of which she would
eat, in the most charming manner, from the snowy hand of her admiring
friend; and as the _bonbonniere_ of Madame de N. was always well
supplied with her favorite dainties, Sylphide, who, on her side, was not
ungrateful, soon contracted a lively affection for Madame de N. and her
bonbonniere.

Such was the position of affairs, when an incident occurred which
produced a total estrangement between the two ladies. M. de S., a
gentleman well known in the diplomatic circles, whom Madame de N. had
long numbered among her conquests, fascinated by the charms of the fair
islander, deserted his brilliant countrywoman, and ranged himself among
the satellites of her rival. And by a curious coincidence, at the very
time that M. de S. quitted thus abruptly the orbit of Madame de N., the
Prince of ----, who had hitherto been one of the brightest luminaries in
the train of Lady R., left her ladyship to lay his homage at the feet of
the charming Parisian. But the acquisition of the Prince seems to have
failed to console the latter for the loss of a knight who had so long
worn her colors; and the defection of M. de S. drew from her an
expression of resentment towards her rival, which the mutual friend to
whom these angry feelings had been confided, lost no time in repeating
to the object of her displeasure. But Lady R., so far from being
affected by the indignation of Madame de N., merely replied, with a
careless shrug of her handsome shoulders, "_Mais, ma chere_, she has
really nothing to compla