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 'SEP 1 !i 19S3 
 MAR 2 4 2306
 
 ROBERTSES ON THEIR TRAVELS. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 THE 
 
 ROBERTSES 
 
 ON 
 
 THEIR TRAVELS. 
 
 BY 
 
 MRS T Pt L L P E, 
 
 AUTHORESS OF " THE BARNABYS IN AMERICA," " THE ATTRACTIVE 
 MAN," "THE VICAR OF WREXHILL," &c. 
 
 INTHREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, 
 
 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 
 
 1846.
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRIKTED BY REYNELL AND WEIGHT, 
 LITTLE PVLTFNEY STREET.
 
 
 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 9J 
 
 
 
 ON 
 
 < , ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 THE 
 
 I R 
 
 TRAVELS 
 
 ro 
 
 
 
 
 ^' 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A SCORE of reasons, at the very least, might 
 easily be found to prove that it is a sin to make pub- 
 lic any of the personal anecdotes and observations 
 which we have all, more or less, the opportunity 
 of making in private ; there is a sort of treachery 
 in doing so that can admit of no excuse or 
 defence whatever, and most justly does it deserve 
 the universal reprobation which attends it. Far 
 distant, however, from any such offence is the 
 office performed by the moral satirist, who, look- 
 ing upon his fellow-mortals with an observant 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 eye, and perceiving such faults or follies, not only 
 in an individual, but in a class, as he thinks within 
 reach of being cured or checked by the whole- 
 some touch of ridicule, exerts all the power he 
 has in applying it. It is true, indeed, that in 
 performing this office, he may occasionally be 
 accused, by those who feel themselves galled, of 
 having been guilty of personality. But the 
 answer to this accusation is too obvious to escape 
 the dullest, even if an apt though homely proverb 
 were less certain to suggest itself as a reply. 
 
 In recently looking over a miscellaneous collec- 
 tion of old travelling notes, made at various times, 
 and in various lands, I found such constantly 
 repeated expressions of regret and vexation at the 
 effect produced on the minds of all foreigners by 
 the strange, and often offensive, manners of many 
 among the multitudes of English travellers who 
 thronged their cities, that I almost felt remorse at 
 never having made public some of the offences 
 and absurdities which had come under my own 
 observation, and which tended to account for and 
 justify the universal sentence of condemnation 
 which has been passed upon English manners by
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 3 
 
 every nation on the continent. But I well remember 
 that all, or very nearly all, such observations were 
 laid aside at the time they were written, because I 
 feared that some of the sketches, however slightly 
 drawn, might possibly be recognised by any one 
 who happened to know what I had been doing, 
 and where 1 had been. But my wanderings have 
 now been so various, that this danger can exist 
 no longer ; yet, sorry am I to say, that what was 
 truth on this subject several years ago, is truth 
 still, and I think it not impossible that some good 
 may be done by occasionally bringing before the 
 eyes of the thoughtless people who have brought 
 this stigma upon us, some of the follies by which it 
 has been occasioned. Did I believe that the Eno-lish 
 people as a nation, or even the majority of them, 
 merited the odium which has been thus cast upon 
 them, I should certainly not occupy my pen upon 
 a theme at once so useless and so distasteful ; but 
 knowing, as I do, that such is not the fact, I am 
 tempted to make an effort towards the reform of 
 follies, which are not, as I conceive, of so hopeless 
 a nature as to be given up as incurable. The 
 mischief, for the most part, arises from mere 
 blunders and mistakes, which there is great 
 
 B 2
 
 4 THE R0BERTSE9 
 
 reason to believe would be gladly avoided by those 
 who fall into them, did they know a little Vjetter 
 what they were about. Those who have travelled 
 much, and still more, perhaps, those who have 
 resided for a time in any of the continental capi- 
 tals of Europe, must, I think, have observed how 
 very much more conspicuous those English tra- 
 vellers, who are not of the most polished class of 
 society, make themselves, than do those who are. 
 Any one residing for a twelvemonth in Paris, for 
 instance, who would direct a little attention to 
 this point, would be sure to find that, whereas 
 hundreds of highly educated and refined people 
 come and go without ever exciting a remark, or 
 drawing upon themselves any disagreeable atten- 
 tion whatever, persons less educated, or less 
 refined, can scarcely show themselves in any 
 place of public resort, without attracting both 
 eyes and ears, in a manner that cannot fail to 
 establish for the English nation exactly such a 
 reputation for mauvais ton as at this moment 
 attaches to them. And thus it happens, of 
 necessity^ that the better specimens of our travel- 
 ling countrymen form no antidote, in tlie popuhir 
 judgment of the countries they visit, to the worse ;
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 5 
 
 for while the first pursue the noiseless tenor of 
 their way, without drawing upon themselves any 
 popular attention at all, the last, amongst all the 
 amusement they may chance to find, have perhaps 
 no pleasure so great as that of being conscious 
 that they are observed — that they are producing a 
 great sensation — and that they are not leaving 
 their gold behind them without the meed of being 
 stared at as rich milors, who were of too much 
 consequence at home to condescend to be decently 
 civil and quiet abroad. Could these persons but 
 hear, as I have done, the observations of those 
 before whom they perform these tricks of noisy 
 and consequential impertinence, the evil would be 
 soon cured; for there are few who would not 
 willingly submit to some restraint, or at any rate, 
 to the same discipline of ordinary good breeding 
 to which they yield themselves at home, rather 
 than become the subject of remarks, often as 
 good-natured as they are acute, and all tending to 
 prove beyond the hope of a doubt, that the only 
 delusion produced by their obtrusive swaggering, 
 is that which causes them to be considered as the 
 fair type of their countrymen, instead of a bad 
 specimen of a small class. For it is a positive
 
 6 THE ROBEETSES 
 
 fact, that from the gamin who mutters his " Got 
 dem" upon the Boulevard, to the individual of the 
 very highest class, let him be who it may, whom 
 they have the honour to encounter, there is not 
 one who will blunder so egregiously as to mistake 
 them for people of education. 
 
 But what makes this national judgment, l)Oth 
 in France and elsewhere, the more provoking, is, 
 that these very offenders are not a fair specimen 
 even of themselves. How many respectable 
 fathers and mothers, pretty daughters, and learned 
 sons have I seen " at church and market," at the 
 theatre, and in the chamber of peers, at the king's 
 court, and at a restaurant of forty sous, who, in 
 all of these scenes, have assumed a sort of tone 
 (mauvais ton, sans contredit), as unlike as possible 
 from what the very same persons would display 
 in similar scenes at home. That this is a fact, no 
 close observer will deny ; but to account for it 
 satisfactorily is not easy. Sometimes I have been 
 tempted to believe that it arises from tlie un- 
 wonted lightness of spirit, produced by the change 
 of climate. On first breathiuGr the clear liri2:ht 
 atmosphere of France, almost every one seems to 
 enjoy a sensation of bien ttre from its influence.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 7 
 
 The animal spirits rise. The customary restraints 
 imposed by the manners and habits of home, and 
 the check produced by the presence of familiar 
 eyes being withdrawn, the gay travellers become 
 fantastic first, and then impertinent, and like 
 children invited out without their governess, ap- 
 pear in the eyes of those they visit to have much 
 worse manners than they ever exhibit at home. 
 
 It is impossible to witness this sort of display 
 without mortification and regret, which is only 
 increased by remembering how many amiable 
 qualities, and how much genuine excellence, exist 
 behind this provoking chevaux-de-frise of thought- 
 less folly. 
 
 It is said that a warning is better than an ex- 
 ample ; and if so, there may be use in stringing 
 together some of the recollections which bear upon 
 this subject ; and setting them, from time to time, 
 before the eyes of my dear compatnots, so many 
 of whom are daily taking wing to visit foreign 
 lands, in which they would find it infinitely more 
 pleasant to be liked than disliked. 
 
 I beg to observe, however, that although I shall 
 set nothing down which has not a- fact for its 
 foundation, I shall take especial care to avoid
 
 8 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 everything approaching to personality. Even my 
 old note-book, as it lies in the original before me, 
 might be read from the first page to the last, 
 without thi'owing any light upon the questions 
 "Who?" and "^Vhere?" The anecdotes stand 
 isolated; and although they may recal to me, 
 freshly enough, places and persons alike distinct, 
 I am quite sure that they could perform the same 
 office to no one else, unless, indeed, it were the 
 near and dear ones who were beside me when 
 they occurred. 
 
 "I wish you joy, Mrs Roberts," said a tall, 
 well-looking man of fifty, entering his drawing- 
 room in Baker street with rather a triumphant 
 step ; " I wish you joy, madam. The arrange- 
 ments respecting the disposal of the banking 
 business are all concluded, and I am now a free 
 man, and at liberty to indulge your long-cherished 
 wish to visit the continent." 
 
 The lady he thus addressed was liis wife ; she 
 was of an age and appcamnce very suitable to 
 his own, being about five years his junior, and 
 having, like himself, the remains of considerable 
 comeliness of feature. It is true tliat the lady
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 9 
 
 was rather more en hon point than she would have 
 wished, and the carnation of her once fine com- 
 plexion had deepened into a coarser tint ; never- 
 theless, she was still what many people would call 
 a very fine-looking woman, and in this judgment 
 both herself and her husband joined. 
 
 "You have actually sold your share in the 
 business, and been permitted to withdrav/ your 
 share of the capital, Mr Roberts ? " demanded the 
 lady, clasping her large, fair, fat hands in an 
 attitude of thanksgiving. 
 
 " I have actually sold my share of the business, 
 and have excellent security for the price, as well 
 as for my capital, and I am to receive four per 
 cent, for the whole," he replied. 
 
 "Thank God!" exclaimed his wife very fer- 
 vently ; " and now then for the amount ? " 
 
 " Why, my dear, it is a good bit less than it 
 would have been, if you could have let me remain 
 a few years longer in the business. However, 
 I dare say we shall do very well, because of 
 what you tell me about the cheapness of living 
 abroad — " 
 
 " But what is it, Mr Roberts ? Pray don't 
 
 b3
 
 10 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 beat about the bush in that way; you know I 
 can't bear it." 
 
 " I won't beat about the bush, my dear ; I have 
 no thought of the kind ; but if you don't give me 
 time to speak, you know, I can't tell you. I 
 reckon that we shall have altogether, with your 
 railroad shares, and the interest from your brother 
 upon the mortgage, just about seven hundred 
 a-year." 
 
 " Seven, Mr Koberts ? Upon my life, I 
 expected it would have been nearer seventeen. 
 However, there is no need of your looking so 
 terrified ; I'll undertake to make seven hundred 
 a-year abroad go as far as three times the sum 
 at home. Just let me have the management of it, 
 and you will see that it will do very well. But 
 I hope you have not forgotten my positive 
 injunctions about securing a sufficient sum of 
 ready money to pay the expenses of the journey 1 
 Remember, sir, I will have no forestalling of the 
 income. I must have that from the very first, 
 perfectly clear and unencumbered." 
 
 " You know, my dear, that I never forget what 
 you say. Nicholson has promised to advance
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 11 
 
 me three hundred on the furniture of tliis house," 
 replied Mr Roberts, and I only wait for your 
 orders about the time of setting out, in order to 
 speak to an auctioneer about it." 
 
 " I would rather the sum had been five hundred, 
 Mr Roberts, a good deal rather. However, I am 
 not going to find fault ; altogether you have done 
 very well ; I only regret that I did not tell you to 
 let me speak to Mr Nicholson myself. But never 
 mind, with my management I dare say I shall 
 make it do." 
 
 " And about time, my dear," said her husband, 
 greatly relieved by the degree of approval his state- 
 ment had met with. "How soon do you think 
 you should like to set off?" 
 
 " I must not be hurried, Mr Roberts. I have 
 a great deal to do, an immense deal to do, and all 
 I can say is, that you may depend upon it I shall 
 get through it all in about half the time that any 
 body else would take. In the first place, you 
 know, I have got to give notice to Edward that 
 he is to leave Oxford immediately." 
 
 "God bless my soul, Mrs Roberts, 1 never 
 heard you say anything about that before," ex- 
 claimed her husband, the startled blood mounting 
 to his temples and his cars ; " don't you intend to
 
 12 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 let him stay at Oxford till he hag taken his 
 degree ?" 
 
 " Most decidedly not, Mr Roberts," she replied. 
 " If you knew a little better what you were 
 talking about you would not ask such a question. 
 Edward, with his extraordinary talents, has already 
 had a great deal more time than was necessary for 
 acquiring as much Greek and Latin as any body 
 can want who is not intended for a schoolmaster, 
 and I certainly do not mean that he shall lose 
 any more time at it. Modern languages, Mr 
 Roberts, must now be added to the accomplish- 
 ments for which he is already so remarkable. 
 Modern languages and waltzing will render him 
 as nearly perfect as it is within the reach of 
 human nature to be. Say no more about his 
 remaining at Oxford, if you please, for I feel it 
 would irritate me." 
 
 Thus warned, Mr Roberts attempted no further 
 remonstrance on the subject, but pulled out his 
 pocket handkercliief, blew his nose, and remained 
 silent. " There, my dear, that will do now,'' said 
 the lady waving her hand ; " I need not detain 
 you any longer, and I have myself many things to 
 do more profitable than talking." 
 
 " I will go this moment, my dear," replied her
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 13 
 
 husband, "only I should like to know first how 
 soon you think of setting off ?" 
 
 " My dear Mr Roberts, I must insist upon it 
 that you do not persecute me any more with that 
 question. Depend upon it you shall know in 
 time to get yourself ready to accompany me. All 
 you have to do at present is to get the money from 
 Mr Nicholson, and let me have it; and little 
 enough it will be certainly ; but I shall buy 
 nothing till we get to Paris, and I must insist 
 upon it that you implicitly comply with my 
 wishes in this respect ; I would not see you in an 
 English coat or hat in Paris for more than I'll say. 
 There now, go my dear, and let me have leisure 
 to tliink a little." 
 
 This conversation was followed by such a 
 degree of activity on the part of Mrs Roberts, 
 that in less than a fortnight from the time it took 
 place, herself, and her whole family, consisting of 
 her husband, her son, and her two daughters, were 
 all safely stowed on board the Boulogne steam- 
 boat, and careering down the Thames. Of the 
 younger branches of the Roberts' family it will be 
 necessary to say a few words before they are 
 launched upon the ocean of Parisian gaiety, in
 
 14 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 order to show distinctly the effect which it pro- 
 duced upon them, and to be perfectly grammatical 
 and correct, we will acknowledge the male to be 
 more worthy than the female, and begin the 
 family picture with a portrait of the son. He was 
 a slight, small-featured young man of twenty, 
 certainly not ugly, for he resembled both his 
 parents, and both were well-looking ; but in him 
 regularity of feature was almost a defect, for there 
 was a preciseness of outline in nose, mouth, and 
 chin, which, together with his carefully arranged 
 hair, gave him a strong resemblance (though rather 
 upon a small scale) to one of the pretty waxen 
 young gentlemen exhibited in the window of a 
 hair-dresser's shop. The young ladies were also 
 very tolerably pretty ; Miss Agatha, the eldest, 
 being light haired, with a pretty mouth and bril- 
 liant complexion ; and Miss Maria, the youngest, 
 more fortunate still, from being tall and well 
 made, with a profusion of dark chestnut curls, and 
 a very handsome pair of eyes. In short, the three 
 young people formed a group of which their papa 
 and mamma were exceedingly proud. 
 
 From the first hour in which ^Irs Roberts 
 formed the project of taking her fomily ubroiul,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 15 
 
 her mind had been made up as to the tone and 
 style in which they were to travel, and the station 
 they were to hold in society in the different cities 
 which it was her intention to visit. Her active 
 and aspiring spirit had been labouring in- 
 cessantly for the last two or three years, in 
 endeavouring to improve her set of London 
 acquaintance ; she firmly believed that nature had 
 formed her with abilities of so high an order as 
 fully to justify her hopes of taking a place in the 
 highest circles, as soon as her husband's earnest 
 attention to business should have acquired for her 
 an income sufficient to support her pretensions. 
 She saw many bankers' ladies holding a place in 
 society which would have fully satisfied her 
 ambition, and she determined that as soon as her 
 daughters left school, the family should remove 
 from their residence in Bloomsbury square to 
 a good house in a more fashionable part of 
 the town ; this she had achieved by means of 
 a domineering temper, and a stedfast will, 
 although her somewhat more prudent husband 
 hinted that he thought they had better wait a 
 little longer before they made a move ; but his 
 doubts and scruples were all silenced by the
 
 16 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 irresistible arguments with which she proved that 
 if her daughters were " brought out" in Blooms- 
 bury square they would never afterwards take 
 their proper station in society. But Mrs Roberts 
 was a sanguine, ardent-minded woman, and the 
 process of improving her circle of acquaintance 
 proved slower than she expected. But who is 
 there from 'Whitechapel to Belgrave square who 
 has not the advantao;e of havinoj some friends and 
 relations who have been abroad ? ^Irs Roberts 
 had many ; and though she had listened with much 
 indifference to all the information they were ready 
 to give as long as London continued to be the 
 theatre of her hopes, their boastful narratives 
 became interesting as soon as those hopes began 
 to fade. No sooner had the idea of passing a few 
 years abroad suggested itself than every other 
 project was forgotten, and so well did she know 
 how to work upon the not imambitious spirit of 
 her husband, that, in less than a year after the 
 idea had first occurred to her, she found herself 
 in the triumphant situation above described. 
 
 As Mrs Roberts's chief object was to ensure for 
 herself and her family the inestimable advantages of 
 superior society, it will readily be imagined that she
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 17 
 
 had not neglected the necessary task of incul- 
 cating her views and principles on the minds of 
 her children, and she had for years enjoyed the 
 inexpressible gratification of perceiving that there 
 was not one of them whose young spirit did not 
 kindle at her lessons ; so that the path before her, 
 important as it was, seemed really strewed with 
 flowers. She felt, happy mother I that their hearts 
 beat in unison with her own, and that she should 
 only have to say "do this," or "look thus," in 
 order to ensure the most willing and prompt obe- 
 dience. 
 
 As soon as they reached the deck of the steam- 
 boat Mrs Roberts took the arm of her husband, 
 and walked with great dignity to a seat which 
 she considered to be the best on board, signifying 
 to her son and daughters that they were to place 
 themselves on a bench opposite. Their only tra- 
 velling attendant was a tall footman in a showy 
 livery, and as soon as the party was seated he was 
 ordered to seek footstools for the three ladies. 
 Just as he had succeeded in obeying this com- 
 mand two quiet-looking girls, in dresses which 
 had nothing to recommend them save their being 
 particularly well adapted for the scene and the
 
 18 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 season, placed themselves on the same bench with 
 the Miss Roberts' and their brother ; but in the 
 next moment they were all disturbed by the ap- 
 proach of two or three men employed in putting 
 up an awning, " Take care of your head," cried 
 one of the plainly-dressed young strangers, ad- 
 dressing Miss Roberts, who profited by the 
 warning without acknowledging it, and in a few 
 minutes the awning was arranged, and the party 
 restored to the quiet possession of their seats. 
 
