“Now we must be under obligations to our milliner and jeweller, if we do not pay them immediately; for these sort of people call it a favour to give credit for a length of time: and I really think that it is much better to be indebted to Mrs. Somers than to absolute strangers and to rude tradespeople. It is always best to have to deal with polite persons.” “And with generous persons!” cried Emilie; “and a more generous person than Mrs. Somers, I am sure, cannot exist.” “And then,” continued Mad. de Coulanges, “like all these rich English, she can afford to be generous. I am persuaded that this Mrs. Somers is as rich as a Russian princess; yes, as rich as the Russian princess with the superb diadem of diamonds. You remember her at Paris?” “No, mamma, I forget her,” answered Emilie, with a look of absence of mind. “Bon Dieu! what can you be thinking of?” exclaimed Mad. de Coulanges. “You forget the Russian princess, with the diamond diadem, that was valued at 200,000 livres! She wore it at her presentation--it was the conversation of Paris for a week: you must recollect it, Emilie?” “Oh, yes: I recollect something about its cutting her forehead.” “Not at all, my dear; how you exaggerate! The princess only complained, by way of something to say, that the weight of the diamonds made her head ache. “Was that all?” “That was all. But I will tell you what you are thinking of, Emilie--quite another thing--quite another person--broad Mad. Vanderbenbruggen: her diamonds were not worth looking at; and they were so horribly set, that she deserved all manner of misfortunes, and to be disgraced in public, as she was. For you know the bandeau slipt over her great forehead; and instead of turning to the gentlemen, and ordering some man of sense to arrange her head-dress, she kept holding her stiff neck stock still, like an idiot; she actually sat, with the patience of a martyr, two immense hours, till somebody cried, ‘Ah! madame, here is the blood coming!’ I see her before me this instant. Is it possible, my dear Emilie, that you do not remember the difference between this _buche_ of a Mad. Vanderbenbruggen, and our charming princess? but you are as dull as Mad. Vanderbenbruggen herself, this morning.”