in that very season that she moved her castle in the
air from the Upper to the Lower House. And now she was absolutely
begging for notice, and praying that she might not be cut! She sent
her letter by post and on the following day received a reply, which
was left by a footman.

DEAR GEORGIANA,

Of course I shall be delighted to see you. I don't know what you
mean by cutting. I never cut anybody. We happen to have got into
different sets, but that is not my fault. Sir Damask won't let me
call on the Melmottes. I can't help that. You wouldn't have me go
where he tells me not. I don't know anything about them myself,
except that I did go to their ball. But everybody knows that's
different. I shall be at home all to-morrow till three,--that is
to-day I mean, for I'm writing after coming home from Lady
Killarney's ball; but if you wish to see me alone you had better
come before lunch.

Yours affectionately,

J. MONOGRAM.

Georgiana condescended to borrow the carriage and reached her friend's
house a little after noon. The two ladies kissed each other when they
met--of course, and then Miss Longestaffe at once began. 'Julia, I did
think that you would at any rate have asked me to your second ball.'

'Of course you would have been asked if you had been up in Bruton
Street. You know that as well as I do. It would have been a matter of
course.'

'What difference does a house make?'

'But the people in a house make a great deal of difference, my dear. I
don't want to quarrel with you, my dear; but I can't know the
Melmottes.'

'Who asks you?'

'You are with them.'

'Do you mean to say that you can't ask anybody to your house without
asking everybody that lives with that person? It's done every day.'

'Somebody must have brought you.'

'I would have come with the Primeros, Julia.'

'I couldn't do it. I asked Damask and he wouldn't have it. When that
great affair was going on in February, we didn't know much about the
people. I was told that everybody was going and therefore I got Sir
Damask to let me go. He says now that he won't let me know them; and
after having been at their house I can't ask you out of it, without
asking them too.'

'I don't see it at all, Julia.'

'I'm very sorry, my dear, but I can't go against my husband.'

'Everybody goes to their house,' said Georgiana, pleading her cause
to the best of her ability. 'The Duchess of Stevenage has dined in