 " What a comfort ! " exclaimed the same young 
 lady addressing Miss Roberts, looking, as she did 
 so, too full of youth and enjoyment to he aware of 
 the immense liberty she was taking with a young 
 lady so elegantly dressed as to be much more fit 
 for a drive in the Park than a voyage on the 
 Thames. But whatever sensations of happiness 
 Miss Roberts might feel, they were not of a nature 
 so completely to overcome all her preconceived 
 notions of what she ow^ed to herself, as to induce 
 her to reply in any way to the unauthorised fami- 
 liarity of her neighbour, neither did she turn her 
 eyes towards her, but looking straight forward, 
 exchanged a glance with her mamma which very 
 eloquently expressed all the annoyance slie expe-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 19 
 
 riencecl at being exposed to a liberty so every 
 way unauthorised. 
 
 '* This will never do," said Mrs Roberts, knitting 
 her brows, and shaking her head with a look of 
 mingled alarm and indignation. " Mr Roberts," 
 she added, " I must really beg you to change 
 places with my daughters, I can easily make room 
 for them both;" and, lowering her voice a very 
 little, "it wiU be quite a different thing if you 
 and Edward are attacked." 
 
 The proposed change was instantly made, and 
 the young ladies placed themselves one on either 
 side of their mamma, with the happy look of 
 recovered security, which an escape from danger 
 naturally inspires. But the young ladies, in their 
 hurry to escape from the freedom of manner which 
 had so greatly annoyed them, had left their foot- 
 stools behind, and one of the cotton-robed young 
 ladies, though with a very innocent and unconscious . 
 look, almost immediately placed a foot upon one 
 of them ; Mrs Roberts seemed greatly agi- 
 tated. 
 
 " I really do wish," she said with every appear- 
 ance of being deeply in earnest, " I really do wish 
 that they would make the steamboats on a different
 
 20 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 plan. The division between deck and cabin pas- 
 sengers, is by no means sufficient. Now, that all 
 sorts and kinds of people go abroad, there really 
 ouGflit to be some means of dividins: them a little 
 into classes." 
 
 " I am sure so do I," said Agatha. 
 
 " A capital idea, mamma ! I wish you would 
 set it going," added Maria. 
 
 " My dear Edward," said Mrs Roberts, bending 
 forward across the space, which divided the seat 
 she occupied from that on which her son was 
 gracefully lounging along a space that might have 
 accommodated three, " I am excessively sorry to 
 disturb you ; for, happy creature, you really look 
 as if you were going to sleep, and upon my word 
 under some circumstances that is the best thing 
 one can do. But I really must trouble you to 
 call Stephen here." 
 
 The young man obeyed, and the tall footman 
 again made his appearance. 
 
 " You must contrive to get us more footstools, 
 Stephen," said his mistress, with sufficient dis- 
 tinctness to have been heard almost from the helm 
 to the head of the vessel. 
 
 "I don't think I can get any more, ma am,"
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 21 
 
 said the man ; " for I have seen every one that 
 was laid up in the heap carried away." 
 
 The young offender on the opposite bench im- 
 mediately withdrew her feet, at the same time 
 pushing forward the footstool, and making a slight 
 action with her head, as she looked at the servant, 
 to indicate that he was at liberty to remove it. 
 The man did so, and placed it beneath the feet of 
 Miss Agatha. 
 
 ^' You must contrive to find another, Stephen," 
 resumed Mrs Roberts, in her most decisive tone. 
 " Miss Maria cannot sit without a footstool." 
 
 The two young girls who had innocently been 
 the cause of all this trouble, were either uncon- 
 scious that their dresses concealed the wished-for 
 accommodation, or thought that they had better 
 not intrude any further civility upon their elegant 
 fellow-travellers. Perhaps they began to feel not 
 quite at their ease, for the beaming gaiety of 
 their bright young faces seemed a little overcast, 
 and instead of continuing to converse together 
 concerning the fortunate fineness of the weather 
 and the like, they both seemed occupied in looking 
 about the deck, as if in search of some one they 
 expected to see there. Nor did they, as it seemed.
 
 22 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 look in vain ; for in the next moment, they both 
 sprung up together, and darted away to meet a 
 gentleman^ who, from his age and the manner in 
 which he smilingly received one under each arm, 
 proclaimed himself unmistakably to be their 
 father. The very instant that their removal re- 
 stored the coveted footstool to sight, Mrs Koberts 
 extended her own hand to seize upon it, exclaiming 
 as she did so, " How extremely disagreeable it is 
 to meet with underbred people ! " 
 
 This sentiment was very cordially echoed by 
 her daughters, upon which Mrs Roberts took 
 occasion to observe, that in the new mode of life 
 which was now opening before them, they would 
 find it highly necessary to assume and sustain a 
 tone of manners differing very essentially from 
 what was either necessary or desirable at home. 
 
 " And the reason for this," she continued, " is 
 very obvious ; while people remain in their own 
 country, every body about them knows who and 
 what they are, and there is neither good nor harm 
 to be got by letting all that sort of thing take its 
 course ; but it is plain to see that when travelling 
 abroad, a very different line of conduct becomes 
 necessary. It is most probable, you know, that
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 23 
 
 every body we meet will be strangers to us, and 
 I should like to know how they are to find out 
 that we are something above the common herd, 
 unless we take care to make them feel it and know 
 it by a little dignity and high spirit in our manner 
 of going on? This must, of course, be ^equally 
 necessary towards foreigners and English, and I 
 beg to observe to you all, that it must never be 
 lost sight of. I am quite certain that we are now 
 in a situation to choose our own position in 
 society, and this, it is very certain, that we never 
 were before. Every body, you know, says that 
 one pound on the continent will go as far as five 
 in England, and we therefore have quite enough 
 to place us in the very highest society, if we take 
 care to conduct ourselves properly. Nor is this, 
 I beg to observe, the only reason why it is neces- 
 cessary to behave so as to give ourselves conse- 
 quence in the eyes of those around us. Though 
 a great many people of fashion come abroad, it 
 is only too certain that a great many others come 
 also ; and just think what a business we should 
 make of it, if, instead of keeping amongst the 
 very highest set, as I hope and intend, we should 
 any of lis run up an intimacy with a parcel of
 
 24 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 people actually inferior, perhaps, to any that we 
 should choose to speak to at home ! " 
 
 The whole party, father, daughters, and son, 
 listened to this harangue with the most earnest 
 attention, and it was very evident, from the ob- 
 servations which fell from them in reply, that they 
 one and all fully appreciated the justness of her 
 reasoning. 
 
 " Well, thank God ! " she said, after having 
 listened to them all in turn, "I don't believe I 
 have any fools to deal with amongst you, and that 
 is an immense comfort when there is an important 
 object in view. In fact, I know that we all think 
 and feel pretty much alike as to the manner in 
 which we should choose to go on ; but as to the 
 means, I know perfectly well that you must trust 
 to me — and I am happy to say that you may do 
 this safely, for depend upon it, I shall forget 
 nothing. That letter now, for instance, to the 
 embassy — who but I would have ever thought 
 of making use of our good apothecary- in such a 
 business ? But I will bet you what you please 
 that we shall find Lady Carlton's letter quite as 
 effectual as if she had written it to please the first 
 duke in the land ? Don't I know that an apothe-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 25 
 
 cary, as clever as Tomlinson is with children, may 
 get what he likes from the parents, if he does 
 but know how to ask for it ? " 
 
 ** It was a capital good thought of yours, my 
 dear," said Mr Eoberts ; " I am sure it would 
 never have come into my head, if I had studied 
 where to get an introduction, for a hundred 
 years." 
 
 " Certainly, mamma understands all that sort 
 of thing better than any one I ever heard of," said 
 Agatha. 
 
 " I do not think we shall run much risk in 
 trusting to her," observed Maria. 
 
 " Upon my soul, you are first-rate, ma'am," 
 added Mr Edward, as he reconnoitred through a 
 glass the different groups that occupied the deck ; 
 *^but do you think; ma'am, there would be any 
 indecorum in our moving about a little ? I think 
 we look rather musty-fusty sitting here altoge- 
 ther, as if we were afraid of all the people." 
 
 *' Afraid of them in one sense, my dear Edward, 
 it is very necessary we should be, as you must 
 have perceived yourself, since we came on board ; 
 but that is no reason why we should not walk 
 about, if we like it. We can take care of our- 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 selves, you know, whether we move, or remain 
 stationary. I have no wish to make any of you 
 timid, — quite the contrary. If you will give me 
 your arm, Mr Koberts, I will take a turn or two 
 upon the deck ; but you must call Stephen here 
 first, Edward, that he may take charge of the 
 foot-stools till we sit down again." 
 
 As there was nobody else on board who ap- 
 peared to be attended by a tall footman in a 
 blazing livery, the young man felt that his ap- 
 pearance among them gave a considerable degree 
 of distinction to the l)arty, and this consideration 
 was fully sufficient to reconcile him to this third 
 mission in pursuit of Stephen, and once again 
 the long-backed serving-man bent literally to 
 the ladies' foot-stools, and having dutifully with- 
 drawn them, desired to know if he was to follow 
 them to the place they were next going to occupy. 
 Mrs Roberts raised her eyes to the man as he 
 asked the question, and he looked at once so 
 very stately and so very obsequious, with the 
 three foot-stools in his hands, that for a moment 
 she was strongly tempted to answer in the affirm- 
 ative ; but recollecting that the purpose of their 
 moving was to promenade the deck, and not
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 27 
 
 merely to change their places, it occurred to her 
 that the being so followed might look odd, and 
 she therefore contented herself by pointing out a 
 conspicuous place just below the quarter-deck, 
 where he might deposit them, charging him at the 
 same time, to keep a strict watch over them, and 
 not to permit their being removed by any one. 
 
 The party then set off, the father and mother 
 in front, and the son and daughters following; 
 but although thus divided, they contrived to con- 
 verse together, exchanging many keen and clever 
 observations upon their fellow-passengers, the 
 nature of which might be guessed at, perhaps, by 
 the frequent laughter of the party, although all 
 they said to each other was very decorously 
 uttered in whispers. Having thus amused them- 
 selves for about half an hour, the ladies declared 
 their wish of sitting down again; but as they 
 approached the places they had before occu- 
 pied, they perceived, to their extreme surprise 
 and indignation, that they were occupied by the 
 very identical cotton dresses which had already 
 proved so particularly distasteful. Mrs Koberts 
 never felt annoyed without blaming somebody, 
 and now, of course, she felt exceedingly angry 
 
 C 2
 
 28 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 with those very presumptuous young people ; she 
 knew, however, perfectly well (for a river steam- 
 boat was no new scene to her) that she had no 
 right, though she was Mrs Roberts, to reclaim 
 the seat, and she therefore contented herself by 
 preparing to brush past it, with the words " bore," 
 " public conveyances," and " vulgar people," on 
 her lips. But the sharp eyes of Miss Maria 
 descried something in the appearance of the two 
 gentlemen who were now the companions of their 
 obnoxious fellow-passengers which led her to 
 doubt whether, notwithstanding their "horribly 
 common gowns," they might not be very different 
 sort of people from what she had first supposed. 
 
 " Mamma — mamma, " she whispered, at the 
 same time restraining her mother's steps by a 
 little gentle violence. " Don't go on in that 
 way till you know what sort of people they are. 
 Just look at the gentlemen who are with 
 them." 
 
 Mrs Roberts did look at the gentlemen, and 
 her state of mind underwent an immediate change. 
 She returned the pressure of the arm which had 
 seized upon hers, in token that she comprehended 
 what the pressure meant, and returned the wins-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 29 
 
 per by saying in the same tone, or one lower 
 still, 
 
 " Never mind — I will set it all right again. The 
 girls seemed vastly inclined to be sociable." 
 
 And then, taking a step back, she pointed out 
 some object on the bank of the river to Maria and 
 her brother, and having led them to the side of 
 the vessel, said, 
 
 " I suspect we were wrong about those shabby- 
 looking girls — look at the men they have got 
 w^ith them. Follow me, and behave just as I do, 
 that's all." 
 
 She then pursued her way to the seat they 
 had previously occupied, and having reached it, 
 seemed suddenly to perceive for the first time that 
 it was fully occupied. The youngest of the two 
 girls now seated there looked a little frightened, 
 and exchanging a glance with her sister, made 
 a movement as if she was about to rise. 
 
 " Not for the world, my dear young lady," 
 exclaimed Mrs Roberts, with a courteous smile. 
 "But I am afraid you will not find that high 
 seat comfortable without foot-stools." 
 
 And stepping briskly back towards the place 
 where her servant was still keeping guard over
 
 30 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 the monopolized treasures, she made a sign to liim 
 to advance, and then with her own liands placed 
 two of the stools he brought beneath the feet of 
 the two young girls. This was done with a smile 
 of such gay good humour that it was impossible 
 not to receive it graciously, and considering the 
 texture of their dresses, the two young ladies 
 acquitted themselves very well, the elder assisting 
 in the operation, with the exclamation, "Indeed, 
 ma'am, you are too kind ! " and the younger 
 repaying her with the same bright smile, the fami- 
 liarity of which had given such great offence 
 when expressing her approbation of the awning. 
 But the reward which IVIrs Roberts anticipated 
 and received was from the gentlemen of the 
 party, who both immediately rose, and offered 
 their places to the civil lady and lier daughters. 
 Mrs Roberts immediately sat down, nodding to 
 her children, and waving them ofl' to tlie opposite 
 bench, saying with much earnestness to the elder 
 of the two gentlemen, who was, as she divined, 
 the father of the younger, as well as of the cotton- 
 gowns, " Pray, do not let us disturb you, sir." 
 
 The two Miss Robertses were really pretty- 
 looking girls, and the young man, whoso place
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 31 
 
 their mother had taken, seemed perfectly willing 
 to content himself with the accommodation offered 
 by the seat against the side of the vessel, on 
 which they and their brother had placed them- 
 selves — Mr Roberts having wandered away in 
 search of the gentleman's cabin, and a newspaper. 
 It is always to be lamented when pretty-looking 
 girls give themselves airs, and grow disagreeable, 
 only because they know themselves to be charm- 
 ing. However trivial and evanescent may be the 
 gift of beauty to a deeply philosophic eye, it 
 would be folly to deny that it is one of the good 
 gifts of heaven, and when the possessor does not 
 call upon it to do the work of all other good 
 qualities, moral and intellectual, it is calculated, 
 in ninety-nine instances out of a hundred, to con- 
 ciliate good will from those who look upon it, 
 wliatever their age, sex, or condition. But in 
 order to have its full effect, or anything like its 
 full effect, it must be borne meekly, and the reason 
 why the coquetry of women of high breeding is 
 more effective in all countries than that of beau- 
 ties less accomplished, may doubtless be found in 
 the fact that the last and highest polish conceals, 
 if it does not absolutely destroy, pretension. A
 
 32 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 perfectly high-bred and well-educated woman 
 charms by being elegant, not by exerting all her 
 faculties to appear so ; and in like manner a beau- 
 tiful coquette of the same class is irresistible, 
 because she endangers not the grace which is bom 
 of ease, by struggling to appear something that 
 she is not. If Agatha and Maria Roberts could 
 have learned to " let themselves alone,^'' they might 
 have appeared in every drawing-room in Europe 
 with almost a certainty of being more admired 
 than one-half the women they met ; but this they 
 had not learned, and the consequence was now, as 
 it had often been before, and as it was likely often 
 to be again, that the young man who had speedily 
 entered into conversation with them, as speedily 
 got tired, and after listening w^ith smiling atten- 
 tion first to one, and then to the other, as they 
 laboured to set themselves off in a variety of 
 ways, he at length got up, and proposed to his 
 father that they should walk to the head of the 
 ship to look out for — what they wore to look out 
 for his father did not wait to hear — for he, too, 
 had been almost overwhelmed by the obliging 
 efforts of i\Irs Roberts to enchant him : and 
 tellinji his daughters that he would come back
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 33 
 
 to them soon, he took his son's arm, and walked 
 ofF. 
 
 It boots not to relate all the strenuous efforts 
 made by Mrs Roberts to obliterate from the 
 memory of the two young ladies who were left 
 seated beside her, all recollection of her former 
 demeanour towards them. Suffice it to say, that, 
 like some generals, more able than successful, 
 she piqued herself as much upon the skill with 
 which she could perform a backward movement 
 whenever she happened to get into a scrape, as 
 upon the spirited boldness with which her man- 
 oeuvres in advance were ever made. In the pre- 
 sent case, however, she produced considerably 
 less impression in both movements, than she 
 would have been easily persuaded to believe pos- 
 sible ; but in fact, the two young people who had 
 unintentionally attracted so much of her atten- 
 tion, were too giddily delighted, and too youth- 
 fully light-hearted, to know or to care very much 
 what these bustling strangers thought about 
 them. Had they been obhged to pronounce an 
 opinion concerning them, it would probably have 
 been worded in the phrase, " odd sort of people." 
 But in truth they were forgotten even before 
 
 C 3
 
 34 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 they were lost sight of; for the terrible moment 
 being arrived at which the peaceable river 
 changed into the cruel sea, all hopes, fears, joys, 
 sorrows, plots, and counterplots were alike for- 
 gotten by every female on board, and by the 
 time the vessel reached Boulogne, the first and 
 only thought of each was, how to get out of her 
 as quickly as possible. 
 
 To persons who, like the Roberts family, have 
 just felt the mysterious malady of the sea for the 
 first time, there is something equally astonishing 
 and delightful in the sudden relief from their 
 misery, which follows the very first contact of 
 their feet with terra Jirma, and they all felt it 
 in a degree that made their first continental sen- 
 sations very delightful indeed. Their walk along 
 the pier seemed to them all the most agreeable 
 promenade they had ever enjoyed, and even the 
 clamorous applications for their company with 
 which they were greeted on the quay by the 
 envoys of all the hotels in the town, produced 
 more pleasure than annoyance. 
 
 " I have always heard that the French people 
 were the most intelligent in the world," observed 
 Mrs Roberts; "and how remarkable a proof of
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 35 
 
 it is their having picked us out in this manner 
 among such a motley crowd. Look here ! I have 
 had six cards from as many different hotels put 
 into my hand already ! " 
 
 "And how in the world are we to choose 
 among them, my dear ? " inquired Mr Eoberts. 
 " I really should like to find myself in a comfort- 
 able hotel with as little delay as possible. Have 
 you made up your mind as to which card you like 
 best ? " 
 
 " Trust to me, Mr Eoberts," replied his wife, 
 with her usual air of knowing perfectly well what 
 she was about. " I certainly shall not be decided 
 in my choice by the appearance of the cards. But 
 we will follow that well-looking young man, if 
 you please, in the green coat and silver buttons. 
 I perceive he speaks English perfectly. Oui, 
 monsieur, vous, oui, vous," she continued, speak- 
 ing very loud, to assist the intelligence of the 
 green-coated commissionaire. "I don't mind 
 about the English myself, but it will be pleasant 
 for you and Edward," she added, and then again 
 addressing the man whom she had selected, she 
 said, " It is votre hotel you know that we are 
 going to — and votre maitre, I suppose, can tell us
 
 36 THE PwOBERTSES 
 
 tout about our luggage and the do — do — What 
 in the world is the name of a French custom- 
 house, Agatha?" 
 
