the excitement of the coming interview; as she afterwards said, laughing, she felt what her beauty owed to itself!
"I have a friend at court," whispered she to her companion: "last night I singled out one of Sir Robert's secretaries, and a few smiles made him my devoted chevalier, and he promised to insure an interview."
So saying, she gave a small billet to one of the servants; and almost before they had time to look at each other, and to see that neither ringlet nor riband were displaced by their long drive, down came the young secretary. He handed them from the carriage with an air of devoted gallantry, and led them to a small breakfast-room, which overlooked the garden.
"Here," said he, "I must leave you, while I ascertain whether Sir Robert will not be too proud to receive the loveliest lady in England!"
"Now, honour and glory to la haute science de la coquetterie! My rank, though I own that it is a very pretty thing to be a countess,
