“And yet,” said Constance, “you thought him too sensible to be easily taken in?” “Indeed I do, Miss Vernon; and the proof of it is, that no man has less fortune or is made more of. He plays, it is true, but only occasionally; though as a player at games of skill--piquet, billiards, whist,--he has no equal, unless it be Saville. But then Saville, entre noun, is suspected of playing unfairly.” “And you are quite sure,” said the placid Lady Erpingham, “that Mr. Godolphin is only indebted to skill for his success?” Constance darted a glance of fire at the speaker. “Why, faith, I believe so! No one ever accused him of a single shabby, or even suspicious trick; and indeed, as I said before, no one was ever more sought after in society, though he shuns it; and he’s devilish right, for it’s a cursed bore!” “My dear Robert! at your age!” exclaimed the mother. “But,” continued the earl, turning to Constance,--“but, Miss Vernon, a man may have his weak point; and the cunning Italian may have hit on Godolphin’s, clever as he is in general; though, for my part, I will tell you frankly, I think he only encouraged him to mystify and perplex people, just to get talked of--vanity, in short. He’s a good-looking fellow that Godolphin--eh?” continued the earl, in the tone of a man who meant you to deny what he asserted. “Oh, beautiful!” said Lady Erpingham. “Such a countenance!” “Deuced pale, though!--eh?--and not the best of figures: thin, narrow-shouldered, eh--eh?” Godolphin’s proportions were faultless; but your strapping heroes think of a moderate-sized man as mathematicians define a point--declare that he has no length nor breadth whatsoever. “What say _you,_ Constance?” asked Lady Erpingham, meaningly. Constance felt the meaning, and replied calmly, that Mr. Godolphin appeared to her handsomer than any one she had seen lately. Lord Erpingham played with his neckcloth, and Lady Erpingham rose to leave the room. “D--d fine girl!” said the earl, as he shut the door upon Constance;--“but d--d sharp!” added he, as he resettled himself on his chair. CHAPTER XVII. CONSTANCE AT HER TOILET.--HER FEELINGS.--HER CHARACTER OF BEAUTY DESCRIBED.--THE BALL.--THE DUCHESS OF WINSTOUN AND HER DAUGHTER.--AN INDUCTION FROM THE NATURE OF FEMALE RIVALRIES.--JEALOUSY IN A LOVER.--IMPERTINENCE RETORTED.--LISTENERS NEVER HEAR GOOD OF THEMSELVES.--REMARKS ON THE AMUSEMENTS OF A PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.--THE SUPPER.--THE FALSENESS OF SEEMING GAIETY.--VARIOUS REFLECTIONS, NEW AND TRUE.--WHAT PASSES BETWEEN GODOLPHIN AND CONSTANCE.