“Yes, one can--after a fashion,” laughed Letty a little scornfully; but her elder brother seemed resolved to take all her bantering in good part that morning, as the imperial lion will sometimes tolerate the gambols of a companion kitten. “I don't think, however,” she continued, “Madame de Castellan, who comes from Paris, will quite understand _you_, Richard.--How nicely she speaks of Mary, mamma. Why, how comes she to know so much about _her?_” “Why, when I went to Dijon, before my marriage, Mary Forest went with me, you know, and remained there several years.” “Ah, yes, of course; I had forgotten.” “And when we were at the--the college,” continued my Lady, with a slight tinge of colour, “Madame took pity upon us both, being foreigners, and was kind to us beyond all measure. Many a happy day have we passed in her pretty chateau together; and indeed I think I owe my Parisian pronunciation--of which you seem to make so much, Letty--at least as much to Madame de Castellan as to my paid teachers. She never could speak English, if you remember, Richard; everything she addressed to you had to be translated.” “Dear me,” answered the baronet hastily, “I don't like that. I hope she has learned English since then. It places one in a very humiliating position to be talked to in a language one does not understand; unless you can treat the person as a savage, which, to say the truth, I always feel inclined to do.” “Well, Richard,” said my Lady smiling, “if I am not at your elbow when Madame de Castellan calls, there will be always Letty here, who is cunning in such tongue-fence, to protect you; but, as a matter of fact, we shall see my poor old friend but very seldom. She is a good deal broken, I fear, by time, and still more by trouble”--here my Lady's own voice began to quaver a little--“and all she seems to desire is quiet and seclusion, before her day of rest at last shall dawn.” “She will be very welcome,” answered Sir Richard tenderly. “I hope that you will cause everything for her comfort to be looked to at Belcomb, and I will again repeat my orders to Rinkel that the place is to be kept quite free from trespassers.” He rose and kissed his mother, then, as he left the room, delayed with his fingers on the door-handle, saying: “Have Walter and--and his wife consented to be present at my Coming of Age?” “Certainly, dear Richard: they will both be very pleased to come--nay, Arthur thinks that they may return to the Abbey immediately. It is scarcely worth while for them to take a house, or rather lodgings, at Canterbury, since they are to be here so soon. Walter has leave now, it seems, and there will be no difficulty in getting it prolonged almost indefinitely: he can do anything he likes with his colonel, you know, as indeed”---- “Exactly,” interrupted Sir Richard drily. “Then I suppose they will be back in a few days.” And with that he placed the door between himself and the threatened eulogy upon Master Walter.