His first inquiries were for his horse; and having been assured by several of his friends that no injury had been sustained in that quarter, he swore loudly against the animal for a fault which had been entirely his own, gave way to the most violent gesticulations of angry passion against the curiosity (as he called it) of the by-standers, and so disgusted Lord Albert D'Esterre by his want of proper feeling under an accident that might have ended fatally, that the latter mounted his horse once more, rode round to the other side of Lady Hamlet Vernon's carriage to assure her that she need be under no apprehension for Lord Tonnerre's safety, and continuing by her side as she proceeded out of the Park, left the actors of this paltry scene to bear their discomfiture as they best could. CHAPTER VI. "THE OPERA." It is not to be supposed that Lady Tilney should keep a determination formed fully one hundred and forty-four hours before the season of its fulfilment, or retain on the Saturday evening the same degree of passionate admiration of the Sontag's powers, which she had expressed on the previous Wednesday to Lord Albert D'Esterre, when announcing her intention of being present at the first scene of the Opera. She did, however, reach the house, on the evening in question, before the conclusion of the third act, and found the Comtesse Leinsengen already in her box. "Eh bien, ma chere, à la fin vous voilà! have you been ever since at dat tiresome dinner?" "Oh no; I drove home immediately after you went away; but I had a thousand things of consequence to do, and could not positively arrive sooner. Amongst other things there was a great enormous card of invitation from the D'Hermantons. It is quite out of the question _my_ going: and I think the affair ought to be overturned as much as possible--our cause should be established without offence directly given, but decidedly; and if we are engaged elsewhere, you know, our excuse of '_exceedingly sorry_' will always effect this, and save us, in the present instance, from the extensive and moral acquaintances of the Duchess, and from the _fadeur_ of her evenings. I would myself send out cards did I not think it would be too marked; but some of us might do so. There is Lady de Chére, I see, in her box; would you arrange the business with her to-night in the room--Do you agree with me, my dear Comtesse?" Her friend nodded assent; and in her abrupt rough voice said, "N'ayez pas peur! I can always hold up my head and tread _down de plebe_--we are used to dat; but for you, I fear in dis country, you do not understand de matter."-- "You know, my dear Comtesse, I have often explained to you, that our constitution--" "Oh! trève de politiques I implore," said the Comtesse Leinsengen, turning her head away, and looking towards the stage: "trève de politiques je n'en puis plus; but fiez vous en à moi."--