ad
never beheld such a little angel. She brought it a fine toy to play
with. She and her grim old maid frightened the little creature at first,
but it was very speedily reconciled to their countenances. She was in
the nursery almost as early as the child's mother. "Ah!" sighed the poor
little woman, "how happy you must be to have one!" In fine, my wife was
quite overcome by her goodness and welcome.

Sunday morning arrived in the course of time, and then Florac appeared
as a most wonderful Briton indeed! He wore top-boots and buckskins;
and after breakfast, when we went to church, a white great-coat with a
little cape, in which garment he felt that his similarity to an English
gentleman was perfect. In conversation with his grooms and servants he
swore freely,--not that he was accustomed to employ oaths in his
own private talk, but he thought the employment of these expletives
necessary as an English country gentleman. He never dined without a
roast-beef, and insisted that the piece of meat should be bleeding, "as
you love it, you others." He got up boxing-matches: and kept birds
for combats of cock. He assumed the sporting language with admirable
enthusiasm--drove over to cover with a steppere--rode across countri
like a good one--was splendid in the hunting-field in his velvet cap
and Napoleon boots, and made the Hunt welcome at Rosebury where his
good-natured little wife was as kind to the gentlemen in scarlet as she
used to be of old to the stout Dissenting gentlemen in black, who sang
hymns and spake sermons on her lawn. These folks, scared at the change
which had taken place in the little Princess's habits of life, lamented
her falling away: but in the county she and her husband got a great
popularity, and in Newcome town itself they were not less liked, for
her benefactions were unceasing, and Paul's affability the theme of all
praise. The Newcome Independent and the Newcome Sentinel both paid him
compliments; the former journal contrasting his behaviour with that of
Sir Barnes, their member. Florac's pleasure was to drive his Princess
with four horses into Newcome. He called his carriage his "trappe," his
"drague." The street-boys cheered and hurrayed the Prince as he
passed through the town. One haberdasher had a yellow stock called the
"Moncontour" displayed in his windows; another had a pink one marked
"The Princely," and as such recommended it to the young Newcome gents.

The drague conveyed us once to the