As soon as Sir Horace had swallowed his glass (he took it warm), and having vainly urged his nephew to pledge him in another, he carried him off to stroll up and down, between the bandstand and the jewellers' shops. As they sauntered along he saluted almost every second person, and indicated the chief notabilities to his relation. "Here comes the Duke of Luxembourg," and he swept off his hat, "getting very shaky on his pins, poor old boy. This man passing now with the lady in the Ascot frock is De Jeers, the great Jew financier. She is Lady Merrythought, and getting all she can out of him, I'll lay long odds. The pale girl in the white linen gown is the notorious 'Sauta'--the Spanish dancer. She stabbed a man with a hat pin the other day. This couple comparing prescriptions are the Bishop of Timbucktoo and Dooley, the steeplechase jock. The lady with the herd of Borzois is the Duchess of Valetta, and the little woman with the brown poodle is Madame Cuzco; that poodle is a European celebrity, and has his own manservant and barber. Now let us go and sit on one of the seats and watch the madding crowd." "All right," assented his nephew, "they certainly are a wonderfully-mixed lot! Look at these two swarthy giantesses--regular six-footers--a most formidable couple!" "Oh, the Misses Rookes--twins. They go by the name of the 'Powerful' and the 'Terrible'!" Captain Haig laughed aloud. "Yes," resumed his mentor, "and this little dressy woman, with tremendous knee action, who prances alongside of the rosy-cheeked youth, is Mrs. Waller, with her third husband. They are known as 'the Skipper and the Boy'!" "Splendid!" ejaculated the other. "And that red-faced man yonder is Turnbull, the great traveller. He is called 'the Crimson Rambler!' Rather good, eh?" "Rather--but who are these coming now?--this girl and the squat old woman--walking in a sort of crowd, with a dog?" "Oh, that is Madame de Godez--Madame de Gaudy they call her--a fabulously wealthy widow. She always reminds me of a toad, with her dark, mottled face, bright black eyes, and huge chinless mouth. Madame is a personage here, as you may see. Gives wonderful dinners and picnics, subscribes to everything, and is quite in the smart set!" "Great Scotland!" ejaculated his listener, "why, she looks for all the world like an old Portuguese half-caste!" "She is Portuguese, I believe; of blue, not black, blood." "And the girl?--she is a jewel, if the other is a toad. The princess and the witch. What do they call her here?" "Miss Chandos. She is Madame's adopted daughter, and lives with old de Godez--goes everywhere, and has a good time." "What do you call a good time?" questioned Captain Haig as his eyes followed the de Godez group. "She has everything money can purchase, each wish forestalled, boundless admiration, forty-guinea frocks, and as many proposals of marriage as there are days in the week." "Oh, I say, come!" expostulated his nephew.