“Oh, indeed! No doubt the draught in your room increased it. All the small rooms here are draughty, as the doors and windows are opposite each other. Of course, as I have told you, when we came here we meant to stop but a very short time. I can assure you, my dear Mrs. Whitley, that to anyone who has moved in diplomatic circles, and been honoured by the gracious hospitality of royalty, a boarding-house, however well kept—and this is not without its good points—cannot fail to be objectionable. Though we meant, as I have said, to stay but a short time, I was most particular about having a good room. ‘Angelo,’ said I, ‘let us take the best apartments in the house,’ and so we did. I made a point of it. It is a 38great pity that you do not move into a larger room. Not that it makes any difference to me. I am quite above such petty matters. I never was influenced by any worldly consideration in my choice of acquaintances; far from it. If I like people, my dear Mrs. Whitley, I like them whether they have a small room or not. I do assure you they may be stowed away at the very top of the house for all I care.” 38 “Very kind of you, I’m sure,” murmured Mrs. Whitley. The blaze of grandeur surrounding Mr. and Mrs. Dumaresq, caused her to take all that they said in good part. They had a certain suavity, an easy way of saying unpleasant things, that the medical lady lacked. Besides, Mrs. Whitley’s one ambition was to get into Society, and she secretly hoped that if she was very civil to Mrs. Dumaresq, she might possibly be one day introduced to some of the distinguished personages whose names were so frequently introduced into her conversation. “Yes,” went on the lady in a glow of generous feeling and a somewhat heightened voice, “rank, and wealth, and position have never had any charm for me. As my dear friend, the Marchese Polichinello, a charming 39woman, a reigning beauty at the Italian Court—You remember the Marchese, Angelo?—often said to me, ‘Bellisima mia’—she always addressed me as ‘bellisima mia’—‘you are led too much by your heart.’” 39 Bellisima mia bellisima mia “I suppose you are going to the Queen’s Garden Party, Mrs. Dumaresq,” said the medical lady, who had been reading the Court Circular.
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