 ^^ Douane, mamma," answered the young lady, 
 whose recent French studies had gone consider- 
 ably farther than her own ; although Mrs Roberts 
 herself had not set out upon this important expe- 
 dition without having very sedulously applied 
 herself to the same study. " German and Italian," 
 she had said, " I intend to learn when I get into 
 the respective countries, but it is absolutely 
 necessary to have a stock of French to set off 
 with. 
 
 Her stock of French, however, did not i:)erhaps 
 comprise all the words in the language, and it 
 was also possible that both genders and tenses 
 might produce some slight embarrassment in her 
 colloquial intercourse with the natives, but these 
 were trifles by no means of sufficient importance 
 to daunt such a spirit as that of ^Irs Roberts. 
 During the domestic practising which liad gone 
 on for several weeks previous to their setting ofl', 
 both her daughters, fresh from the grammatical 
 discipline of a French teacher, had endeavoured 
 to impress upon her the necessity of paying a
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 37 
 
 little more attention both to verbs and genders, 
 but her answer was characteristic and decisive. 
 " Mj dear children, it is perfectly right and proper 
 that you should study the grammar ; it is a study 
 properly befitting your years. All young people 
 learn grammar; but scholars of my age must 
 take a more enlarged and general view of the lan- 
 guage. You know how steadily I have applied 
 to reading dialogues and vocabularies, not to 
 mention that I have transcribed whole columns 
 from the dictionary, and I declare to you, girls, 
 that I am often astonished at my own quickness 
 in learning. I assure you that of late I hardly 
 ever go into a shop without making use of French 
 words without intending it. When I bought my 
 last new bonnet I asked the woman, quite without 
 thinking of it, to show me some 'bonnets de 
 
 "But bonnet means cap, mamma, in French," 
 had been Miss Agatha's reply ; and, " Nonsense, 
 child," her resolute mother's rejoinder. 
 
 " When the niceties of grammar are required," 
 she added, "all the rules I mean, and the excep- 
 tions, and the rest of it, as in writing notes, for 
 instance, of course I shall employ you and your
 
 38 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 sister ; but in the matter of talking I don't expect 
 to want your assistance at alJ. When there is 
 any thing to be said, I always feel as if I were 
 inspired ; words, thank God ! never fail me, and I 
 do believe 1 could soon talk in almost any lan- 
 guage in the world except Greek and Latin." 
 Such were the opinions and feelings of Mrs 
 Roberts on the subject of colloquial intercourse ; 
 and though uttered before this sketch of her 
 adventures commences, it is as well to refer to it, 
 in order to develop the system upon which she 
 intended to proceed. But to return to the 
 crowded spot on which we left her haranguing 
 at Boulogne. Long before she could repeat the 
 word douane after her daughter, the accomplished 
 commissionaire from the Hotel d'Angleterre, had 
 assured her, in very excellent English, that if she 
 would be pleased to proceed to the hotel they 
 should have their night-bags in ten minutes, and 
 the rest of their baggage before they were up in the 
 morning; provided madame would be pleased to 
 give him all the keys. On hearing this demand 
 the countenance of Mrs Roberts displayed a world 
 of acute intelligence, and with a nod and a smile 
 she replied, " Thank you, man ami. ^leroy, mercy,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 39 
 
 my good friend. There is no occasion to put all 
 that trouble upon you, pas du tout. Voila that 
 gentleman, my husband, he will go to the douane 
 with the keys, and look after the baggage him- 
 self." 
 
 Then turning to her son, she said, "That's 
 a good lesson for you, Edward. Just observe, my 
 dear, how necessary it is to be upon one's guard 
 in such a country as this. I dare say, now, that if 
 I had not been here your father would have 
 given up the keys at once, and I should just like 
 to know what would have become of all our trin- 
 kets if he had ? " 
 
 The commissionaire did not remonstrate, but 
 with a civil smile desired that they would please 
 to follow him. They did so, and having under- 
 gone the usual personal examination, a few 
 minutes' walking brought them to the hotel. " I 
 am as hungry as a hound," said Mr Eoberts, as he 
 entered it ; " and I hope, my dear, that you mean 
 to order something more substantial than tea and 
 bread and butter. 
 
 " Oh ! goodness, I hope so ! " 
 
 " I am sure I shall die, if you don't." 
 
 " I could devour half-a-dozen pounds of beef-
 
 40 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 steaks," chimed in the two young ladies and their 
 brother. 
 
 " I am quite in the same condition myself," 
 replied the ruling spirit of the party. " // faut 
 ordre da souperP 
 
 " Commander, mamma," whispered Agatha. 
 
 " Of course, child, I shall command whatever 
 I want," replied Mrs Roberts, rather impatiently ; 
 and then, having at last condescended to profit by 
 the English of a waiter who came to receive her 
 instructions, she ordered the most substantial 
 repast that could be prepared in half-an-hour, the 
 whole party declaring that they could not possibly 
 exist without food for a longer time. 
 
 And then came a jille de chambre to inquire if 
 the ladies would like to see their rooms. They 
 followed her up stairs, complaining a good deal 
 as they went of the inferiority of the house in 
 appearance to an English hotel, and particularly 
 in the want of stair-carpets. The coloured petti- 
 coat, short jacket, and round-eared cap of their 
 conductress also elicited a good many observa- 
 tions from the young ladies; upon which Mrs 
 Roberts said, "I don't wonder, girls, at your 
 being amused by the queer look of everything,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 41 
 
 and as long as you do nothing but laugh it is very 
 well ; but remember I shall be monstrous angry 
 if I hear any of you grumble ; because the real 
 truth is, that one of the great advantages which 
 English people are sure to find in coming abroad 
 arises from their being themselves so every way 
 superior. Depend upon it the natives are not 
 altogether such fools as not to perceive this, and 
 that, as I take it, is the principal reason why all the 
 English that come abroad get up so much higher 
 in society than those who stay at home. The 
 only way, however, to make the most and the 
 best of this advantage is to remember constantly 
 that whatever you may have been at home, you 
 are people of consequence here. You must never 
 forget that, girls, I promise you." 
 
 The first examination of the sleeping accom- 
 modation was by no means satisfactory to the 
 ladies' of the Roberts family; for their inex- 
 perienced eyes did not discern in the pile of what 
 they indignantly termed "nothing but mat- 
 trasses," the most perfect sleeping apparatus in 
 the world. 
 
 " Do ask her, Agatha, if they have no better 
 rooms, with feather beds in them," said Mrs
 
 42 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Roberts, with such a frown upon her brow as 
 might have frightened a chambermaid less used 
 to the exigeance of new English travellers than 
 was their present black-eyed conductress. 
 
 " Ces sont de fort bons lits," she quietly replied 
 to the remonstrance of jNIiss Agatha. 
 
 " Et vous n'avons pas des plus beaux chambres?" 
 demanded Mrs Roberts, still frowning. 
 
 " Non, madame," replied the girl, with that 
 stoical indiiference to her queer French, which 
 seems so universally to preclude the possibility 
 of a laugh among our polite neighbours. 
 
 " II faut que vous sait," resumed Mrs Roberts, 
 " que nous suis accoutumes a avoir la meilleur de 
 tout les choses quand nous suis au logis." 
 
 " Oui, madame," replied the girl, without mov- 
 ing a muscle. 
 
 " It is no good, mamma, to talk any more to 
 her, — she's a fool," said Miss Maria. " But I wish 
 you would tell me how long we are to be without 
 our carpet bags. Just look at my hair I I am in 
 perfect misery for want of a comb ! And do see, 
 there is not a morsel of soap to wash our hands. 
 When are we to have our carpet bags, mamma ? " 
 
 " How in the world can I tell, Maria ? " replied
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 43 
 
 her mother. " The man that brought us here said 
 ten minutes ; but I fancy we must never believe a 
 word they say to us. They are a horrible set of 
 liars, you may depend upon it." 
 
 " But we must get the carpet bags somehow or 
 other, mamma," said Agatha. " Do let us go down 
 stairs, will you, to inquire about them ? " 
 
 And down stairs again they went, Mrs Roberts 
 talking exceedingly loud the whole time, concern- 
 ing the dreadful inferiority of the French to the 
 English nation in all respects ; which, considering 
 that the language in which she spoke was consi- 
 derably more likely to be understood than her 
 French had been, was both imprudent and uncivil, 
 to say the least of it. 
 
 On entering the large salle a manger, where a 
 servant was preparing a part of the table for their 
 supper, Mrs Roberts attacked him in her piebald 
 jargon, with inquiries concerning the greatly 
 wanted carpet bags. The man, with the uniform 
 civility of his class, strained every faculty to 
 understand her ; and when at length she for- 
 tunately substituted the words " carpet-bags " for 
 "bags de tapis" he caught her meaning, and 
 replied that if she had left her bags with their
 
 44 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 commissionaire, a coup sur, she would have them 
 in a few minutes. 
 
 " What does he say about coosin 9 " demanded 
 Mrs Roberts, addressing her eldest daughter. 
 " Who is coosin ? What stupid plagues they 
 are ! " 
 
 Miss Agatha explained very distinctly what the 
 man had said, and then replied to it by telling him 
 that they had not left their keys ; upon which, with 
 all possible civility, the man told her that there was 
 not the slio^htest chance that their bac^s would be 
 sent to them at all. 
 
 " Do you hear him, mamma ? " exclaimed both 
 the girls at once. " Good Heaven I what are we 
 to do ? " 
 
 " Do ? " returned Mrs Roberts, looking exceed- 
 ingly angry. " ^Vhy, of course your father must 
 go this moment to the custom-house with the keys. 
 What a shame it is to keep one's things from one 
 in such an abominable manner ! Pretty sort of 
 freedom, isn't it ? But you must go, my dear, this 
 very moment, you must, indeed, for I shall want to 
 go to bed the very instant I have supped, and I 
 leave you to guess if I can go to bed without my 
 night-bag, Mr Roberts."
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS, 45 
 
 " No, my dear," replied her husband, " I dare say 
 you can't — only I should be very glad if I could 
 get a morsel to eat first, for I really do feel quite 
 exhausted." 
 
 " Very well, Mr Roberts, then you must eat, of 
 course, and I must go. I wonder if I shall find 
 Stephen too exhausted to go with me ?" 
 
 "That's talking quite wild, my dear," returned 
 her husband, taking up his hat and stick and pre- 
 paring to depart ; "I didn't mean, I am sure, to put 
 any thing off upon you ; but I must have somebody 
 to show me the way, and, after all, I am afraid I 
 shall make but a bad hand of it, seeing that I don't 
 understand one word of French." 
 
 " Good gracious, Mr Roberts I How you do 
 love to make difficulties ! Of course the people 
 will speak English at the custom-house. All you 
 have to do is just to take Stephen with you to 
 bring the bags, and to get a lad to show you the 
 way. Give your keys, girls — and yours, Edward 
 — here's mine — I dare say you will be back before 
 the supper is ready. Taking Stephen will make a 
 difference, you may depend upon it; there was 
 nobody on board that had such a stylish servant, 
 and you luay be sure that when they see he belongs
 
 46 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 to you, our business will be attended to first. It 
 is the way of the world, my dear, take my word 
 forit.^ 
 
 As she spoke, Mrs Roberts rang the bell ; Ste- 
 phen was summoned, and a man found to show the 
 way. 
 
 " Now then," said she, " make haste, there's a 
 good man, and I'll take care you shall have a good 
 supper when you come back again." 
 
 Either poor Mr Roberts was unskilful in the 
 performance of his task, or the appearance of Ste- 
 phen produced a less imposing effect than his mis- 
 tress expected, for the very last bags examined 
 were those of the Roberts family. It is possible, 
 indeed, that the circumstance of their being the 
 only ones left to the care of the owners, without 
 any patronizing assistance from an hotel commis- 
 sionaire, might be the cause of this ; but certain it 
 is, that instead of coming back directly, the unfor- 
 tunate Mr Roberts did not make his appearance 
 for nearly two hours. The worthy man sighed 
 when he found that his family had finished their 
 repast, and the remnants of the supper which were 
 brought back to him might have been eaten, per- 
 haps, with more relish had not the weaiy ladies
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 47 
 
 each seized upon a bag, the instant they greeted 
 their longing eyes, declaring that they could not 
 remain up an instant longer to obtain the universe. 
 
 Here is one fytte of Robert's pilgrimage ; 
 
 Ye who of him may further seek to know, 
 Shall find some tidings in a future page, 
 
 If he that writeth now mav scribble moe.
 
 48 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 " And here we are, then ! actually in Paris I and 
 in a very tolerably decent-looking hotel, too," ex- 
 claimed Mrs Roberts, looking round with gi'eat 
 complacency upon the mirrors, alabasters, and 
 ormolu, which adorned the room. " And I must 
 say that from first to last I do think I have 
 managed better than most people could have done. 
 Here we are all just as gay and as fresh as the 
 morning we set out, without a single packet 
 stolen or lost, and without one disagreeable ac- 
 cident, excepting, indeed, the absurd whim of that 
 fool, Stephen, taking it into his head that he must 
 go home again because he could not get porter. 
 That's the only disagreeable thing that has hap- 
 pened to us, isn't it ?" 
 
 " And I don't call that disagreeable at all, my 
 dear," replied her husband. " Depend upon it we
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 49 
 
 shall do very well without him. And you have 
 brought us to a very beautiful room, that is cer- 
 tain, Mrs Roberts. And now, my dear, what are 
 we to do next ? " 
 
 "The first thing that I shall do will be to 
 change my dress, and take a walk in these lovely 
 Tuileries gardens," said the young Mr Roberts. 
 
 " Yes, my dearest Edward ! Those are the far- 
 famed gardens of the Tuileries ; I give you great 
 credit for recognising them so immediately. You 
 are your mother's own son, Edward," said Mrs Ro- 
 berts, giving him a maternal tap upon the cheek. 
 
 " Why should not we go too, mamma ? " de- 
 manded her eldest daughter. " The day is so very 
 lovely that it would be a shame to lose it." 
 
 " I delight in your eagerness, my dear love, to 
 enjoy the charming scenes to which I have brought 
 you ; for even the day is as much French as the 
 Tuileries themselves. I knew very well what I 
 was about, didn't I ? But as to our all setting off 
 to show ourselves in the gardens of the Tuileries 
 before we have bought a single thing, or even 
 unpacked what we have brought with us, I can't 
 say that I think it a good plan at all. If we 
 had Stephen with us, indeed, to walk behind you, 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 THE EOEERTSES 
 
 it would not signify so much ; but if I were 
 Edward, I positively would not take you out in 
 your travelling bonnets ; they were very pretty 
 when you set out, but they are a good deal the 
 worse for the wear, I can tell you." 
 
 " Then what are we to do first, my dear ? " 
 demanded Mr Eoberts, a little fretfully. " This 
 is a very gay looking room to be sure, and it has 
 got a very pretty look-out ; but that's no reason 
 why we should sit up here all day with our hands 
 before us." 
 
 " If you begin to grumble, Mr Roberts, I give 
 the thing up altogether. It is too bad, exerting 
 myself as I do for you all, that I should be re- 
 proached so very bitterly because the things can't 
 ])e unpacked the very moment we arrive! I must 
 see the master or mistress of the house. Perhaps 
 it will be better to see both of them ; and when I 
 have asked them all particulars respecting the 
 rent of their rooms by the month, or perhaps by 
 the year, I shall be able to decide whether it will 
 be better to remain here, or immediately seek for 
 private lodgings. Ring the bell, ]Mr Roberts, if 
 you please. Everything is so excessively cheap 
 in France, that I dare say we shall find that
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 51 
 
 we can very well afford to live at this comfortable 
 hotel, if we like it." 
 
 " Do make haste about it, then, mamma ! " ex- 
 claimed Miss Agatha, with a good deal of vivacity, 
 " it is really too dull sitting here and doing 
 nothing." 
 
 " You are such a dear lively creature, Agatha, 
 that I always excuse your being a little impatient. 
 Ring the bell, Mr Roberts, can't you ? " 
 
 " I have rung it, my dear," replied her admirable 
 partner, merely raising his brows a little as she 
 raised her voice. 
 
 " Then ring again, sir, if you please." 
 
 He did so, and after the interval of, what ap- 
 peared to the impatient party, many minutes, a 
 waiter answered the summons. " Vous etes une 
 servante, je crois ? " said Mrs Roberts, interroga- 
 tively — " seulement une servante ? " 
 
 It is very rarely indeed that a French man or a 
 French woman either is seen to laugh at the 
 blunders made by foreigners when attempting to 
 speak their language ; however much their pretty 
 idiom, of which they are justly proud, may be 
 spoken " a la vache espagnole" they contrive with 
 admirable politeness, and most extraordinary com- 
 
 D 2 
 
 U. OF ILL U&
 
 52 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 mand of muscle, to give no indication whatever of 
 the amusement occasioned thereby. But the un- 
 fortunate waiter now addressed by Mrs Roberts 
 was not proof against this attack upon his dignity 
 of sex, and in spite of all his efforts, he shewed his 
 teeth from ear to ear as he answered, " Pardon, 
 madame, je suis un gar9on." 
 
 " What does the idiot mean ? " exclaimed Mrs 
 Roberts, with great indignation. " A boy indeed! 
 Great fool ! J'ai besoin de votre maitre, et de 
 votre maitresse. Dizez a eux de monter I'escalier 
 a me parler." 
 
 " Oui, madame," said the man, hurrying out of 
 the room with less command of feature than is 
 usually found in persons of his class and country, 
 and which, if displayed before his employers, 
 would have very properly ensured his instant 
 dismissal, as proving him utterly unfit for the 
 situation of waiter at an hotel deriving its prin- 
 cipal emoluments from the reception of English 
 travellers. The mission with which he was 
 charged was so far successful that it brought the 
 mistress of the mansion to the presence of Mrs 
 Roberts. We will not follow the dialogue which 
 ensued through all its verbal niceties; it is suf-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 53 
 
 ficlent to say, that by the help of Miss Agatha it 
 at length became evident to her mamma that their 
 present gay abode must be exchanged for one 
 considerably less costly, and that the sooner the 
 movement was made the better chance there 
 would be of her finding herself able to keep her 
 often pledged promise, of living in an elegant 
 style without running the slightest risk of exceed- 
 ing their income. She dismissed the elegant 
 landlady, therefore, with a very magnificent sort 
 of nod, and the words " Je veux penseray, 
 madame, a tout cela." 
 
