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CHAPTER VIII.

The Postiche ball came off, and was a brilliant success. Madame Mila announced the next morning when she got up that she had never enjoyed anything better—not even at the Tuileries.

"And the hostess?" said Lady Hilda.

"I didn't even see her, thank goodness," said Madame Mila, frankly. "I went late, you know, and she'd been standing at the door four hours, and had got tired, and had gone off duty into the crowd somewhere. Of course it wasn't my business to go and look for her."

"Of course not, but you brought off your cotillon things?"