“But about Lady Angelica’s German baron?” interrupted Lady Jane.
“Yes, what sort of a person is he?” said Caroline.
“As unlike your Count Altenberg as possible—an oddish looking genius—oldish, too—like one’s idea of an alchymist, or a professor, or a conjuror—like any thing rather than a man of fashion; but, nevertheless, since he has got into fashion, the ladies have all found out that he is very like a Roman emperor—and so he is—like any head on an old coin.”
“But how comes there to be such a value set on this head?—How came he into fashion?” said Lady Jane.
“Is it possible you don’t know? Oh! it was when you were out of the world he first made the great noise—by dreaming—yes, dreaming—dreaming himself, and making every body else dream as he pleases; he sported last season a new theory of dreaming—joins practice to theory, too—very extraordinary—interprets all your dreams to your satisfaction, they say—and, quite on philosophical principles, can make you dream whatever he pleases. True, upon my veracity.”
“Did your ladyship ever try his skill?” said Lady Jane.
“Not I; for the duchess would not hear of him—but I long the more to know what he could make me dream. He certainly is very clever, for he was asked last winter everywhere. All the world ran mad—Lady Spilsbury, and my wise cousin, I understand, came to pulling wigs for him. Angelica conquered at last; you know Angelica was always a little bit of a coquette—not a little bit neither. At first, to be sure, she thought no more of love for the German emperor than I do this minute; but he knew how to coquet also—Who would have thought it?—So there were notes, and verses, and dreams, and interpretations, and I can’t tell you what. But, so far, the man is no charlatan—he has made Lady Angelica dream the very dream he chose—the strangest, too, imaginable—that she is in love with him. And the interpretation is, that she will take him ‘for better for worse.’”
“That is your own interpretation, is not it, Lady Frances?” said Caroline.
“Is it possible there is any truth in it?” said Lady Jane.
“All true, positively, I hear. And of all things, I should like to see Lady Angelica and the baron face to face—tête-à-tête—or profile by profile, in the true Roman emperor and empress medal style.”