“Bah! he’s an old fool then.”
“Oh, Lady Marvlynn!” cried the gentleman.
“Hush, don’t speak so loud—and that’s the Totty we have heard so much of. Well, she’s distinguished in appearance, but not particularly beautiful.”
“She’s not bad-looking, and has a lovely pair of eyes.”
“I allow you gentlemen to be the best judges of female loveliness,” said Lady Marvlynn, hiding her face coquettishly behind her capacious fan.
Her companion bowed, but made no reply.
“Who is that lady in the second box from the stage?” inquired Aveline.
“Who, my dear? Well, that’s the Countess of Lanfoil—very charming, isn’t she, and dressed in such good taste? Her husband chooses her dresses, I have been told, and is very proud of her, but she is cold and unimpressionable, and cares but little for him. She has, however, hosts of admirers.”
“What! a married woman have admirers!” said Patty Jamblin. “How very odd.”
“Not at all, my dear; but hush, they are about to begin.”