ich I detest. You never wear
gold chains, I am sure. The Duke of------would not have me, so I came
to you,' continued her ladyship, returning the salutation of Mr. Temple.
'Don't ask me if I am tired; I am never tired. There is nothing I hate
so much as being asked whether I am well; I am always well. There, I
have brought you a charming friend; give her your arm; and you shall
give me yours,' said the old lady, smiling, to Henrietta. 'We make a
good contrast; I like a good contrast, but not an ugly one. I cannot
bear anything that is ugly; unless it is a very ugly man indeed, who is
a genius and very fashionable. I liked Wilkes, and I liked Curran; but
they were famous, the best company in the world. When I was as young
as you, Lady Lavington and I always hunted in couples, because she was
tall, and I was called the Queen of the Fairies. Pretty women, my sweet
child, should never be alone. Not that I was very pretty, but I was
always with pretty women, and at last the men began to think that I was
pretty too.'

'A superbly pretty place,' simpered the magnificent Mrs. Montgomery
Floyd to Mr. Temple, 'and of all the sweetly pretty persons I ever met,
I assure you I think Miss Temple the most charming. Such a favourite too
with Lady Bellair! You know she calls Miss Temple her real favourite,'
added the lady, with a playful smile.

The ladies were ushered to their apartments by Henrietta, for the hour
of dinner was at hand, and Mrs. Montgomery Floyd indicated some anxiety
not to be hurried in her toilet. Indeed, when she reappeared, it might
have been matter of marvel how she could have effected such a complete
transformation in so short a period. Except a train, she was splendid
enough for a birthday at St. James's, and wore so many brilliants
that she glittered like a chandelier. However, as Lady Bellair loved a
contrast, this was perhaps not unfortunate; for certainly her ladyship,
in her simple costume which had only been altered by the substitution
of a cap that should have been immortalised by Mieris or Gerard Douw,
afforded one not a little startling to her sumptuous fellow-traveller.

'Your dinner is very good,' said Lady Bellair to Mr. Temple. 'I eat
very little and very plainly, but I hate a bad dinner; it dissatisfies
everybody else, and they are all dull. The best dinners now are a new
man's; I forget his name; the man who is so very rich. You never heard
of him, and she (pointing with her fork to Mrs. Montgo