 Mrs Roberts would not have confessed the fact 
 for much, but the truth is, that for a few mo- 
 ments she felt considerably at a loss as to what 
 she ought to do next. To have asked the opinion 
 of her husband would have been a sort of domestic 
 innovation exceedingly unpalatable, and perhaps 
 dangerous; but, after a little reflection, she very 
 cleverly hit upon a tone of general consultation 
 which, without the slightest degradation, gave her 
 the amiable appearance of wishing to please every- 
 body. " Now, then," she said, with a gay and 
 good-humoured smile, " now then let us put it to 
 the vote. What are we to do next, in order to
 
 54 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 settle ourselves permanently in the most agreeable 
 manner? I am quite ready to hear everybody's 
 opinion ; only observing, before any of you begin to 
 speak, that I will not consent to stay here beyond 
 one night. I believe I am pretty quick in finding 
 out people's characters, and I will venture to say 
 that the woman who has just left the room is one 
 of the most audacious and unprincipled cheats 
 that ever trod the earth. I kept my temper with 
 her, as you all saw, never once telling her that I 
 would see her and her house, and all the finery in 
 it, buried in the bottomless pit, rather than stay 
 in it. I certainly loas very angry, because I so 
 well know that the terms she asked were not only 
 very high, and very unreasonable, but totally out 
 of the common way ; and that it was only because 
 she saw something about us which made her con- 
 clude that we were people of consequence, that 
 she did so. Now, then, give me all your opinions, 
 what must we do next ? " 
 
 No one seemed in haste to answer the question 
 so condescendingly put ; but after the pause of a 
 minute or two, both the young ladies spoke at the 
 same moment, — the eldest saying, "I am sure I 
 don't know ; " and the youngest, " I am sure I
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 55 
 
 can't tell." The father of the family took still 
 longer to reflect before he spoke, but then there 
 was something like a valuable hint in what he 
 said. " I wonder, my dear, if there are any such 
 things as advertisements in Paris ? " were the 
 words he slowly and rather timidly uttered, by 
 no means certain that he should not be chid 
 for an absurdity. 
 
 " Certainly, my dear, there are advertisements, 
 you may be very sure of that, but the worst of it 
 is, you see, that we do not exactly know where 
 to look for them. But where there is a will, you 
 know, there is always a way," and Mrs Roberts 
 again rang the bell. 
 
 It was now an older man who answered it, and 
 one who probably thought himself proof against 
 any French the lady could speak; but although 
 his gravity was in no degree endangered, even 
 this experienced personage felt puzzled when she 
 said, " Avez vous aucun papier de nouvelles dans 
 la maison ? " 
 
 " Journal, mamma," whispered Agatha. 
 
 " Nonsense, child ! how can you fancy such a 
 fellow as this keeps a journal? Or, if he did, 
 what should I want with it? " said her mother
 
 66 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 sharply. But, luckily for the business in hand, 
 the quick Frenchman had caught the word, and 
 before i\Irs Roberts ceased speaking, he had left 
 the room. His return was almost as rapid as his 
 exit, and, greatly to the satisfaction of the party, 
 he brought several newspapers in his hand. 
 Though unconscious of the value of the universal 
 compendium which she seized upon, !Mrs Roberts 
 instantly took possession of " Gallgnani," the 
 English title at once attracting her eye, civilly 
 pushing across the table to her husband half-a- 
 dozen French papers, unmindful of, or indifferent 
 to, the fact that he could not read them. There 
 was equal cleverness in the rapidity with which, 
 at a glance, Mrs Roberts perceived the invaluable 
 nature of the publication she held in her hand, 
 and in the manner with which she concealed her joy 
 at the discovery, under the semblance of indif- 
 ference. 
 
 " After all, my dear, I think the best thing we 
 can do will be to set off, just in our travelling 
 dresses as we are, and look at some lodgings ; " 
 and as she spoke she rolled up the precious paper 
 and put it into her bag. 
 
 " Just let me have a look at that newspaper
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 57 
 
 first, my dear," said Mr Roberts ; " an English 
 newspaper will be quite a treat." 
 
 "You can't stay to read papers now, Mr 
 Roberts. I tell you we shall be ruined if we stay 
 in this horribly cheating house ; and if you will 
 just trust to me, I'll answer for it I will find out 
 some lodgings that will do for us before night." 
 
 Mr Roberts must have been a much less wise 
 man than he really was, had he attempted any 
 remonstrance. He knew his place better, and 
 immediately answered, " I am quite ready, my 
 dear." 
 
 " Come then, girls ! I suppose you will like to 
 come too ? Let us go and put our bonnets on." 
 While thus employed in the sanctuary of her own 
 apartment, it occurred to Mrs Roberts that it 
 would be impossible for her, without a guide, to 
 find out the different streets referred to in the 
 advertisements; and, taking the "Galignani" 
 from her bag, she took her eldest daughter so far 
 into her confidence as to point out the advertise- 
 ments, and to say — " How in the world are we to 
 find out all these streets, Agatha ? " 
 
 " If I were you, mamma, I would take a hack- 
 ney-coach," replied the young lady. 
 
 D 3
 
 58 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " Certainly, I will take a hackney-coach," re- 
 plied her mother, " if — " she added, with a little 
 embarrassment, — " if there are any." 
 
 " Oh ! there are lots, mamma I " exclaimed both 
 her daughters at once. *' That was one that 
 brought us from the diligence. Did you not see 
 the number ? " said Maria. 
 
 Thus reminded, Mrs Roberts, who at that time 
 did certainly feel a little overpowered by all she 
 had undertaken, recovered her composure, and 
 wisely resigning the paper to Agatha, for the pur- 
 pose of studying the names of the streets, she 
 (jrdered a coach to be called, which was done as 
 readily by the well-initiated waiter as if she had 
 asked for a fiacre^ instead of a " voiture avec un 
 numtro. " 
 
 Miss Agatha pronounced the names of the 
 various streets, and the numbers of various houses, 
 very distinctly, and the coaclmian obeyed the 
 orders given with such celerity, that in the course 
 of about two hours they had seen no less than 
 eight sets of apartments, among which one was 
 selected, as being in all respects likely to suit 
 them. The bargain for o?ie month certain was 
 speedily made, and the party drove back to theii'
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 59 
 
 hotel in high spirits, and with the comfortable per- 
 suasion that all their difficulties were over. 
 
 "Pay the coachman, my dear," said Mrs 
 Roberts, addressing her husband. 
 
 " Ask him how much, Agatha," said that obe- 
 dient functionary, addressing, in his turn, his 
 accomplished eldest daughter ; and " qu'est qu'il y 
 a a payer?" demanded the young lady of the 
 coacher. 
 
 The man put himself in the attitude of one who 
 has a calculation to make, tucking his whip under 
 his left arm, and extending the fingers of his left 
 hand, while with the fore-finger of the right, he 
 began to mutter the name of a street over each 
 extended finger. But these, though he included 
 the thumb, were not sufficient for his purpose, and 
 he therefore shifted his whip, and recommenced 
 the same process, only reversing the order of his 
 hands ; and having thus reached the fourth finger 
 of his right hand, he made a French bow, and said 
 with a French smile, " Trieze francs et demi, ma- 
 demoiselle, et puis, le petit pour boire." 
 
 Agatha translated the man's words very faith- 
 fully for the benefit of her papa, adding, however, 
 that she thought it extravagantly dear.
 
 60 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 " Dear ! " repeated her comely parent, liis florid 
 complexion deepening to crimson — "dear! it is 
 the most audacious imposition that ever was at- 
 tempted. Mrs Roberts, my dear, step back for a 
 minute," he added, raising his voice so as to over- 
 take his retreating lady. " For goodness sake 
 just tell me what I am to do ? This fellow here 
 asks thirteen francs and a half, and something 
 over for drink, though we have not been gone 
 from this door above two hours by my watch at 
 the very utmost." 
 
 " Asks, Mr Roberts ! How can you be so 
 silly ? What does it signify what he asks ? Of 
 course we know that the French are the greatest 
 rogues upon earth. You will just pay liim the 
 proper fare, if you please, and not a farthing more. 
 Something for drink indeed ! "VSTio ever heard an 
 English hackney-coachman ask for such a thing ? 
 Yet these fellows are called sober, and ours the 
 contrary ! Pay liim his fare, Mr Roberts, I tell 
 you, and no more." 
 
 " But how am I to know, my deai', what his 
 fare is ? " demanded her husband. 
 
 " Good gracious ! Can't you ask the people of 
 the house?"
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 61 
 
 By the help of Agatha this was done ; and the 
 waiter she applied to, after exchanging a few 
 words with the coachman, assured her that he was 
 asking no more than his due. The anger and in- 
 dignation of Mrs Roberts were far too great to 
 permit her making any inquiries respecting the 
 nature of the charge, beyond the fact of its 
 amount, and as she had twice in her life resisted 
 with success an exorbitant charge from a London 
 hackney-coachman, she instantly determined to 
 try her skill in the same manner in Paris. 
 Neither the coachman nor the waiter, whose judg- 
 ment in the cause she had go vehemently rejected, 
 appeared at aU averse to her having recourse to 
 legal authority to settle the matter, but on the 
 contrary, as soon as they became aware that such 
 was her wish, they afforded all the information 
 necessary for immediately making the application 
 she desired. The process by which the question 
 was decided was a very summary one, consisting 
 of a question on her part, or rather on that of her 
 daughter, and an answer on that of the magistrate 
 to whom she had applied. Nothing could be 
 more explicit than this answer, which assured her
 
 62 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 that the charge made was perfectly correct, — as, 
 according to her own admission, conveyed by the 
 lips of her fair daughter, she had been driven to 
 eight different houses, where she had stopped, and 
 finally to the hotel from whence she had set out. 
 Nothing could exceed the explicitness of this 
 sentence, unless it were the politeness with which 
 it was pronounced. The magistrate obligingly 
 took the trouble of making the calculation of nine 
 times thirty sous for her satisfaction, and then 
 told her that the petit pour boire was a matter of 
 custom, but not of right, and that she might, if 
 she chose, refuse to give it. He then very 
 good-naturedly proceeded to point out to the ladies 
 the blunder they had made in not taking the coach 
 "o Vheure,^^ as, without this precaution, every 
 stoppage may be legally reckoned a separate fare. 
 All this, though with studious civility addressed 
 to both ladles, was understood only by the younger 
 one, Mrs Koberts listening with ears which helped 
 her but little, but with eyes that flashed unmi- 
 tigated indignation on the speaker; and when he 
 ceased, or rather before, she burst forth with the 
 expression of feelings she could no longer control,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 63 
 
 exclaiming, " Vous etes, une, et tout, de voleurs, 
 et rascals, monsieur, et soyez sure que je disais 
 tout cela a tout la monde." 
 
 Miss Agatha, notwithstanding that she fully- 
 shared the family reverence for her mother's 
 powers as a woman of business, was a good deal 
 shocked at this attack upon a gentleman who had 
 comported himself with so much politeness, and 
 she ventured to pronounce a gentle remonstrance 
 in her mother's ear, concluding with an earnest 
 request that, as the business was ended, she would 
 withdraw. 
 
 "Don't be impertinent, Agatha," replied the 
 indignant Mrs Roberts, shaking her off. "I know 
 quite as well as you do what this audacious fellow 
 means by his bows and his smiles, and he shall 
 know that I do too, before I stir a step." 
 
 Then turning fiercely towards the magistrate, 
 she said in a voice that brought every eye upon 
 her, and there were many in the office, 
 
 " Monsieur, nous suis pas si ignorant pour non 
 savoir le raison pour votre maniere a ma fille. 
 Vous voulez faire de I'amour a elle, monsieur. 
 Je sais comment comprendre tout cela parfaite- 
 ment. Mais si vous venez pres de notre maison
 
 64 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 pour aucun excuse dans la monde, je prendre soin 
 de dire tout ce histoire a I'Ambassadeur de TAnirle- 
 terre." Having pronounced these words, in a 
 voice very peculiarly loud and distinct, she took 
 her daughter's arm under her own, and stalked 
 out of the room.
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 65 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 I MUST not attempt to follow my dear country- 
 woman and her family step by step ; although, if I 
 did so, I should find that there was scarcely a 
 single transaction in which they were engaged, 
 during the first few weeks of their residence in 
 Paris, which would not recall some trait by which 
 the generally received theory respecting English 
 manners on the continent might be accounted for. 
 But we must content ourselves by a specimen, 
 taken here and there at intervals, which may suf- 
 fice to enable an acute reader to guess at the rest. 
 
 The apartment hired by Mrs Roberts was 
 really very handsome, and though not quite so 
 cheap as she had anticipated, she speedily disco- 
 vered not only that it was cheaper than a London 
 house, but that three servants in Paris did quite
 
 66 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 as well as four in London, nay, as well as four 
 and a half, or, in other words, as four and a page, 
 which was the extent of their London establish- 
 ment. The use of a carriage, too, if skilfully 
 managed, so as to make half-days do instead of 
 whole ones, appeared now to be within reach of 
 their income, which it had never been before, even 
 when that income was considerably larger than at 
 present ; so that on the whole, the Roberts' family 
 were exceedingly well contented with the change 
 they had made. Mrs Roberts, in particular, who 
 had certainly not obtained her high renown as an 
 excellent manager without deserving at least a 
 part of it, very soon became aware of one very 
 important feature in the organization of English 
 society abroad. 
 
 "It is easy enough," said she to her admiring 
 husband ; " it is easy enough, my dear, to see why 
 and how it is that people contrive to get so much 
 more into company abroad than at home. The 
 moment, you know, that one made a good new 
 acquaintance in London, one, I mean, that was 
 worth cultivating and keeping up, one had to send 
 them an invitation to dinner ; and here, you have 
 but to open your eyes a little in order to perceive
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 67 
 
 that no such expense is necessary. This makes 
 an immense differ ence, Mr Roberts." 
 
 "Immense, indeed, my dear!" replied Mr 
 Roberts, very cordially. " Do you remember the 
 fishmonger's bills, Sarah ? Mercy on me ! How 
 I hated the sight of them ! " 
 
 " And then the poulterer, and the greengrocer, 
 and all those horrid bills at the confectioner's, 
 because we could not afford to keep a cook good 
 enough to make the soups and things at home ; 
 even the very cream bills were horrid to think 
 of — and, ah ! that hateful grocer ! " 
 
 " But you forget the worst of all, Mrs Roberts 
 — just think of the wine bill I — getting worse and 
 worse, too, every year! For when we first mar- 
 ried, no one in our station ever thought it 
 necessary to have French wines; and now I 
 should like to hear what anybody, just in our 
 own style of life, you know, would say to a din- 
 ner where there was not champagne and claret 
 too. That was the real ruination, my dear, after 
 all." 
 
 " Yes, to be sure ; but it was all ruin, that is 
 the real truth ; and I saw plainly enough, before I 
 ever thought of coming abroad, that as nothing
 
 68 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 but dinner parties ever will bring decent men to 
 one's house — at least in England, I mean —it was 
 out of the question that our poor dear girls, with 
 all their beauty and accomplishments, would ever 
 have a fair chance there." 
 
 " Quite true, my dear, quite true. I certainly 
 do enjoy the seeing you make one gay acquain- 
 tance after another, without ever hearing the old 
 tune, you know, Sarah — ' Mr Roberts, we must 
 have a dinner party.' It certainly is a good relief, 
 I won't deny it." 
 
 " And I am not going to deny it either, I pro- 
 mise you," returned the lady ; and, moreover, I 
 think we are getting on admirably. Lady Morton 
 and Lady Foreton both told me last night at the 
 embassy, that they hoped to have the pleasure 
 of making our acquaintance. Did not my 
 scheme about the letter answer beautifully, Mr 
 Roberts ? " 
 
 "What? the letter that our good apothecary 
 got for you to the embassy ? Yes, faith did it, 
 my dear. We have been here but six weeks, and 
 we have got to two magnificent parties there 
 already ; and then, again, the not being obliged to 
 ask the "livers in return makes a monstrous
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 69 
 
 diiFerence, in my judgment, in the pleasure of 
 being invited." 
 
 " No doubt about it, Mr Roberts. It is not, I 
 am sure, that there is any want of hospitality in 
 either of us ; and as for the dear girls, and Edward 
 too, they never used to enjoy any parties so much 
 as those given at home, so that we have no cause, 
 any of us, to reproach ourselves on that score. 
 But the truth is, that where there are young- 
 people to be set oiF to the best advantage, the 
 dress, and the carriage, and the hair-dressers, and 
 all the rest of it, do run away with an immense 
 
 deal of money." 
 
 # * * * # # 
 
 "Pray, mamma, did Lady Morton and Lady 
 Foreton really say they hoped to make our ac- 
 quaintance?" demanded Maria, as soon as her 
 father was out of the way. '^Because, if they 
 did, I think it is exceedingly wrong to let to-day 
 pass over without leaving cards." 
 
 " They certainly did say it, Maria, and I know 
 why too. I have found out that they are both 
 widows, that they are cousins, and that they live 
 together. Moreover, I know into the bargain 
 that Lady Foreton, who they say has been beau-
 
 70 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 tiful, has been a good deal talked of, and that 
 Lady Morton did not live with her husband 
 durinij the last year or two of his life ; and now 
 they have taken very beautiful apartments toge- 
 ther in the Rue de Rivoli, and are tcoinfj to orive 
 balls. No wonder, therefore, that girls, dressed 
 as you were last night, if they were as ugly a.s 
 sin, would be a great catch to anybody going to 
 give balls — not to mention the particularly strik- 
 ing appearance of your brother. Of course, I 
 understand the thing perfectly." 
 
 " And you will leave cards to-day, mamma, 
 won't you ? " inquired the two young ladies in a 
 breath. 
 
