'Truly,' said Mrs. B., 'a more convincing proof of wit than that I can scarcely imagine; it must have been superlative when it amused everyone though no one understood it.' 'It must not only have been superlative, but amazing,' observed Colonel G. 'I only wish I could get people to laugh on such easy terms; but I suppose being a marquis goes some way.' 'Very likely,' said Mrs. B. 'What do you say, Miss F.?' 'Of course it does. I should say it would go a very long way,' said the young lady. 'It is greatly to be regretted,' remarked Mrs. B., 'that we have no such witty young marquises in this part of the world.' 'Yes,' said Miss F., 'that's what most makes me regret coming to India; we find no people here with handles to their names.' 'Come, come,' said Mrs. B., 'you must not exactly say that; we had Lord E., and his friend the Earl of C., here but a very short time ago.' 'Ah, but there's no one of that rank here now,' returned Miss F., 'and I really don't care much to meet those who are not in some way _distingué_.' 'That's to be expected,' replied Mrs. B. 'Being yourself, by your natural refinement of mind, so _distingué_, you would, as a matter of course, like to meet distinguished people; we will see what we can do to introduce you to someone with a handle to his name. There are two or three officers belonging to the class you admire so much about to join the 13th from England, and as soon as any one of them arrives, I'll make it my business to introduce you.' 'Oh, how very kind of you, Mrs. B.! I thank you very much.' Mrs. C. and her guest now rose to depart. As soon as they were gone, Mrs. B., Colonel G., and his wife all indulged themselves in an unrestrained fit of laughter. 'I really have more than half a mind to play that girl a trick,' said Mrs. B., 'to punish her for her insufferable affectation.' 'On my word she does her best to make herself ridiculous.' 'Several of my servants are sick, including the cook,' said Mrs. B., 'or I'd give an evening party, and introduce some of our young fellows as people of rank.' 'Let that be no obstacle to the fun,' said Mrs. G. 'I'll give the party; do you introduce your friends.' So the two ladies and Colonel G. engaged heartily in the plot. In due season invitations were issued to 'a select circle of friends,' as the stereotyped saying has it, which included the C.'s and Miss Freeman, to an evening party to meet Sir Charles Oakley and Sir Hubert Stanley. Great was the excitement amongst all invited to know all about the strangers, of whom they had never heard.