Perhaps our readers may not feel quite satisfied with this general eulogium, and may observe, that all this might have been learnt from the newspapers of the day. Then we must tell things plainly and simply, but this will not sound nearly so grand, and letting the public behind the scenes will destroy all the stage effect and illusion. Alfred Percy went to Mrs. Falconer’s unfashionably early, in hopes that, as Count Altenberg dined there, he might have a quarter of an hour’s conversation with him before the musical party should assemble. In this hope Alfred was mistaken. He found in the great drawing-room only Mrs. Falconer and two other ladies, whose names he never heard, standing round the fire; the unknown ladies were in close and eager converse about Count Altenberg. “He is so handsome--so polite--so charming!”--“He is very rich--has immense possessions abroad, has not he?”--“Certainly, he has a fine estate in Yorkshire.”--“But when did he come to England?”--“How long does he stay?”--“15,000_l._, no, 20,000_l._ per annum.”--“Indeed!”--“Mrs. Falconer, has not Count Altenberg 20,000_l._ a year?” Mrs. Falconer, seemingly uninterested, stood silent, looking through her glass at the man who was lighting the argand lamps. “Really, my dear,” answered she, “I can’t say--I know nothing of Count Altenberg--Take care! that argand!--He’s quite a stranger to us--the commissioner met him at Lord Oldborough’s, and on Lord Oldborough’s account, of course--Vigor, we must have more light, Vigor--wishes to pay him attention--But here’s Mr. Percy,” continued she, turning to Alfred, “can, I dare say, tell you all about these things. I think the commissioner mentioned that it was you, Mr. Percy, who introduced the Count to Lord Oldborough.” The ladies immediately fixed their surprised and inquiring eyes upon Mr. Alfred Percy--he seemed to grow in an instant several feet in their estimation: but he shrunk again when he acknowledged that he had merely met Count Altenberg accidentally at Greenwich--that he knew nothing of the count’s estate in Yorkshire, or of his foreign possessions, and was utterly incompetent to decide whether he had 10,000_l._ or 20,000_l._ per annum. “That’s very odd!” said one of the ladies. “But this much I know, that he is passionately fond of music, for he told me so at dinner.” “Then I am sure he will be charmed to-night with Miss Georgiana,” said the confidants. “But what signifies that,” replied the other lady, “if he has not--” “Mr. Percy,” interrupted Mrs. Falconer, “I have never seen you since that sad affair of Lady Harriot H---- and Lewis Clay;” and putting her arm within Alfred’s, she walked him away, talking over the affair, and throwing in a proper proportion of compliment. As she reached the folding doors, at the farthest end of the room, she opened them.