‘I have the honor to be, my dear Madam, very faithfully yours,
‘M.P.’
When the countess had concluded this letter she hastily put a cambric handkerchief up to her face, and particularly over her mouth, and laughed to herself for at least a minute. I also laughed to myself. What a polite, unfeeling, stupid reply to a kind, tender-hearted little girl like Ellen Plummy! Whatever knowledge the minister might have had of grown-up men and women, and the world and the affairs of state, it was certain he was not equal to enter into the mind of a doll who had a heart like mine. It would have been so much better if his lordship, instead of writing that letter, had eaten his currant tart,—and then gone to bed.
CHAPTER X
PLAYING WITH FIRE
I have now something more than a narrow escape to relate; for though I did really escape, yet it was not without a dreadful accident, and some injury. It was also the occasion of my changing my place of residence and style of living. All, however, shall be told in proper order.
Lady Flora, having learned my name from the address of the letter I had received, took a sudden fancy to have it engraved upon a little gold bracelet. When the bracelet was sent home she fastened it upon my wrist, but it dropped off once or twice, being rather too large, so we drove to the jeweller’s house, which was near Charing Cross, and there it was fastened to my wrist by rivets, so that it could not be taken off at all. This was what Lady Flora desired.
On returning through the Haymarket my mamma recollected, as we passed the Opera House, that she had still never seen the dancing there, on account of her sleeping; and at the same time I, for my part, only recollected my narrow escape. But the loss of the opera dancing made Lady Flora only think the more about it, and about dancing; and when we arrived at home she ran to her mamma, and begged to be taken to Willis’s Room—in fact, she wanted to dance herself at ‘Almack’s,’ and to take me with her, as no doubt there would be many other dolls in the room, with whom, after mutual satisfactory introductions, I could associate.
Lady Flowerdale said she was afraid that Lady Flora, being not yet nine years of age, was too young to be taken to ‘Almack’s’; she could, however, take her to the Duchess of Guineahen’s ball, which was to be given next month. This greatly pleased Flora, and meantime she resolved to take an extra lesson in dancing of Madame Michaud, in order to be the better prepared for the ball.
I was present at all the lessons of dancing, and saw Madame Michaud seated with her gold snuff-box, tapping upon the lid to keep time, and taking an immense pinch of snuff when Lady Flora danced well, and a still more immense pinch when she danced badly, besides scolding the young man who played the violin, as if it had been his fault.