Walstein, by no means
easy on the score of his companion's prudence, gave the word to the
postilion to drive on; and they entered the city of Vienna.

CHAPTER XXX. THE THREAT OP "A SLIGHT EMBARRASSMENT."

The Mazzarini Palace was now a proverb for all that was dissipated and
extravagant throughout Florence, and in proportion as the society which
frequented it was select and few in number, the more absurd were the
rumors that went abroad of its dissipations and excesses. In default
of a real, good, tangible scandal the world invented a thousand shadowy
little slanders, that, if not as deadly to reputation at once, were just
as certain to kill character in the long run.

Sir Stafford's gout, of which he was confined to his bed or a sofa, was
pronounced the lingering agonies of a broken heart. "My Lady's" late
dinners were orgies where every licentiousness held sway. George was
a reckless gambler, who had already jeopardized all the wealth of
his family; and, as for Kate, she was at the mercy of that amiable
temperament of the human mind which always believes the worst, and as
constantly draws the darkest inference from its belief.

Now, Sir Stafford was very gouty, very irritable, and very unhappy to
boot, about a number of matters, which, however deeply interesting to
himself, should have had no concern for the world. My Lady did dine at
eleven o'clock at night, and the company was assuredly not that from
which a discriminating public would have selected archbishops, or even
minor canons, consisting for the most part of that class of which we
have already made mention in a former chapter, with now and then some
passer-through of rank, or some stray diplomate on his way to or from
his post. George Onslow was a large loser at play, but without having
recourse to those stratagems for payment which were so generally
ascribed to him. While Kate poor Kate was neither better nor worse than
the reader has hitherto known her.

We do not in this admission seek to conceal the fact that she was very
different from what first we saw her. Society had taught her tact,
grace, and elegance of deportment. Admiration had rendered her yes,--we
say it advisedly admiration had rendered her very attractive, drawing
forth a thousand resources of fascination, and a thousand arts of
pleasing, that often wither and die in the cold chill of neglect. The
most fastidious critic could not have detected a fault in her manner;
an ill-natured