 " Why, yes, I suppose we had better not delay 
 it, if we mean to get to the first ball. But here 
 comes Edward ; he is ten times more a man of the 
 world than your father, young as he is. I want 
 your opinion, Edward, about visiting Lady Mor- 
 ton and Lady Foreton. I suppose you have 
 heard all the gossip about them? AVhat do you 
 think? Is there any objection? " 
 
 "Objection? Good heavens! no, ma'am. AMiat 
 objection can there possibly be to visiting two 
 ladies of rank, who have taken a magnificent
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 71 
 
 apartment in the most fashionable quartier of 
 Paris, and who have given out that they intend 
 to receive ? " 
 
 The son and heir of the Roberts' family had 
 always been a person of consequence in the 
 domestic circle; but his importance was now 
 increasing daily, and might very literally be said 
 to grow with his growth, and strengthen with his 
 strength. The budding hair beginning to be 
 visible upon his upper lip, and which it had been 
 one of his best delights to shave during the last 
 year of his university studies, had been suifered to 
 grow since the second day of his residence in 
 Paris ; and being of a dark colour, was rapidly 
 assuming the impressive aspect of a moustache. 
 His mother, and perhaps his sisters too, watched 
 the growth of this manly appendage with satis- 
 faction almost equal to his own; and, in fact, it 
 really was very important to them all. The 
 youth, as I have said, was well-looking ; his sisters 
 had, before they left London, inured his brain to 
 the exercise of waltzing, by pretty incessant 
 morning practice during the last vacation, in the 
 Baker-street drawing-room ; and the skill thus 
 acquired had now been well-nigh brought to per-
 
 72 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 fection, by assiduous daily practice in the private 
 rooms of the most accomplished professor in 
 Europe. His style of dress, too, was really as good 
 as the inexperienced imitation of so young a 
 scholar could reasonably he expected to make it ; 
 and, take him for all in all, he was precisely the 
 sort of youth with whom young ladies under 
 twenty long to dance, and with whom young 
 ladies verging towards thirty are thankful to dance, 
 if they can get nothing better. The sisters of a 
 young man of this class are soon taught to know 
 the value of such a brother. They have no need 
 to fear, in going into a ball-room where there are 
 strangers, that they shall be greeted with cold 
 examining glances, or find any difficulty in obtain- 
 ing an eligible vis-a-vis among the young beau- 
 ties they find there. They have only to persuade 
 him to let them " arm him with the freedom of a " 
 sister during a few turns up and down the room, 
 and their invitation to the set is secured, beyond 
 the danger of a single dissenting voice. Agatha 
 and Maria Roberts were by no means dull girls ; 
 they saw and felt all this by a sort of natural 
 instinct, even before experience had taught them 
 the full value of its eftect ; and it is no wonder,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 73 
 
 therefore, that his judgment respecting the pro- 
 priety of immediately calling upon Lady Morton 
 and Lady Foreton were received by them as con- 
 clusive. 
 
 " Now then, mamma, I suppose you will have 
 no further scruples ? " said Maria. 
 
 The Robertses were a very happy family in one 
 respect. There was great uniformity of opinion 
 amongst them, arising from that sympathy of tastes 
 and feelings, which is the best security for domestic 
 harmony on all questions of conduct. Mrs Roberts 
 nodded her assent, saying with a smile, as she 
 looked at the pretty figure of her son, while he 
 supported his elbow on the low chimney-piece, — 
 '* Young men are sure to be the best judges on 
 such questions as these. We will leave the cards 
 when we go out after luncheon for our walk in 
 the Tuileries." 
 
 VOL. L
 
 74 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTEK IV. 
 
 Among many new acquaintance made and mak- 
 ing at Paris, Mrs Roberts had found one old one. 
 This was a certain Mrs Bretlow, who might, 
 indeed, be called an old acquaintance, inasmuch as 
 the intimacy now renewed between the ladies had 
 existed before either of them had been married. 
 As to all the various twistingsand turnings in Mrs 
 Bretlow's destiny, which had ended in her becom- 
 ing a childless widow, resident in Paris, they mat- 
 ter not. When Mrs Roberts discovered her old 
 friend, by happening to sit next her at the English 
 church, and catching sight of her name in her 
 prayer-book, she found her in apparently easy cir- 
 cumstances, living in a neat apartment an troisieme 
 in the Faubourg du Roule, and enjoying the eiitrte
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 75 
 
 to many French houses of considerable fashion, if 
 not of the highest " quartier St Germain''^ rank. 
 Both the ladies were delighted by the unexpected 
 meeting, which afforded Mrs Bretlow the satisfac- 
 tion of hearing a great deal about old acquaintance 
 whom she had lost sight of for many years, and 
 which eventually gave to Mrs Roberts and her 
 family an opportunity of seeing much more of 
 French society than they could ever have done 
 without it. Complaints are often made by Eng- 
 lish travellers, and not without reason, of the diffi- 
 culty of getting into French society in Paris ; 
 and assuredly it is no great wonder that it should 
 be difficult, as were it otherwise, that is to say, 
 were the French to open their doors freely to the 
 English, they w^ould speedily be so surrounded by 
 foreigners, as to leave little room in their saloons 
 for anything else. And this is quite enough to 
 account for the difficulty, without having recourse 
 to any other cause. Certain it is that when, by 
 the advantage of a sufficient introduction, French 
 doors are opened to us, nothing can exceed the 
 amenity and good breeding with which we are 
 received. The Roberts' family ( with the excep- 
 tion of Mr Roberts himself) were in ecstasies 
 
 £ 2
 
 76 THE liOBERTSES 
 
 •when an introduction, managed very skilfully by 
 Mrs Bretlow, obtained an invitation to an evening 
 party at one of the gayest houses of the Chaussee 
 d'Antin aristocracy. 
 
 Madame de Soissonac was an exceedingly pretty 
 and elegant-looking young woman, whose hus- 
 band, a rich manufacturer of Lyons, appeared 
 never so well pleased as when the magnificent set 
 of rooms, which he had furnished on his marriage, 
 were crowded with guests. But, notwithstanding 
 this expensive hospitality, he did little or nothing 
 himself towards bringing together the gay crowds 
 which he delighted to see parading through the 
 rooms his lavish expenditure had decorated. All 
 that part of the business was left to his wife, and 
 it was impossible that he could have been blessed 
 by the possession of a helpmate more admirably 
 calculated to fulfil all his wishes in this respect 
 than was Madame de Soissonac. Of course it was 
 morally impossible that any pretty young woman, 
 occupying so enviable a situation, could escape the 
 tax always levied upon those who are conspicuous 
 in any way ; that is to say, that Madame de Sois- 
 sonac was a good deal talked of. This phrase, if 
 used in England, respecting a young and pretty
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 77 
 
 married woman, means, I believe, invariably, that 
 she has been incorrect in her conduct as a wife ; — 
 but in France it means no such thing; one re- 
 markable difference between the two countries 
 being, that the theme which is first brought under 
 discussion with us, when scandal is the business of 
 the hour, is the last alluded to; whereas it is 
 never alluded to at all by our neighbours. No, 
 nobody talked about Madame de Soissonac's 
 lovers, but a great many people talked about her 
 extravagance, her horses, her carriages, her dresses, 
 and above all, of the absurd, and every- way- 
 detestable vanity of which she and her husband 
 had been guilty in prefixing de before their name. 
 But not for this were the salons of Madame de 
 Soissonac the less brilliantly filled ; and well might 
 our English friends rejoice at the thrice happy 
 chance which had opened these salons to them. 
 Pretty-looking, always well-dressed, and with 
 very little, or at any rate, very short-lived insular 
 shyness to obscure their good gifts, the Miss 
 Robertses, as well as their portly mamma, soon 
 became constant guests at this gay mansion ; nor 
 was their daily-improving brother less fortunate ; 
 and so effectually did the charming hostess exert
 
 78 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 herself to bring the young strangers advan- 
 tageously forward, that their partners at her 
 weekly balls were always among the most distin- 
 guished persons present. Of this honour and 
 happiness they might none of them, perhaps, have 
 been fully aware without the assistance of their 
 good friend and original patroness, Mrs Bretlow, 
 who naturally took some credit to herself for 
 having so speedily and effectually launched the 
 party into Parisian society. But what was her 
 triumph compared to that of Mrs Roberts? Who 
 but herself, as she regularly asked her family, col- 
 lectively and individually, every morning — who 
 but herself could have contrived to make so much 
 of reading a name (which she had never heard 
 mentioned for the last twenty years) in a prayer- 
 book? 
 
 But why — oh, why is it the fate of humanity 
 that no blessing ever visits it without being fol- 
 lowed by a concomitant evil ? Before the intro- 
 duction of the Roberts' fiimily to Madame de 
 Soissonac, they had been delighted, flattered, 
 gratified in the highest degree, by having been 
 invited to the English embassy two Friday even- 
 inixs out of the six that thcv had been in Paris.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 79 
 
 But now they began not only to think, but to say 
 aloud to all who would listen to them, that " the 
 manner in which the English were neglected at 
 the embassy, was perfectly disgraceful ! " 
 
 " May it not be," said a French lady, who was 
 upon one occasion the recipient of this complaint, 
 — " may it not be that the number of English in 
 Paris is so great as to render it impossible for 
 
 Lady G to receive them all every time her 
 
 rooms are open?" 
 
 " All ? " replied Miss Agatha, with great indig- 
 nation. " All the English ? Nobody of course 
 
 expects that Lady G should invite all the 
 
 English. But people like ourselves, who m.ove in 
 the very first circles of Paris society, may cer- 
 tainly expect to be among those who are invited." 
 
 " Always ? " said the French lady, with a gen- 
 tle smile. 
 
 " Yes, madame, certainly, always ; why not ? 
 Why, sHl vous plait, should our names ever be 
 omitted when the weekly list is made out ? It is 
 impossible but that we should consider it as little 
 short of positive impertinence. We none of us, I 
 assure you, scruple to say so — not to mention the 
 extraordinary want of hospitality shown by their
 
 80 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 never having once asked U3 to dinner. I really 
 should like to ask them what they think they are 
 sent here for ? Coming, too, with such introduc- 
 tions as we did, it is perfectly unpardonable I " 
 
 Perhaps it is not very extraordinary that the 
 lady to whom this was said, was heard to observ^e 
 afterwards, that although she had always fancied 
 a distinguished diplomatic appointment furnished 
 the most agreeable as well as the most dignified 
 situation that could be offered, she certainly did 
 not covet that of ambassador from St James's to 
 the Tuileries, although there were many reasons 
 which might make it rank as the most desirable 
 in the world. 
 
 "Mais il faut avouer," she added, "que les 
 Anglais sont bien drole." 
 
 Nor were these heart-burnings respecting the 
 ingratitude of the ambassador and ambassadress 
 of England towards their distinguished country- 
 men the only evils that followed upon the plea- 
 sures enjoyed in the splendid salons of ^ladame 
 de Soissonac. It must not be supposed that ]Mr 
 Edward Roberts was a degenerate son of his 
 high-spirited mother ; on the contrar}^, he inherited 
 a good deal both of her noble self-confidence and
 
 OK THEIR TEAVELS. 81 
 
 high-minded ambition. The gay weeks that had 
 passed since the arrival of Ms family in Paris, had 
 not been an idle interval for liim. Never had he 
 omitted an opportunity of pushing into intimacy 
 every casual introduction which seemed in any 
 way to promise a profitable result ; and Mrs Ro- 
 berts had very soon the extreme gratification of 
 knowing that her son might every day be seen 
 walking arm-in-arm on the Boulevard Italien ' 
 with sundry dissipated young countrymen, who, 
 whatever might have been their '^ standing "^^ in 
 St James's street, considered themselves, or at 
 least insisted upon it that all Paris ought to con- 
 sider them as specimens of the highest class of 
 English. From these new friends and associates, 
 Mr Edward Koberts learned much. It is always 
 a source of great satisfaction to young men of 
 this description when they meet with a young 
 countryman fresh from college, to whom they 
 may display, with all the superiority of experience, 
 the as yet unopened volume of Paris dissipation ; 
 and many a youth who has patroled the streets of 
 Paris for a month, will assume the oflfice of 
 cicerone to a new comer, with the air of a man 
 who has passed his life among the scenes he 
 
 E 3
 
 82 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 describes. Among all the themes discussed be- 
 tween Edward Roberts and his young country- 
 men, there was none to which he listened with 
 so much interest as to the accounts they gave 
 of their success in all affairs of gallantry. Their 
 histories were all of the veniy vidl, vici kind ; and 
 certainly, if their statements were correct, the 
 fathers, husbands, and brothers of France would 
 do well to close their doors for ever against the 
 too fascinating attractions of our English 
 youth. 
 
 " Upon my soul you seem to have had capital 
 fun here," returned the juvenile Roberts to the 
 series of interesting anecdotes to which he had 
 been listening ; " and the best part of the joke is, 
 that the ladies being all married, there is no dan- 
 ger of being desired to * declare your intentions,' 
 which must, I think, without any exception, be 
 the horridest bore in the world." 
 
 " Bore ? " reiterated the youngest of seven 
 sons, who had the honour of having a baronet for 
 their father. " I believe it is a bore, and so you 
 might say if you were in the army, and stuck 
 down in Irish country quarters as my brother 
 Tom was last year. But in this blessed city you
 
 ON THEIK TKAVELS. 83 
 
 may make love just as much as you like, without 
 any sort of mischief following. Of course you 
 know it must be to married women. Nobody 
 here, indeed, ever dares take any notice of girls 
 (unless they are English)." 
 
 "Well! anything is better than being called 
 to account by a musty-fusty old father, merely 
 because one has paid a girl the compliment of 
 admiring her," replied the hourly-improving 
 Edward Roberts. " But I suspect," he added, 
 " that it must be necessary to know a little what 
 you are about before you make downright positive 
 love to a married woman. She would be likely 
 to kick up a row, wouldn't she, if she did not 
 happen to like you ? " 
 
 " Kick up a row, my dear fellow ? " returned 
 one of his accomplished companions. " Much you 
 seem to know about the matter. I give you my 
 sacred honour, Roberts, that 1 have never known 
 a married Frenchwoman yet, under five-and-thirty, 
 who did not as decidedly expect me to make love 
 to her, as one of our English girls expects to be 
 asked to dance at a ball when a man has desired 
 to be introduced to her. Nay, moreover, I tell 
 you that if you do not make love to them you
 
 84 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 will speedily be sent to Coventry, as a stupid 
 English htte not worth the civility of a bow." 
 
 A few such conversations as the above, carried 
 far enough in some instances to merit the name 
 of confidential communications, went far towards 
 removing some of the old-fashioned English preju- 
 dices which young Mr Roberts had brought out 
 with him ; and he was the more easily induced to 
 attempt putting these continental theories in 
 practice from the strong innate consciousness of 
 superior attractions, which the openly-expressed 
 admiration of his mother and sisters had generated. 
 In short, Mr Edward Roberts determined not to 
 waste his time any longer, as he had done ; but 
 to select, without further delay, such an object 
 for his vows as might render his residence in 
 Paris as enchanting to him, as he was assured 
 it had been to his more experienced friends. He 
 would have found no difficulty whatever in 
 making this choice (for he really thought Madame 
 de Soissonac one of the most captivating women 
 he had ever seen) had it not been for some trifling 
 doubts, which, despite all the eloquence he had 
 listened to, still hung about him, as to the cer- 
 tainty of his success. It was not that he ques-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 85 
 
 tioned the truth of his friends' statements in 
 general, and still less did he doubt his own chance 
 of success in particular ; but he thought he should 
 like, before he committed himself by an open 
 declaration of his passion, to learn, if possible, 
 something more concerning the object of it, than 
 he had as yet found any opportunity of acquiring. 
 With this view he made a morning visit to his 
 mother's old acquaintance, Mrs Bretlow, at the 
 hour when she was known to be at home to her 
 friends, hoping that by making Madame de Sois- 
 sonac the subject of conversation to the sort of 
 circle he was likely to find there, he might hear 
 something which might throw such a degree of 
 light upon her character as might enable him to 
 decide for or against her claims to becoming the 
 idol of his affections. But essentially French as 
 young Mr Roberts flattered himself he was be- 
 coming, his calculations upon this occasion were 
 very completely English. It might have been 
 very possible, even for so young a practitioner as 
 Mr Edward Roberts, to have set the morning 
 gossips of a London drawing-room sufficiently 
 upon some absent fair one, as to have produced such 
 hints as he wished to hear, if any such could by
 
 86 THE R0BERTSE8 
 
 possibility have been uttered. But they manage 
 those things very differently in France. All per- 
 sons who really know anything of French society, 
 must be aware that such gossip as that for which 
 our young man was hoping, is precisely the very 
 last which he, or any one else, would be likely to 
 hear. What may be the cause or motive fur this, 
 I will not pretend to say, nor could the discussion 
 of the question be of any possible use to us, 
 whereas it is just possible that the relating Mr 
 Edward's notions upon the subject may^ and to 
 him therefore let us return. He found at Mrs 
 Bretlow's much such a party as he expected, and 
 no greater difficulty than he anticipated in making 
 Madame de Soissonac the subject of conversation. 
 Every one seemed to agree that her salon was one 
 of the most agreeable in Paris, and she herself 
 very charming, although one thought she was un 
 petit peu too thin ; and another that she was 
 un petit peu too pale, &c., &'c. ; but every one 
 acknowledged that she was perfectly elegant, and 
 that her toilet was irreproachable. Xow all this 
 Mr Edward Roberts knew perfectly well before, 
 and he therefore determined to take courage, and 
 at once to hazard a question, the answer to which
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 87 
 
 would go far towards deciding his future conduct. 
 Our young man, it must be observed, had ah-eady 
 made no inconsiderable progress in the French 
 language, and with a little occasional assistance 
 from his friend Mrs Bretlow, he contrived to take 
 his share in the conversation, and at length screw- 
 ing his courage to the important point he had in 
 view, he managed to ask very intelligibly, whether 
 the fair lady they were speaking of had not been 
 a good deal talked of in Paris ? " 
 
 " Mais, mon Dieu, oui ! " exclaimed two or three 
 voices at once ; and one lady, in a tone of consider- 
 able authority, added, " That unless it were, per- 
 haps, in the very highest circles, she had never 
 known any one more talked of than Madame de 
 Soissonac." 
 
 " Assurement ! — mais assurement !" was replied 
 by two or three of the circle, and so distinctly, 
 that Edward Roberts felt quite sure> without 
 asking Mrs Bretlow any questions on the subject, 
 of his having comprehended perfectly what they 
 said. 
 
 Had a young Frenchman made up his mind as 
 decidedly as our young Englishman now did, to 
 make a declaration of love to Madame de Sois-
 
 88 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 sonac, it is rather more than probable that he 
 would have sought the earliest opportunity of 
 finding that charming person alone. But had 
 any such course of proceeding been proposed to 
 our young tyro, he would certainly have replied 
 that he knew better than that. In truth, though 
 by no means particularly diffident, the young 
 Englishman thought it would be necessary to pave 
 the way to this decisive interview by a series of 
 those delicate initiatory attentions with which 
 young gentlemen on this side the channel are apt 
 to make evident to all, what those on the other 
 prefer communicating to one alone. 
 
