that those ideas are old-fashioned.”

“I assure you that is not the opinion of the Princess Hatzoff, a woman who mixed in the very best society; nor was it the opinion of my dear friend, the ex-Empress of the French, Mr. Lorimer,” replied Mrs. Dumaresq with a lofty air. “However, we will discuss the matter no further. In diplomacy one learns to avoid subjects on which one’s experiences are different from those of other people, and so not likely to agree.”

There was a subdued acidity in Mrs. Dumaresq’s tone, there was a battle-breathing obstinacy in Mr. Lorimer’s accent that led peaceful Miss Prudence to change the conversation.

16“The poor dear Empress,” she said, “how I pity her!”

16

“Ah, you should have seen her in her splendour. Were you in Paris before the war?”

“You can scarcely expect my sister to remember Paris before the war, my dear Mrs. Dumaresq,” interposed Miss Semaphore frigidly. “It is years ago. Prudence was a mere child.”

Mrs. Dumaresq smiled slightly, and said, “Ah!” In diplomatic circles no one openly expresses disbelief in a statement.

“The dear Empress was such a friend of mine in the old days when we lived there. One day, I remember so well, we had been away for nearly a year. The Empress was standing at a window of the Palace with an aide-de-camp beside her, Comte de la Tour—you remember Comte de la Tour, Angelo?” This to her silent husband, who nodded assent. “The Empress suddenly said to the Comte, ‘Mon cher, who is that charmingly-dressed lady who has just driven past?’ The Comte, dear man, answered, ‘Oh, your Majesty, do you not know? that is Madame Dumaresq!’ The same evening we met at a ball at the Spanish Ambassador’s, and the 17Empress graciously came up to me. ‘Fancy,’ said she; ‘fancy, my dear Madame Dumaresq, I did not recognise you this morning. It is such an age since you were here; and oh! do permit me to congratulate you on the exquisite costume you wore.’”

aide-de-camp

Mon cher

17

The story made a distinct impression. The medical woman at the end of the table, who had an American’s interest in high life, stopped short in a thrilling 

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