Katie was beginning to be tranquilly happy, and was listening to the enthusiasm of Ugolina Neverbend, who declared that flowers were the female poet's fitting food--it may be doubted whether she had ever tried it--when her heart leaped within her on hearing a sharp, clear, well-known voice, almost close behind her. It was Charley Tudor. After her silent promenade with M. Delabarbe de l'Empereur, Katie had been well pleased to put up with the obscure but yet endurable volubility of Ugolina; but now she felt almost as anxious to get quit of Ugolina as she had before been to shake off the Frenchman. 'Flowers are Nature's chef-d'oeuvre,' said Ugolina; 'they convey to me the purest and most direct essence of that heavenly power of production which is the sweetest evidence which Jehovah gives us of His presence.' 'Do they?' said Katie, looking over her shoulder to watch what Charley was doing, and to see whether he was coming to notice her. 'They are the bright stars of His immediate handiwork,' said Ugolina; 'and if our dim eyes could read them aright, they would whisper to us the secret of His love.' 'Yes, I dare say they would,' said Katie, who felt, perhaps, a little disappointed because Charley lingered a while shaking hands with Mrs. Val and Clementina Golightly. It was, however, but for a moment. There was much shaking of hands to be done, and a considerable taking off of hats to be gone through; and as Alaric and Charley encountered the head of the column first, it was only natural that they should work their way through it gradually. Katie, however, never guessed--how could she?--that Charley had calculated that by reaching her last he would be able to remain with her. She was still listening to Ugolina, who was mounting higher and higher up to heaven, when she found her hand in Charley's. Ugolina might now mount up, and get down again as best she could, for Katie could no longer listen to her. Alaric had not seen her yet since her ducking. She had to listen to and to answer his congratulations, Charley standing by and making his comments. 'Charley says you took to the water quite naturally, and swam like a duck,' said Alaric. 'Only she went in head foremost,' said Charley. 'All bathers ought to do that,' said Alaric; 'and tell me, Katie, did you feel comfortable when you were in the water?' 'Indeed I don't recollect anything about it,' said she, 'only that I saw Charley coming to me, just when I was going to sink for the last time.' 'Sink! Why, I'm told that you floated like a deal board.' 'The big hat and the crinoline kept her up,' said Charley; 'she had no idea of sinking.' 'Oh! Charley, you know I was under the water for a long time; and that if you had not come, just at that very moment, I should never have come up again.' And then Alaric went on, and Charley and Katie were left together.