Page:In a winter city, by Ouida.djvu/104

Rh she could have seen her cousin "compromised" she would have derived an exquisite satisfaction and entertainment from the sight. She would also have felt that Lady Hilda would have become thereby more natural, and more comfortable company.

"Dear me, she might have done anything she had liked all these years," thought Madame Mila; "nobody would have known anything—and nothing would hurt her if it were known, whilst she has all that money."

For Madame Mila herself, perched on one of the very topmost rungs of the ladder of the world's greatness, and able therefore to take a bird's-eye view therefrom of everything, was very shrewd in her way, and knew that society never was known yet to quarrel with the owner of fifty thousand a-year.

So she carried her airy little person, laden this night with gold embroideries on dull Venetian red, until she looked like a little figure made in Lac, over to the écarté table when the écarté was finished, and arranged a morning at Palestrina for the day after to-morrow. He Rh