 Accordingly, young ]\Ir Roberts determined to 
 commence his attack upon the heart of the charm- 
 ing Madame do Soissonac precisely in the same 
 style that he would have adopted at home, had he, 
 with the full consent of the parents on both sides, 
 commenced paying his addresses to the lady he 
 intended for his wife. The unsophisticated young 
 man conceived, in the simplicity of his heart, that 
 what were received as delicate attentions on one 
 side of the water, must of necessity be received as 
 delicate attentions on the other, and little did he 
 guess that the only indication by which a specta-
 
 ON THEIK TRAVELS. 89 
 
 tor, having some connaissance des choses, could ever 
 be led to suspect that M. un tel was on particularly- 
 good terms with Madame une telle, would be the 
 total avoidance on the part of the gentleman of 
 every attention whatever. No sooner, therefore, 
 had our young Englishman made up his mind on 
 the subject, and decided positively that Madame 
 de Soissonac, and no other, should for the time 
 being be elevated to the enviable station of his 
 Mre amie, than he dressed himself " by the card," 
 not the "shipman's," but the shopman's, and 
 brushing his hair and tying his cravat with a 
 tender anxiety that proved he was very much in 
 earnest, he set forth " alone in his glory," to call 
 upon her. Her carriage was at the door, but 
 nevertheless he was admitted, and found the fair 
 object of his intended vows in the act of reading 
 aloud to half-a-dozen visitors a jeu d' esprit that 
 had just been added to the collection in her album. 
 She gently bent her head in salutation as the 
 young man entered, but made no pause in her 
 lecture. Had he been French instead of English 
 he could not have understood very much of an 
 epigram of which he only heard half: he did not, 
 however, allow himself to be disconcerted by this,
 
 90 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 but shewed his handsome white teeth, as cordially 
 as the rest of the party, when the lady ceased. 
 But this was not all he did. The party he had 
 found there, consisting of two ladies and four 
 gentlemen, were all, as well as their fair hostess, 
 standing; for, in fact, they were just about to 
 separate, the carriage of madame having been 
 announced. But not for this did the young lover 
 deem it necessary to change his purpose of not 
 suffering another day to elapse without making 
 Madame de Soissonac aware of her conquest ; for 
 in fact he was beginning to feel a good deal 
 ashamed of not having paid her this compliment 
 before. He therefore, while the rest of the party 
 were making their lively remarks on the lines 
 they had heard, glided round to the other side of 
 the table around which the party were standing, 
 and seating himself on the sofa from whence 
 Madame de Soissonac had just risen, he extended 
 his hand to take tlie manuscript volume she held 
 in hers, and looking up in her face with a smile at 
 once tender and familiar, said, " Laissez moi voir 
 done." 
 
 Madame de Soissonac coloured slightly, and 
 withdrawing the book, replied, "Piu'don, mon-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 91 
 
 sieur," locking at the same time its little golden 
 padlock with a jewelled key which decorated the 
 watch chain suspended from her fair neck. 
 
 " Madame va sortir," said one of the gentlemen 
 present, taking up his hat and preparing to de- 
 part. 
 
 " Si, si ; il faut dire adieu," said more than one 
 voice, and a general movement announced their 
 intention of taking leave. But young Mr 
 Roberts kept his ground, or rather his sofa, de- 
 positing his hat under the table in a manner 
 which spoke very distinctly his intention of pro- 
 longing his visit. Now nothing in the world can 
 be si mauvaise ton at Paris as any sort o^ persiflage, 
 or, in plain English, quizzing, upon any occasion 
 where accident may betray a greater degree of 
 intimate acquaintance between a lady and gentle- 
 man than the parties publicly acknowledge ; and 
 the two ladies and the four gentlemen looked as 
 grave as owls, while they retreated from Madame 
 de Soissonac's drawing-room as rapidly as polite- 
 ness would permit. Inexpressibly provoked, 
 Madame de Soissonac continued standing, await- 
 ing in perfect silence the young gentleman's ex- 
 planation of this extraordinary manoeuvre, and
 
 92 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 probably expecting that the awkward creature 
 was charged with some stupid message from his 
 motlier. But it appeared that the young man did 
 not yet feel himself prepared for the declaration 
 he meditated, and thought it would be better to 
 preface it by a little more preliminary flirtation. 
 He therefore began turning over the books and 
 ornaments, which lay scattered on the table, mut- 
 tering as he did so something about his satisfac- 
 tion that " tons ces gens la " had taken themselves 
 off. 
 
 "Monsieur?" said Madame de Soissonac, in 
 reply, and with a look and accent which, if he had 
 understood French thoroughly, might have sufliced 
 to bring him to his senses. But instead of inter- 
 preting either the looks or accents of the lady, the 
 young man was occupied in recalling all that his 
 Mentor of the Boulevards had said, respecting the 
 propriety, or rather the necessity, of declaring his 
 passionate admiration of every married lady with 
 whom he fortunately found himself tke-a-ttte. 
 The instructions he had received were too distinct 
 to be mistaken, and therefore making a magnani- 
 mous effort to conquer the embarrassment which 
 beset him, he exclaimed, clasping his hands very
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 93 
 
 passionately, " Ah, madame ! Placez-vous, je vous 
 prie, sur le canape pres de moi ! " 
 
 Madame de Soissonac stared at him for a mo- 
 ment, and then very gently walked towards the 
 chimney and rang the bell. 
 
 " Que tu* es belle ! " exclaimed the young gen- 
 tleman, taking courage. 
 
 " Que tu es Anglais ! " returned the lady, walk- 
 ing out of the room, and making her escape into 
 her carriage. 
 
 * This sudden and astounding use of the most eloquent of 
 pronouns is a trait from nature.
 
 94 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTER y. 
 
 Unfortunately for the Roberts' family, the 
 brilliant weekly ball of Madame de Soissonac 
 recurred on the evening following the important 
 day on which the " undaunted Edward " had 
 thought proper to peril his hopes by uttering the 
 energetic and very decisive exclamation of " Que 
 tu es belle ! " as related in the last chapter. Ma- 
 dame de Soissonac, though the rents which sup- 
 plied the funds for her splendid hospitalities were 
 furnished, not by the plough, but the loom, was 
 much too well-bred a person to make a fuss and a 
 scene about anything. She would as soon have 
 thought of stirring up the dust and sand which lay 
 unseen in sediment at the bottom of the marble 
 reservoir, whence sprang the sparkling fountain
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 95 
 
 which refreshed the blossom-scented air of her 
 fourth drawing-room, as have clouded her fair 
 brow with a frown when she saw the accustomed 
 group of Robertses make their appearance. That 
 the oiFending youth himself was to " live a man 
 forbid," was, of course, a matter decided upon; 
 but Madame de Soissonac understood the business 
 before her a great deal too well to set about it by 
 drawing all eyes upon her, by marked rudeness to 
 his family. No, she received them with the same 
 bland smile as heretofore, and even the wide-awake 
 Mrs Roberts herself would have found it difficult 
 to specify any point in the conduct of their very 
 graceful entertainer that indicated any alteration 
 in her manner of receiving them. True it is, 
 indeed, that before the end of the evening, the 
 sensitive Maria remarked that Madame de Sois- 
 sonac, whom she chose to consider as her own very 
 particular friend, had not once given her the 
 wished-for opportunity of practising that recently- 
 acquired caressing little manoeuvre by which ladies 
 gracefully proclaim, across the largest theatre, or 
 the most crowded ball-room, their tender aiFection 
 for each other. On former occasions, it is certain 
 that this very distinguished specimen of the Bour-
 
 96 THE KOBERTSES 
 
 eicr aristocracy had once, twice, thrice, in the 
 course of a single evening, been seen to flutter the 
 taper tips of her close-fitting, snow-white, inimi- 
 table gants de ParlSy within half an inch of her 
 pretty mouth, with her smiling eyes fixed the 
 while on the delighted Maria Roberts, in token of 
 feeling the most affectionate inclination to embrace 
 her, did time and place adhere. This part of 
 '* friendship's holy rite" was now wanting, which 
 was a great deal the more provoking, because the 
 responding caress to which it gave birth was never 
 performed by Maria without peculiar satis- 
 faction, — first, because she felt certain that she 
 did it with very peculiar grace; and, secondly, 
 because at that time she knew of nothing else 
 she could do which would be likely to give her an 
 air decidedly French. 
 
 As to the young man himself, who had been 
 just suflficiently puzzled by the fair lady's manner 
 of receiving the first impassioned words he had 
 ventured to utter, to feel that he had rather enter 
 her saloon accompanied by his mother, father, and 
 sisters, than alone, — as for the still aspiring, but a 
 little frightened Edward, he was only more elabo- 
 rately elegant in his dress than on any former
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 97 
 
 occasion, and he had not been five minutes In the 
 room, wliich his knowledge of the world convinced 
 him was long enough to prove that there was no 
 immediate intention of kicking him out of it, 
 before he completely recovered his equanimity, 
 and failed not speedily to address Madame de 
 Soissonac in an accent which none of the acute 
 bystanders could mistake either for indifference or 
 timidity, with " Nous allons danser ensemble ! 
 N'estpas?" 
 
 Had Madame de Soissonac answered at all to 
 this amiable invitation, it is probable that her 
 manner would have so far responded to his as to 
 have been at least equally free from indifference 
 and timidity ; but she knew better. Of course 
 she did not hear him, either on that occasion or 
 any other throughout the whole evening, on which 
 he thought proper to address her. But as this 
 deafness produced no change in the charming 
 expression of her pretty face, the youth attributed 
 his disappointment wholly to the density of the 
 brilliant crowd which filled the rooms. And so 
 far all was well, and led to no deeper expression 
 of mortification than was exhaled in the ear of 
 one of his new friends, whom he was so fortu- 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 THE R0BEETSE3 
 
 nate as to meet there, by a few such phrases aa 
 " It is d — d difficult, I promise you, to make love 
 in a mob. I got on a devilish deal better in a 
 snuo* little tete-a-tcte that I contrived to manao-e 
 with her yesterday," &c. 
 
 But nevertheless, and notwithstanding: all this 
 fair-seeming continuation of the most important 
 acquaintance they had made, it icas unfortunate 
 for the Robertses that this soiree dansante followed 
 so closely upon the matinee galante of the day 
 before; for, had the fair Parisian been left to 
 meditate upon the subject for another day, it is 
 highly probable that the comedy of the adventure 
 would have become more oljvious in her eyes, and 
 its insignificant offence less so ; and thus, upon the 
 whole, it might have appeared rather a treasure 
 than an insult, for many might have been the 
 hours rendered gay by tlie ris folatre which her 
 descriptions of the young Englishman's tender 
 passion would have been sure to produce amidst 
 the members of her own petite comite. But the 
 anger which the poor youth had inspired was too 
 recent, as yet, to be wholly lost sight of in a 
 laugh, and therefore before the Roberts' family, 
 who always stayed in every ball-room to the last.
 
 ON THEIR TRAYELS. 99 
 
 took their departure, she told them, with the very- 
 sweetest smile in the world, that unexpected cir- 
 cumstances obliged her to make an alteration in 
 her manner of receiving, and therefore that she 
 was constrained, with infinite regret, to inform 
 them that it was not in her power to solicit the 
 honour and happiness of their company for the 
 following Tuesday. 
 
 As the lady gracefully bowed herself back into 
 an inner room as she uttered the last words of 
 this most disagreeable announcement, the startled 
 family had no opportunity of expressing any 
 feeling whatever upon the occasion; and, in- 
 deed, it appeared that just at that time they had 
 none of them any great inclination to speak, for 
 they put on their cloaks and shawls in perfect 
 silence, which remained unbroken for at least a 
 minute after they had driven from the door. And 
 then it was Mrs Eoberts who spoke first, a pre- 
 cedence which she might not perhaps have enjoyed 
 had not the hearts of her daughters been at the 
 moment too full for utterance. 
 
 "What on earth does she mean, Agatha, by 
 circonstances imprevues ? " said she, drawing up the 
 glass of the carriage with a jerk which plainly 
 
 F 2
 
 100 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 proved she suspected something. " Do you sup- 
 pose she said the same to everybody ? If she 
 did not, you know it is quite plain that there must 
 be a screw loose somewhere." 
 
 " Of course she did, mamma," replied Mana, 
 before her elder sister could find breath to speak. 
 " How can you possibly suppose that she meant 
 to exclude us personally? I, for one, should be 
 the most ungrateful creature in existence, if I did 
 not know and feel, beyond a shadow of doubt, 
 that she has conceived an affection for me quite 
 out of the common way. It is vastly likely, to be 
 sure, that she should mean to insult us personally, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 " I do not know what to think of it, mamma," 
 replied Agatha solemnly, as soon as her more 
 volatile sister had ceased speaking ; " but I own 
 I cannot help suspecting that politics may have 
 somethino; to do with it." 
 
 " Politics, child ? " replied Mrs Roberts, with a 
 good deal of alarm, for ]\Ir Roberts was a very 
 violent Tory ; " politics ? Who can have been such 
 a fool at to go talking politics at the house of a 
 Frenchman? I hope and trust, Mr Roberts, that 
 you haven't been such an idiot — have yc? Tell
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 101 
 
 me at once, if you please, sir. It is absolutely 
 necessary I should know." 
 
 "I am safe this time, my dear, at any rate," 
 replied this admirable pattern of conjugal gen- 
 tleness, "for how could I speak about politics, or 
 anything else, when I don't know a single word 
 of their language? Except indeed just enough to 
 say at dinner-time ' pang si vous play ;' and that, 
 you know, I am obliged to say, because that 
 stupid fellow positively won't learn English, 
 though, God knows, 'tis as easy as breathing." 
 
 " Nonsense, Mr Roberts, nobody suspected you 
 of speaking French," returned his lady. " If you 
 had not had a wife a little quicker than yourself, 
 who could have spoken for you, it is likely enough 
 that you might not have been quite so far behind- 
 hand as you are. But though you can't talk 
 French, we all know well enough that you can 
 talk politics, and I do beg that you will answer me 
 plainly and honestly. Did you say anything in 
 English that might have been translated to either 
 Mr or Madame Soissonac about the right of 
 Charles Dix to reign over them? Did you, Mr 
 Roberts, or did you not? " 
 
 " No, then, upon my life and soul, I never did
 
 102 THE EOBEETSES 
 
 any such thing, Mrs Roberts," replied the good 
 man, with considerable animation. " I know that 
 I am not quite so clever as you are, and I never 
 pretended to be ; but I'm not such a dolt either as 
 to run my head against a stone wall ; and it would 
 be something very like it, I think, if I were to set 
 about preaching rebellion against King Philip in a 
 Paris ball-room. I never did any such thing, Mrs 
 Roberts, and I am ready to take my oath of it if 
 you choose it." 
 
 "You did not understand me, mamma," said 
 Agatha, tartly. " Nothing that papa could 
 possibly say, good, bad, or indifferent, is the least 
 likely to affect Madame de Soissonac's opinions 
 or conduct towards us. She is not such a fool 
 as that, I promise you. The politics I meant to 
 speak of do not at all concern the opinions of 
 papa, but the feelings of France towards England ; 
 and I am not by any means certain that all the 
 things I read in Galignani to-day about all that 
 quarrelling in the East, you know, may not make 
 the higher classes among the French people rather 
 afraid to patronise the English. Anything and 
 everything is more probable than that such a very 
 elegant person as Madame de Soissonac should
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. . 103 
 
 behave to us with such abominable rudeness for 
 nothing ; I will not believe it." 
 
 "And 1 will not allow that she has behaved 
 rudely at all," said Maria, " and I must say that I 
 think it is very ungrateful, as well as very absurd, 
 to accuse her of it till you see whether she drops us 
 entirely, or only means to alter the day or the 
 hour, or the style of her parties. I have no doubt 
 whatever but that we shall have a fresh billet of 
 invitation of some kind or other, before we are 
 twenty-four hours older. Most likely before we 
 get to breakfast to-morrow morning." 
 
 "God grant we may, Maria," replied her 
 mother very fervently. "I am sure Paris would 
 not be Paris for you girls, nor for me either indeed, 
 if Madame de Soissonac gave us up. What is 
 your opinion about it, my dear Edward ? You 
 don't say a word, and yet I am sure you are more 
 likely to make a good guess than any of us." 
 
 It was not because Mr Edward Eoberts had not 
 given himself the trouble of guessing that he had 
 fallen into the silence of which his mother com- 
 plained; quite the contrary. No man, or boy 
 either, ever set about guessing with more eager- 
 ness and energy than he did on the present occa-
 
 104 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 sion ; but his guesses were not of a nature to be 
 freely communicated ; and^, moreover, tlicy were 
 exceedingly contradictory. He had listened to 
 every word uttered by the lady of his love in her 
 farewell speech, with ears perfectly incapable of 
 losing a syllable ; and had he understood, as per- 
 fectly as he had heard her, he at least would have 
 been spared any further sufferings from the pangs 
 of uncertainty. But he could not make her out 
 at all. At one moment he thou2;ht that this 
 prompt dismissal of his father, mother, and sisters 
 from her society, was a measure of precaution, 
 admirably calculated to prevent any inconve- 
 nience likely to arise from sharp-sighted domestic 
 observations on what was going on between them. 
 But then he remembered that this could hardly 
 be the case under a form of society which ren- 
 dered a liaiso7i such as that which he intended to 
 form with Madame de Soissonac, a matter both of 
 invariable custom, and fashionable ncccssit3\ No, 
 no, it was quite impossible that she should wish all 
 the world to know that he was at hor feet. 
 Edward Roberts assured himself, while a roguish 
 smile distended his young mustache, that he knew 
 French manners, and the leading principles of
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 105 
 
 French society, a great deal too well, to dwell 
 seriously, even for a moment, on so very absurd 
 an idea; and then it occurred to him, that, in 
 order to enjoy more of his society in private, she 
 might have determined for the present to break 
 through all the engagements which obliged her to 
 pass her evenings in a crowd ; and this thought 
 brought with it a delightful as well an obvious 
 interpretation of the lady's manner to him during 
 the evening. 
 
 " Charming Pauline ! " he murmured inwardly ; 
 for he had found out that her name was Pauline, 
 " charming Pauline ! How I adore the feeling 
 which leads her to prefer not speaking to me at 
 all, to the insipid intercourse of a crowded ball- 
 room ! " 
 
 But well-founded and perfectly rational as the 
 young man, after several minutes' meditation, felt 
 this last-mentioned conjecture to be, he did not 
 think it right to mention it to his family ; and 
 therefore, when his mother repeated her petition, 
 that he would give them his opinion on what had 
 passed, he only replied, 
 
 " Upon my word, ma'am, I know nothing about 
 it. Perhaps she is tired of having so many large 
 
 F 3
 
 106 THE EOBEKTSES 
 
 parties, but I do assure you she has never said a 
 word to me on the subject. So I wish you would 
 not ask me." 
 
