"We are not come here," said the Leinsengen, whispering to Lady Tenderden, "to listen to all his _fadaises_; _c'est le radotage_ dat we have been used to hear uttered by turns to every object of a fresh _engouement_ for these last ten years." Then gliding up to Lady Glenmore, she added, "I am quite charmed to see you _en des mains si sures_, persons who vill give you such excellent advice; and now dat I have rendered you _mes hommages_, I make _mes adieus_. Monsieur le duc, I hope to see you at my next _levée_; Lady Glenmore of course; Lady Tilney, _au revoir_." And then, when she reached the door, "_Ah ça_, by de way, vill you, Lady Tenderden, go vid me to-night to _le théàtre Français_?" "I should be delighted, but I am engaged to Lady Glenmore. Is not this our evening?" turning to the latter. "Yes; but I beg you will not consider that binding." "Oh but I do, though, so _you must go with me_." "Of course," said the Comtesse Leinsengen contemptuously, "I am extremely sorry, _mais il faut se consoler_;" and turning, she glided away, but first whispered to Lady Tilney as she passed, "We shall have nothing now but this tiresome _petite nouveauté_;" and she shrugged her shoulders and departed. "What is the matter with the comtesse?" asked the Duke of Mercington; "that _air d'imperatrice enragée_ does not at all become her." "No," replied Lady Glenmore, laughing, "I never knew any one that it did." "Some persons," rejoined the duke, "some dark beauties, may look well under the effect of a storm, though I confess I had always rather see the lambent flame than the forked lightning;" and he looked his implied admiration of Lady Glenmore. Lady Tilney did not know exactly what part to play in a scene where she felt she was not the principal, although it is said there have been times and seasons when she thought it politic to kiss _even the foot of a person_ placed in a situation of imaginary greatness, and whose favour she forgot herself so far as to court. She had come, however, to Lady Glenmore with other views than either those of curiosity or congratulation. Lady Tilney felt, that in the situation which Lady Glenmore now held, she might with ease have led a party in society independent of Lady Tilney or any of her coterie; and a fear that she might take this step determined her on endeavouring, by counsel and an assumption of directing how Lady Glenmore should conduct herself in her station, to obtain in the first instance an influence over her, and hold her in subserviency to her own wishes regarding society. She saw, therefore, the Duke of Mercington and several others, who had come and gone on the same errand, take their leave with satisfaction, and seized the first moment when she was alone with Lady Glenmore to say: