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 fat creature with liveries for all the world like what the sheriffs have in England at assize time. No; I'm sure I needn't bow to her. I told Dickie beforehand I shouldn't."

"No doubt Dickie was delighted to have you on any terms."

"Of course; and I'll send a card to-day," said Madame Mila, with the magnanimous air of one who does a very noble thing.

From that time thenceforward she would forget the Joshua R. Postiches and everything concerning them, as absolutely as if she had never heard anything about them; the woman's second ball, if she gave one, would be nothing new, and no sort of fun whatever.

"You're always at me about Maurice," she said, pursuing her own ideas, "Look at Olga with Carlo Maremma!—she did make him go last night, and he was the only Italian there. You talk of Maurice—Olga is twice as careless as I am"

"Olga is my friend; don't discuss her, please."

"Oh, that's very fine!—when you are always finding fault with me about Maurice!"