"That is a comfort!" quoth Mr. Philip. "Now, I liked the looks of you a good deal better in that brown cashmere. But I am an absolute nobody, as you will find very shortly, if you have not done so already."
"The brown cashmere will go on again to-morrow, and I shall not be sorry for it. But, Philip"—
"Stop! look out—somebody is coming."
A gentleman in dark blue led in a lady very elaborately dressed in pink. As they entered by one door, Lady Ingram came forward to receive them from another. She stood and made three courtesies, to which the lady in pink responded with one. Then Lady Ingram came forward, and, taking the hand of her guest, turned to Celia and Philip in the corner.
"Bon soir, ma tante," observed the latter unceremoniously from his station behind Celia's chair.
"Celia, this is my sister, the Duchess de Montausier," Lady Ingram condescended to say; and Celia, rising, made two low courtesies, having already forgotten the number of reverences due.
"Three," whispered Philip, too low to be overheard, thus saving his sister a scolding.
The Duchess returned the compliment with a single courtesy, Celia thought a rather distant one. But her astonishment had not yet left her at the meeting between the sisters.
"Is that really your aunt?" she asked of Philip.
"Yes, my mother's sister," answered Philip, smiling. "Why?"