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the very latest thing,' said Lady Mickleham, standing by the table in the smoking-room, and holding an album in her hand.

'I wish it had been a little later still,' said I, for I felt embarrassed.

'You promise, on your honour, to be absolutely sincere, you know, and then you write what you think of me. See what a lot of opinions I've got already,' and she held up the thick album.

'It would be extremely interesting to read them,' I observed.

'Oh! but they're quite confidential,' said Dolly. 'That's part of the fun.'

'I don't appreciate that part,' said I.

'Perhaps you will when you've written yours,' suggested Lady Mickleham.

'Meanwhile, mayn't I see the Dowager's?'

'Well, I'll show you a little bit of the Dowager's. Look here,—"Our dear Dorothea is still perhaps just a thought wanting in seriousness, but the sense of her position is having a sobering effect. 73