"It's very bad taste," rejoined Lord Baskerville, "at all events—hem!" At this moment Lord Glenmore came up to his wife, betraying considerable agitation, and inquiring tenderly of Lady Glenmore how she felt, and speaking to her in a low voice of earnest solicitude; to which she replied with answering affection.—Mr. Leslie Winyard moved away, affecting more displeasure than he really felt.
"What a fuss Glenmore is in! Vulgar!—hem! I cannot conceive," said Lord Baskerville, "why people should display their conjugal felicities to the world."
"The old song, I think," observed Lord Raynham, who was passing by, and overheard the remark, "gives good advice:—
'Ne cherchez pas la quintessence;
Contentez-vous de l'apparence.
Qui veut trop voir, et trop savoir,
Trouve souvent plus qu'il ne pense.'
"A polite inquiry, that did not enter into particulars, might perhaps have suited better the interest of all parties, than that apparently minute inspection of circumstances—eh! Baskerville?" with a sort of sneering smile—"don't you agree with me?"
"Certainly, hem! nothing is so mistaken, or argues such want of knowledge of the world, as to be affairé about any thing."
"To be," observed the Comtesse Leinsengen, "is one ting, to seem to be is anoder: in dat lies de savoir vivre or de no savoir. But did I not hear my carriage was up?"
"Yes, comtesse; allow me to have the honour;" and she accepted his offered arm and departed.
"D'Esterre," said Lord Glenmore, "I leave you to take care of Lady Glenmore, whilst I go in quest of our carriage; your gallantry will, I am sure, accept the charge."