 Never, in short, did a whole family lay their 
 heads upon their pillows in a state of more harass- 
 ing uncertainty, than did the Robertses that 
 night. Mr Edward was, however, by many 
 degrees the best oif, because he felt within himself 
 the most delightful conviction that he was in some 
 way or other the cause of the lovely Pauline's 
 caprice ; and for a Mr Edward Roberts, at the 
 age of twenty, there is something very pleasant 
 in this. Nevertheless, his pillow, like those of 
 the rest of his race, was the witness of a good 
 deal of restlessness — arising in his case chiefly 
 from not exactly knowing what he should be 
 expected to do and say, when next he enjoyed the 
 happiness of finding liimseLf ttte-a-ttte with his 
 Pauline.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 107 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 The following day, too, did not pass away 
 without its vexations, among which the not re- 
 ceiving any renewed invitation from Madame de 
 Soissonac was, unfortunately, by no means the 
 most prominent. Mrs Roberts had really not 
 brought her family to the continent without 
 thinking a good deal about it. She was, as we 
 have already seen, an ambitious woman, and had, 
 long before she finally decided upon this important 
 measure, become aware that neither their position 
 nor their fortune would admit of their obtaining, 
 in London, the place in society for which her 
 soaring spirit yearned. Her daughters were
 
 108 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 really pretty-looking girls; and as her feelings 
 towards them, as well as towards her peerless 
 Edward, were, to do her justice, very heartily 
 maternal, it is not to be wondered at their ad- 
 vancement was one of the most prominent features 
 in her schemes for rising into a higher circle of 
 acquaintance. She had heard people, in no way 
 superior to herself as to station, talk familiarly of 
 " lords and dukes, and noble princes," as among 
 their daily associates during their continental 
 excursions; she had heard, too, from the same 
 persons, that sixpence would go as far as a shilling. 
 On these two statements had all her hopes and all 
 her projects been founded. But these two state- 
 ments, even presuming them to be strictly true, 
 were scarcely sufficient in the way of information 
 to lead her and her family safely over the con- 
 tinent of Europe. Yet in her case, as in a 
 thousand others, they really formed all the infor- 
 mation she possessed. She had heard, indeed, in 
 addition, that multitudes of ruined families went 
 abroad every year, and found that, ruined as they 
 were, they could do perfectly well upon the con- 
 tinent, and this, of course, gave her a very de- 
 liorhtful feelino: of confidence in the certain
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 109 
 
 sufficiency of her own resources. But she had 
 not heard it exactly stated how many out of this 
 multitude had sunk, and slunk, and dwindled 
 away, becoming absorbed, as it were, into more or 
 less width of space, and more or less length of 
 time, till every familiar eye had ceased to follow 
 them, while they were finally suffered to evapo- 
 rate and vanish away, like so many pins, which 
 everybody knows must be somewhere, but con- 
 cerning whose disappearance from the light of day 
 nobody thinks it worth w^hile to inquire. Respect- 
 ing this class — a much more numerous one than 
 most of us are aware — Mrs Koberts knew little, 
 and cared less. With such she had nothing in 
 common, and would have deemed it sad waste of 
 time to have inquired after, or listened to, any of 
 their adventures. Yet there are enough of such 
 to fill many a stirring volume ; but they could not 
 well be divided off into romances, for all the 
 third volumes would be wanting. They would 
 rarely have any very striking catastrophe ; ending 
 for the most part in a cold, hopeless, helpless, 
 cheerless blank. But with such, as we have said, 
 Mrs Roberts felt that she had nothing in common ; 
 and therefore, on arriving in Paris, her projects
 
 110 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 and plans took a direction as opposite as was well 
 possible to what they might have done, had she 
 conceived herself within the possible reach of any 
 pecuniary difficulties. No sooner, therefore, did 
 she find an occasional entree at the embassy 
 secured to her, than she inquired of her friend 
 Mrs Brctlow the name and address of the most 
 renowned dress-maker in Paris. The inquiry 
 was soon answered, and the answer was soon pro- 
 fited by. The carriage which, after a good deal 
 of discussion as to what was best and most eco- 
 nomical, had been hired by the month, speedily con- 
 veyed Mrs Roberts and her two daughters to the 
 fascinating apartments of Mademoiselle ^Imabel ; 
 and there the following conversation took place, 
 Mrs Roberts, for her part, persevering in her 
 efforts to address the dressmaker in French, and 
 the dressmaker persisting with equal pertinacity 
 in her efforts to reply in English — a mode of con- 
 versation by no means uncommon in Paris. 
 
 The first salutations over, IMrs Roberts thus 
 began : " J'ai besoin, mademoiselle, de toute votre 
 soin pour fiiire des habits perfaites pour mes 
 enfants." 
 
 For half an instant the Frenchwoman was at a
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. Ill 
 
 loss — making coats for children was not her occu- 
 pation; and the first idea that occurred to her 
 was, that the portly lady had made a mistake in 
 coming up her staircase, instead of that of a tailor 
 who lived near her. But happily she heard Maria 
 exclaim, with all the genuine feeling which such 
 subjects inspire, when selection is the business 
 going on, " Look at this, mamma ! This is exactly 
 what we want ! " 
 
 ^' Que je suis bete ! " murmured the elegant 
 Mademoiselle Amabel. "I rejoice mine self when 
 English laddies come to me," she said aloud, in her 
 very sweetest tone, for den I find mine self in the 
 hapness of speaking de English. Langue deli- 
 cieuse ! Yeas, mess, you have de aye juste. Dat 
 robe is de mos perfaite in Paris." 
 
 "Et I'argent, mademoiselle?" responded Mrs 
 Roberts. "Combien de prix? ' Non pas trop, 
 J'espere." 
 
 " But exactly noting ! absoluement noting, in 
 comparison of its beaute. But ah ! madame — it 
 must be bote — bote de sam ! Bote des two En- 
 glish beauties to appear a I'ambassade et de sam 
 moment in de sam drass. Oh, Haven ! de sam 
 etoffe, couleur, forme, garniture — hal de sam !
 
 112 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Madame ! vous n'avez pas ime idee ! II vill be de 
 perfection ! " 
 
 " I should certainly prefer our being dressed 
 alike," said Agatha. " What do you think, 
 Maria? The effect would certainly be more 
 striking. Don't you think you should like it best? 
 It always gets most looked at." 
 
 " Yes, I think so," replied Maria. " We have 
 long agreed that we both of us look best in white 
 — so it is as fair for one as for the other. Do let 
 us have a dress a piece like this, mamma. Will 
 
 you?" 
 
 " Disez moi la prix, mademoiselle, et je fixerai 
 ma choix," said Mrs Roberts, in a very impressive 
 tone, which at once conveyed to Mademoiselle 
 Amabel such an idea of her dignity and authority, 
 that she wasted no more time upon the young 
 ladies, perceiving clearly that the glances which 
 they bestowed upon every article in the brilliant 
 collection of personal decoration displayed before 
 them, had so much of general benevolence and 
 affection in them, that it was evident they 
 would have adopted everything they saw for their 
 own, could they but obtain the consent of their 
 omnipotent mamma. To this mamma, tlierefore,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 113 
 
 the accomplislied artist now addressed herself, and 
 in reply to her important question, said, 
 
 " Ah, madame ! dat is just the most difficile 
 question of all ! For, see you, madame, de money 
 of your contree, and de money of my contree are 
 so much puzzle ! If I say two hundred francs, 
 you instant tink, maybe, dat I mane twenty or ten 
 pound maybe — and all de vile I mane no such 
 ting — but just so maney littel shabby tenpences. 
 Oh ! every ting is so cheap in France ! Yen you 
 have been live here one year, or five maybe, you 
 vill find dat out; and den, madame, you vont 
 never troble yourself to ask about price. Always 
 chuse the pretty, dat is safest." 
 
 " Je sais extremement bien, mademoiselle," re- 
 plied Mrs Roberts, " que tout les choses sont 
 monstrueusement cher en Angleterre, mais cela 
 fait non pas de tout difference, et il faut que je 
 sais la prix — et done je fixerai." 
 
 **Eh, bien, madame, ecoutez. I am known 
 from England to France, and from France to 
 England for de justness of all my prices. It is 
 mine most greatest pride — eh, bien, madame, you 
 please to put yourself between my hands,
 
 114 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 and you will be safe — and if* dose two beau- 
 tiful young laddies will only make up their 
 decisions to have every ting from me, and promise 
 to mix nobody's else fashions at all wid mine, I 
 will promise on my side, that they shall be the 
 most elegant and admired of all the young laddies 
 at the ambassade. Dat is what I call being fair, 
 open, and honourable; and dat is well know to 
 be my way." 
 
 "Well, mademoiselle, I have nothing to say 
 against it. Your things — that is to say, vos choses 
 sont beau, tres beau — et jc donnerai le permission 
 de faire pour mes deux enfants deux habits comme 
 cet unc. Entendez-vous, mademoiselle ? " 
 
 " Mais oui, madame — ct croyez moi vous serez 
 contentes. I do not have the least fear of your 
 approbation. And one good ting is, dat I have 
 never any hurry for de payment. I have so many 
 custom ! " 
 
 Mrs Roberts seemed to be a good deal struck 
 with the last observation, and having silently 
 paused upon it for a minute, she desired mademoi- 
 selle, in very good and intelligible English — for 
 her heart was too much in the business to admit
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 115 
 
 of any expositor but the clearest — to let her see 
 the very handsomest cloak that the establishment 
 had to boast of at the present moment. 
 
 " Is it for madame, her own self ? " demanded 
 Mademoiselle Amabel. 
 
 " Oui, mademoiselle," she replied. " II est 
 pour moi." 
 
 Whereupon Mademoiselle Amabel vanished for 
 about a moment, and then returned with a benignant 
 smile on her countenance, and bearing gracefully 
 upon her extended arm a splendid combination of 
 velvet, satin, and lace. The eyes of Mrs Roberts 
 seemed to spring upon it, while their orbits ap- 
 peared to be distended, as if to give the passionate 
 glance free passage. 
 
 " Permettez moi ! " said Mademoiselle Amabel, 
 with almost equal intensity of feeling ; and, as she 
 spoke, she daintily and skilfully placed the cloak 
 on the broad shoulders of Mrs Roberts, in the 
 most advantageous manner possible. 
 
 "Upon my word, mamma, it makes you look like 
 a duchess," said Agatha, gazing on her parent 
 with a charming expression of filial pride. 
 
 " N'est pas ? " exclaimed mademoiselle in a sort 
 of rapture. Mrs Roberts, meanwhile, uttered not
 
 116 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 a word ; but turning herself round first to the 
 right and then to the left, before the Psyche glass 
 — an instrument that stood ever ready to present 
 the images of all the blended wonders of art and 
 nature who came before it to profit by reflection 
 before they decided on the all-important question, 
 " to have or not to have ; " as Mrs Roberts stood 
 thus her features gradually relaxed into a smile, 
 which said more forcibly than any words could 
 have done, " It is becoming ! " 
 
 Mademoiselle Amabel had not watched the emo- 
 tions produced day after day by that magic mirror 
 for nothing. Her experience had taught her to 
 know, with the acuteness of a fowler watching his 
 nets, at what moment her fluttering prey was most 
 completely in her power. Wliile matters were in 
 doubt, she would patiently stand, hushed into 
 profoundest silence, while the temptation did its 
 work ; but when such a smile as the comely face 
 of Mrs Roberts now displayed broke forth, she 
 knew the work was done ; and then it was, and 
 not before, that she gave her snare the little jerk 
 that was to conclude the business. 
 
 " Does madame wish to have this put aside ? 
 It is not encore tout a fait de time to sell it — for
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 117 
 
 it have been seen almost by nobody — and, sans 
 contredit, it is de most perfect ting dat we have 
 produced dis winter. Peut-etre madame will 
 suffer us to keep this, and make her anoder very 
 much like as can be ? " 
 
 This suggestion was a couj) de grace to the pru- 
 dence of poor Mrs Roberts. 
 
 " Non ! " she replied, resolutely, " je ne veux 
 pas avoir que cela. You understand ? I mean to 
 have this very identical cloak. Indeed, as I have 
 got the carriage at the door, I don't see any reason 
 why I should not take it away with me. Fold 
 it up for me, if you please." 
 
 Mademoiselle sighed, and assumed rather a 
 piteous look ; however, she presently began to 
 fold up the mantle with an air of dignified resig- 
 nation, and only murmuring as she looked at its 
 rich white satin lining, " Yraiment c'est dom- 
 mage de la vendre si tot," laid it upon a chair, 
 while she waited for further orders— waited, but 
 not idly — for first a cap was taken from its stand, 
 and then a bonnet, each being displayed to the 
 greatest advantage before the longing eyes of the 
 party, and occasionally put upon the ready heads 
 of each of them.
 
 118 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " Have you asked the price of the cloak, mam- 
 ma ? " said the sensible Agatha, in a whisper. 
 
 " No, my dear, I am going to do it presently," 
 replied Mrs Roberts, very gently, but wishing in 
 her heart that Miss Agatha would mind her own 
 business. She presently added, however, in 
 another whisper, " I have no doubt in the world 
 that it is horribly dear ; but the fact is, Agatha, 
 that it is a sort of thing one must have. ^Vliat 
 good can it do my having forced your father into 
 having a carriage if I am to deny myself what is 
 absolutely necessary for making a decent appear- 
 ance in it ? " 
 
 " Oh ! certainly ! You are perfectly right, 
 ma'am," replied the young lady, in whose active 
 mind a whole train of reasoning, awakened by her 
 maniQia's remark, was rapidly developing itself. 
 •*■ I know perfectly well that there is no use in the 
 world in our strainino; and strivinir to j^et into 
 society, unless you can contrive to let us aU dress 
 decently. At this very moment, both Maria and 
 I have bonnets that we ous^ht to be ashamed of. 
 Don't you think so, mamma ? " 
 
 The eyes of Mrs Koberts were fixed upon the 
 cloak while she listened to her daughter, and the
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 119 
 
 breadth and delicacy of the lace, which hung over 
 the side of the chair, gave her, for a moment, 
 rather a disagreeable sort of sensation. 
 
 " At any rate," thought she, " if there should 
 be any fuss or difficulty made about it, it shall not 
 be increased by making the poor girls think that I 
 care more for my own appearance than I do for 
 theirs ;" whereupon, turning to her daughter, she 
 replied, " Yes, indeed, my dear Agatha, I do think 
 so, and I have been thinking so ever since I came 
 into the room." Then lowering her voice still 
 more, she added, " You heard what she said about 
 not wanting the money. There will be consider- 
 able convenience in that. You all give me credit, 
 I believe, for being a pretty good manager, and I 
 have too much confidence in myself on that point 
 to feel any doubts about being able to bring every 
 thing quite square, if I am not hurried about it ; 
 so you have my free leave, girls, to choose a 
 bonnet a piece — and I desire they may be both 
 elegant and becoming; there is no economy in 
 saving a penny upon a bonnet." 
 
 There certainly never was a more agreeable 
 morning's shopping performed than Mrs Roberts 
 and her daughters enjoyed that day. Everything
 
 120 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 went smoothly and pleasantly, as !Maria observed. 
 No preaching, no bother, no difficulty of any sort. 
 For jNIrs Roberts, not being aware that she could 
 so immediately obtain credit, had taken care to 
 provide herself with a little ready money, which, 
 to do her justice, she certainly had intended to 
 expend in purchasing a pretty ball- dress for each 
 of her daughters. But as the necessity for im- 
 mediately paying for them had been thus con- 
 veniently removed, the twelve pounds in her purse 
 were scattered among a multitude of shops before 
 they returned home, in the purchase of articles, 
 all of which, as they were mutually and severally 
 convinced, they wanted very much indeed, al- 
 though, when they set out on their expedition, 
 they had made up their minds that they must 
 wait a little longer for them. 
 
 ***** 
 
 On the day following the ball at Madame de 
 Soissonac's, which had ended in the disagreeable 
 manner already related, Mrs Roberts and her 
 daui^hters were sittino* toc^ether in the drawins:- 
 room after a late breakfast, deeply engaged in 
 discussing tlie unintelligible adventure of the 
 preceding nifrht, when their servant informed them
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 121 
 
 that there was a gentleman in the ante-room who 
 desired to speak with madame on business. 
 
 " On business ? I wonder who it can be ? 
 Dites a le monsieur de entrez," said Mrs Roberts, 
 rousing her energies for the production of a great 
 deal of French. 
 
 The servant accordingly threw wide the door, 
 and a very well-dressed personage entered, holding 
 a paper packet, considerably larger than an ordi- 
 nary-sized letter, in one hand, and his hat in the 
 other. 
 
 The man, though a Frenchman, addressed Mrs 
 Roberts in such fluent English, that it did not 
 occur to her at that moment that it would be 
 necessary, either for the sake of improvement, or 
 for the purpose of making herself perfectly under- 
 stood, to reply to him in French. The conver- 
 sation, therefore, proceeded in this wise : 
 
 " I come, madam," said the stranger, " on the 
 part of Mademoiselle Amabel, who has taken the 
 liberty of sending in her little bill; and as she 
 has been unexpectedly called upon to make a large 
 payment to the manufacturer who supplies her 
 with silks, she will be obliged by immediate pay- 
 ment." 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 ' THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Mrs Roberts became as red as scarlet; but 
 without speaking, she held out her hand for the 
 packet, and endeavoured, not without some suc- 
 cess, to look dignified and composed. Neverthe- 
 less, her hand trembled a little as she removed the 
 envelope, and opened the pretematurally long- 
 looking sheet of paper it contained. It was not 
 on the first side, nor on the second, no, nor on the 
 third either that the sum total she sought for was 
 to be found — for that first visit to Mademoiselle 
 Amabel, which has been described above, had not 
 been the last. But on the fourth side, in exceed- 
 ingly legible figures inscribed upon the broad 
 column ruled for the sum total of francs, were to 
 be seen a line of four figures, the first of which 
 was the figure 2. Those which followed were, of 
 course, of comparatively little importance : but in 
 plain English, this milliner and dressmaker's bill, 
 for herself and her daughters during the last nine 
 weeks, amounted to eighty-seven pounds, and an 
 odd franc or two over. 
 
 It did not take very long to unfold the packet, 
 or to arrive at the page bearing the record of the 
 amount, but it sufficed to bring both the Miss 
 Robertses to such a station bcliind the sofa on
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 123 
 
 which their mamma sat, as enabled them very 
 speedily to become as well acquainted with the 
 state of the case as herself. 
 
 Mademoiselle Agatha * * * * 
 
 Mademoiselle Maria * * * ♦ 
 
 Mademoiselle Maria *= * * * 
 
 Mademoiselle Agatha * * * * 
 pretty frequently repeated in every column, natu- 
 rally attracted a good deal of their attention ; but 
 Maria was a quick and lively girl, and instead of 
 muttering forth any phrases indicative of wonder 
 and dismay at the frequent repetition of her own 
 name, she exclaimed, 
 
 ^* Only see, mamma, how much higher your 
 cloak comes than any other article. 1 always 
 thought it would be so." 
 
