'Then she is going to be married, as sure as my name's Le Maistre, and to my Lord Colambre; for he has been here this hour, to my certain Bible knowledge. Oh, you'll see, she will be Lady Colambre!'
'I wish she may, with all my heart' said Anne; 'but I must run down—they're waiting.'
'Oh no,' said Mrs. le Maistre, seizing Anne's arm, and holding her fast; 'stay—you may safely—for they're all kissing and taking leave, and all that, you know; and my lady is talking on about Mr. Soho, and giving a hundred directions about legs of TABLES, and so forth, I warrant—she's always an hour after she's ready before she gets in—and I'm looking for the NUMBRELLA. So stay, and tell me—Mrs. Petito wrote over word it was to be Lady Isabel; and then a contradiction came—it was turned into the youngest of the Killpatricks; and now here he's in Miss Nugent's dressing-room to the last moment. Now, in my opinion, that am not censorious, this does not look so pretty; but, according to my verdict, he is only making a fool of Miss Nugent, like the rest; and his lordship seems too like what you might call a male COCKET, or a masculine jilt.'
'No more like a masculine jilt than yourself, Mrs. le Maistre,' cried Anne, taking fire. 'And my young lady is not a lady to be made a fool of, I promise you; nor is my lord likely to make a fool of any woman.'
'Bless us all! that's no great praise for any young nobleman. Miss Anne.'
'Mrs. le Maistre! Mrs. le Maistre! are you above?' cried a footman from the bottom of the stairs; 'my lady's calling for you.'
'Very well! very well!' said sharp Mrs. le Maistre; 'very well! and if she is—manners, sir!—Come up for one, can't you, and don't stand bawling at the bottom of the stairs, as if one had no ears to be saved. I'm coming as fast as I conveniently can.' Mrs. le Maistre stood in the doorway, so as to fill it up, and prevent Anne from passing.
'Miss Anne! Miss Anne! Mrs. le Maistre!' cried another footman; 'my lady's in the carriage, and Miss Nugent.'
'Miss Nugent!—is she?' cried Mrs. le Maistre, running downstairs, followed by Anne. 'Now, for the world in pocket-pieces wouldn't I have missed seeing him hand Miss Nugent in; for by that I could have judged definitively.'
'My lord, I beg pardon!—I'm AFEARD I'm late,' said Mrs. le Maistre, as she passed Lord Colambre, who was standing motionless in the hall. 'I beg a thousand pardons; but I was hunting high and low, for my lady's NUMBRELLA.'