 There was a sort of flint in this speech which 
 struck against the steel of Mrs Roberts's tem- 
 perament, and elicited a spark which showed 
 that she did not intend to sink under a surprise, 
 which certainly was not agreeable. Mrs Roberts 
 had calculated that the bill of Mademoiselle 
 Amabel might amount, at the very most, to about 
 five-and-thirty pounds, and as she supposed it 
 would not be called for before the expiration of 
 
 G 2
 
 124 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 some months from the present time, she had cal- 
 culated that, by a persevering adherence to wine 
 of four sous the bottle, instead of ten ; by con- 
 tenting herself with bad butter, no cream, and the 
 total avoidance of fish, game, pastry, and pre- 
 served green peas ; together with a little extra 
 economy in the article of washing, she should be 
 perfectly prepared to meet it, without saying a 
 single word to Mr Roberts on the subject. 
 Clever as she was, however, she had now de- 
 cidedly made a great blunder ; and it was not 
 very easy to see, at the first glance, how she was 
 to get out of the scrape into which she had fallen. 
 But, as I have said, she did not lose her courage, 
 but raising her eyes, and fixing them on the 
 messenger, she said, 
 
 " Disez a votre maitress " 
 
 It was now the man's turn to colour, which he 
 did, looking rather fierce at the same time. ^Irs 
 Roberts observed it, and attributed it to displea- 
 sure at her having forgotten his rather remarkable 
 proficiency in the English language. 
 
 " Oh, I beg your pardon, young man ; I quite 
 forgot that you knew how to speak English, which 
 I really think I still prefer to every other Ian-
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 125 
 
 guage, when I can make it convenient to use it. 
 Tell your mademoiselle then, if you please, that 
 as the bill is a good deal longer than I expected, 
 it is absolutely necessary that I should look it over 
 quite at my leisure. And you may mention to 
 her also, if you please, that by her foolishly lead- 
 ing me into such a great error about the time 
 when she wished to be paid, I shall not be ready 
 with the money for a day or two — that's all. You 
 may go now, if you please. I will see abput it ; 
 and your mademoiselle shall hear from me." 
 
 The man civilly replied that he had no doubt 
 the end of the week would suit Mademoiselle 
 Amabel perfectly well, and, then, with as low a 
 bow as he thought necessary, left the room. 
 
 " What will papa say ? " exclaimed Agatha, as 
 the door closed behind him. " Isn't eighty pounds, 
 mamma, a monstrous deal of money for such a 
 short time ? Don't you think it is a shocking 
 large sum ? " 
 
 " No, my dear ; I do not think it is at all, con- 
 sidering the very elegant appearance that I have 
 taken care you should both of you make. As to 
 my part of it, everybody knows that no girl in the
 
 126 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 world, let her be ever so handsome, or ever so 
 elegant, can hope to get on, either in marrying, or 
 even getting a decent partner, unless her chaperon 
 is well-dressed, and looks like a woman of fashion. 
 On this point I am quite sure your father will agree 
 Avith me. But I own I am rather afraid that he 
 win find fault at seeing such an immense quantity 
 of things put down to your names. Besides, he 
 never, you know, ventures to find fault with me ; 
 but I don't think it is quite clear that he will con- 
 sider it necessary to be equally ceremonious about 
 you. I am sure if he is angrj^ I don't know what 
 on earth you will say to him." 
 
 " Don't you think it might be possible, mamma, 
 to pay this horrid bill without his knowing any- 
 thing about it?" said Agatha, looking very sad. 
 " It would be so much better, you know, if you 
 could ; for when he once gets hold of a thing, he 
 bores one for ever with it — doesn't he ? " 
 
 "He is a little in that line, Agatha, there is no 
 denying it," replied her mother. " But you know 
 I never get anything worse for my shai'e than just 
 the tiresomeness of listening to it. You both of 
 you know perfectly well, that he would never
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS. 127 
 
 dream of finding fault with me for buying a cloak 
 or anything else. Indeed it would be very odd if 
 he did." 
 
 "But you wouldn't like, mamma, to hear him 
 going ding-dong on, day after day, every time that 
 we put on anything decent, eternally repeating, 
 ' eighty pounds in nine weeks ! eighty pounds in 
 nine weeks ! eighty pounds in nine weeks I ' " said 
 Maria, wittily putting her hands behind her back, 
 and walking up and down the room with a step 
 and attitude, which certainly resembled those of 
 her papa more than might have been expected 
 from so light-footed and slender a young lady. 
 Mrs Eoberts smiled, and Agatha laughed aloud. 
 
 " It is very clever. Miss Maria," said her mother, 
 endeavouring to recover her gravity, " but it won't 
 go far, I'm afraid, towards paying Mademoiselle 
 Amabel's bill ; and as to dotng it without making 
 your father give me an extra check, it is impossi- 
 ble. Fancy me squeezing eighty pounds out 
 of our eating and drinking, my own little pocket 
 expenses, and coach-hire ! I have no other funds 
 to go to, I promise you ; and, into the bargain, it 
 is to be done at three days' warning. I must ask
 
 128 THE E0BERTSE8 
 
 him for the money — there is no other way of 
 getting out of it." 
 
 " Don't, mamma ! " persisted the usually volatile, 
 but now firm-minded Maria. " Pray don't ; if you 
 do, you will repent it as long as you live, for you 
 will never hear the last of it. You know, mamma, 
 as well as I do, that papa is not over quick in 
 finding anything to say when he takes it into his 
 head to show fight about anything, and if you tell 
 him of this bill, you will be putting an ever-loaded 
 pistol into his hand, that he will go on popping in 
 our faces to the end of time ; and you will get 
 your share of it in one way, mamma, if you don't 
 in another, you may take my word for that ; for 
 we shall both of us be worn into peaking, pining, 
 yellow-faced old maids in no time — at least, I can 
 venture to answer for myself." 
 
 " I have not a word to say against the correct- 
 ness of your statement, Maria," replied her mother, 
 *' except the just assuring you that it is as inevi- 
 table as it is true. If you know how to think as 
 well as to talk, just set your wits to work, my 
 dear, to invent a way of getting out of it." 
 
 " As to that, mamma," said Agatha, setting
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 129 
 
 down the alarming bill, which she had been perus- 
 ing with a heightened complexion, — " as to that, 
 you know there are, for there must be ways 
 enough to manage such a matter as this, without 
 going at the very first pinch and telling papa of 
 it. What do you suppose all the exquisitely- 
 dressed women in Paris do when a bill happens to 
 run up a little higher than they expected ? Can 
 you possibly believe that they all trot off to show 
 it to their husbands? Or that things would go 
 on as smoothly as they seem to do now, if they 
 did ? Do you really suppose the women of Paris 
 are such idiots ? " 
 
 " Then w^hat do you suppose they do do, 
 Agatha ? " returned Mrs Roberts, who had lis- 
 tened to this remonstrance with considerable 
 attention. 
 
 " Oh, as to that, mamma, there may be a variety 
 of ways and means with which, of course, I am 
 not likely to become acquainted ; and as to any of 
 them, you know, one can but guess." 
 
 " Well, child, and what do you guess ? " said 
 her mother, rather impatiently ; for Mrs Roberts 
 not being at all in the habit of requiring the opi- 
 nions of either husband or children, as to what was 
 
 G3
 
 130 THE ROBEIITSES 
 
 best to be done in an emergency, was rather 
 restive under the process of receiving advice. 
 
 " Why, this is what I guess, mamma ; when a 
 lady finds herself, a propos of her milliner, exactly 
 in the position that you are now, a propos of Ma- 
 demoiselle Amabel, I guess, as the Yankees say, 
 that it is to her she would apply, and not to her 
 own husband, to ascertain what would be the 
 easiest way of settling the affair." 
 
 " What can you mean, Agatha, by talking 
 such abominable nonsense to me ? " returned jVIts 
 Roberts, in a tone of great displeasure. "You 
 may think as lightly of running in debt as you 
 please, but I can tell you that this is no time for 
 joking, and if you don't believe me, you may ask 
 your papa for his opinion." 
 
 " Yes, yes, I do believe you, mamma ; but it 
 seems to me that you must be joking, if you mean 
 to say that I have proposed your asking Mademoi- 
 selle Amabel to pay her own bill. But she may 
 make the paying of it comparatively easy, with- 
 out lending you the money, according to the old 
 Sheridan plan. If I had to pay the bill, I should 
 go to the woman this morning, and take with me 
 as much ready money from my housekeeping
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 131 
 
 purse as I could conveniently spare ; this I should 
 give her, taking good care to have her receipt for 
 it, and I should tell her, with the most perfect 
 frankness, that her bill having come in consider- 
 ably before I expected it, I could not possibly pay 
 it directly without taking it formally in to my 
 husband, which was what I never did with my 
 milliner's bills if I could possibly help it. I should 
 then add, with a gay sort of laugh, that, never- 
 theless, if she insisted upon having the money 
 directly, it should be done; but that if so, I 
 should be obliged, though I liked her style ex- 
 tremely, to employ another milliner, as I did not 
 choose to be subjected to this startling style of 
 doing business." 
 
 Mrs Roberts listened to all this very gravely, 
 but with an expression of countenance not quite 
 easy to interpret. There was a mixture of admi- 
 ration and surprise in it, but in addition to this, 
 there was an air of being half frightened. But as 
 she remained silent, expecting, perha^^s, that her 
 young counsellor would proceed, Maria ventured 
 to say that what Agatha proposed appeared to 
 her extremely reasonable, and very likely to suc- 
 ceed.
 
 132 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " Upon my word, mamma, I think, that at any 
 rate you ought to make the experiment. Just 
 think how we were hurt and vexed last night by 
 that horrid woman's impertinence. I quite give 
 her up now, for it is past three o'clock, and we 
 have neither card, note, nor anything else to ex- 
 plain it. So think, dear mamma, of our vexation 
 last night, and do not add to it'bv brinmnfT down 
 papa upon us, about these unfortunate dresses, 
 which, after all, you know, it would have been 
 absolutely impossible for us to do without, if he 
 were to take it into his head to kill us for it. Just 
 fancy, if you please, the pretty appearance that 
 Agatha and I should have made, had we been left 
 to our pitiful thirty pounds per annum, at Lady 
 Moreton's and Lady Foreton's — at the embassy — 
 at that horrid Madame de Soissonac's — and in 
 short, at all the places that have given us the least 
 pleasure. I am sure if it had not been for Made- 
 moiselle Amabel, we might, and we must, have 
 contented ourselves with going to church on a 
 Sunday, going to a play about once a week, and 
 indulging in an occasional excursion to Versailles 
 in a railroad omnibus. So you have just got to 
 make up your mind, mamma, as to which you
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 133 
 
 think best — the being obliged to set your wits to 
 work for a little clever management with made- 
 moiselle, or to see us, and yourself too, turned 
 from being people of fashion and consequence, as 
 we are now, into vulgar humdrums, that no soul 
 worth knowing would choose to speak to, or even 
 look at." 
 
 The evident savoir faire of both her daughters, 
 certainly surprised Mrs Roberts a good deal : but 
 she felt that it might be, and at the present 
 moment actually was, very useful. 
 
 " Where in the world did they get such clever 
 thoughtful notions ? " was the idea which first 
 suggested itself to her mind ; for in London, in 
 her very gayest days, Mrs Roberts had never been 
 called upon to exercise her superior faculties in 
 this sort of way — but the mental answer to the 
 mental question was obvious — France had done it 
 — Paris had done it. She herself felt a perfectly 
 different creature in Paris, and no wonder the 
 girls did so too. But although Mrs Roberts very 
 pleasantly felt the use of such ready and intelli- 
 gent advisers, she had been too long accustomed 
 to be herself the main-spring of the domestic 
 machine, to relish the idea of her children's taking
 
 134 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 it into their heads that she could not get on with- 
 out their help. She, therefore, only nodded to 
 them both, with an air of light-hearted, gay good- 
 humour, and said, 
 
 "Well done, girls, you have not been three 
 months in Paris for nothing. Great wits gene- 
 rally jump together, you know ; and your scheme 
 is not very much unlike what I have been think- 
 ing of myself all the time that you have been 
 chattering. At any rate, when the carriage 
 comes, which it will do directly, I suppose, I shall 
 drive to Mademoiselle Amabel's, and see what I 
 can do with her. But before I go to put on my 
 bonnet, girls, I shall choose to say one word to 
 you both. You must remember, my dear chil- 
 dren, that our happening to have fallen into par- 
 ticularly gay and elegant society since we have 
 been in Paris, which I have contrived to bring 
 about solely for your sakes, and that of your 
 exemplary brother, you must take great care to 
 remember that although this may have justified, 
 and more than justified, my having permitted this 
 little excess in the article of dress, yet, that as a 
 general principle, I most strongly recommend 
 economy, and the most careful avoidance of every
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 135 
 
 thinff like runnlnsc into debt. If I did not conceive 
 it impossible that with such a mother as myself 
 you should ever forget this, I should be perfectly 
 miserable— I should indeed. But I trust there is 
 no danger of it." 
 
 As this was spoken with much solemnity, and 
 that air of authoritative dignity which Mrs 
 Roberts so well knew how to assume, the two 
 young ladies listened to her in submissive silence, 
 and with features arranged into an expression of 
 the most profound gravity and even deference. 
 
 The carriage did come to the door immediately, 
 as Mrs Roberts expected it would, but although 
 this usually punctual lady was naturally inclined 
 to hasten away, both because she made it a rule 
 never to keep the coachman waiting, and because 
 she was really very anxious to finish the business 
 she was upon. Miss Maria detained her long 
 enough to say, " But remember, mamma, the best 
 way in the world to bring Mademoiselle Amabel 
 to terms, is to order something new ; and if you 
 do, dearest mamma, don't forget how very badly I 
 want a new scarf. J have not one that is fit to be 
 seen." 
 
 Mrs Roberts only nodded in reply, and de-
 
 136 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 parted ; but she returned very soon, apparently in 
 excellent spirits, and generously made a present 
 to each of her daughters of a very splendid new 
 scarf. No more was said at that time on the sub- 
 ject of mademoiselle's bill, the young ladies very 
 wisely deciding in their own minds that if their 
 mamma wanted any more talk about it, she would 
 take care to let them know it, and that if she did 
 not, it would be a great pity to set her going 
 again upon so very disagreeable a theme. 
 
 " How much would you bet, Maria," said 
 Agatha, " that mamma never had an idea of soins: 
 to mademoiselle till I put it into her head ? " 
 
 " If I bet upon the subject at all," replied her 
 sister, laugliing, " it certainly would be that 
 she had not. In the first ])lace, I am sure of it 
 from her manner — oh, I know mamma so well ; 
 and in the next, I am sure of it, because, with all 
 her cleverness, — and I do not mean to deny that 
 she certainly is clever in her own way, — she has 
 so very little notion of what women of real fashion 
 do, either in this country or our own. She has 
 never, you know, been at a modern boarding- 
 school as we have, and therefore she has never 
 had the advantage of hearing all the anecdotes that
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 137 
 
 our admirable teacher used to recount for our ad- 
 vantage — not to mention all we have read, you 
 know, in more languages than one. All this 
 makes a great difference, and those are the sort of 
 reasons, you may depend upon it, why old people 
 never do know how to do anything so well as 
 young ones. And the fact is, Agatha, that if we 
 hope to get on, as I know we should both of us 
 like to do, we must contrive, somehow or other, to 
 have our own way in most things, or we shall be 
 disappointed, you may depend upon it."
 
 138 THE KOBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Another, and another, and another day passed 
 away, but no more was heard of Madame de 
 Soissonac. The high spirit of the Roberts family, 
 on which they particularly prided themselves, 
 rose to a pitch that required, especially in the more 
 easily exploding bosoms of the ladies, the safety- 
 valve of vituperation, to preserve them from 
 bursting. They had also another motive for 
 wishing to discuss the subject with some one of 
 their acquaintance whom they had been in the 
 habit of meeting at the assemblies of the fiiir 
 but perfidious Frenchwoman, in order to discover 
 beyond the possibility of mistake, whether others
 
 ON THEIE TKAVELS. 139 
 
 had received the same affront as themselves. 
 They doubted, however, for some time, as to the 
 person to whom they should first open their hearts 
 on the subject. Mrs Bretlow would have been in 
 many respects the most eligible person to whom 
 they could have addressed themselves on this 
 occasion, inasmuch as she was really intimate with 
 Madame de Soissonac, and was therefore likely to 
 know the real cause of her abominable behaviour. 
 But then, this real intimacy had always appeared 
 to be accompanied by a great deal of real affec- 
 tion, and it was not well to talk to anybody on 
 the subject, who was likely to be so strongly pre- 
 judiced as Mrs Bretlow. 
 
 " No, indeed, mamma," said Maria, " if you go 
 to Mrs Bretlow in order to ask her opinion of 
 Madame de Soissonac, I will not go with you. I 
 don't know how the rest of the family may feel, 
 but I have too much English spirit to go any- 
 where on purpose to hear the praises of a person 
 who has used me ill." 
 
 " Well then, who shall we go to? " returned her 
 mother, who immediately felt the truth of this 
 sensible observation. " I, for my part, don't care
 
 140 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 who it is, SO that it is an English person, who will 
 have common sense enough to understand what 
 one says. The French are certainly unaccount- 
 ably slow of comprehension in conversation. I 
 find perpetually from their answers, that they 
 have not understood one word in ten that I have 
 said to them. It is no good to talk to them." 
 
 " Why should we not call on Lady Moreton 
 and her cousin? " said Agatha. " There cannot 
 be two more charming people to talk to on this 
 subject; and as they visit everybody in Paris 
 almost, they will certainly be able to tell us, if 
 any one can, the reason for this Frenchwoman's 
 extraordinary conduct ; and, at the same time, you 
 know, we may be quite sure that our natural 
 ladylike feelings on the occasion will be properly 
 repeated everywhere." 
 
 " To be sure," exclaimed INIrs Roberts eagerly, 
 " I am surprised I did not think of them at first. 
 They are the very people for us. I wonder whe- 
 ther Edward would like to go with us? They 
 always seem so delighted to see him. Do go to 
 his room, Maria, and ask him to come into the 
 drawing-room before he goes out. I should so
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 141 
 
 like him to go with us I He grows handsomer and 
 more elegant every day of his life. I would defy- 
 any mother not to be proud of such a son." 
 
 The young man obeyed the summons instantly, 
 having just completed his morning costume for 
 the Boulevards, and looking, as his mother said, 
 like a Parisian angel, only with a lovely English 
 colour in his cheeks. 
 
 " Edward, dearest, if you have no objection," said 
 his respectful parent, "I should like you to go 
 with us this morning to call on Lady Moreton and 
 Lady Foreton. Though they are, both of them, 
 always kindness itself, they are never so delighted 
 to see us as when you are of the party. You ivill 
 go, won't you? We are going on purpose to talk 
 to them a little about the impertinent behaviour 
 of that extraordinary Madame de Soissonac, and I 
 should like that you should be with us. What do 
 you say to it, my dear ? " 
 
 " Why no, ma'am, thank you, I think I'd rather 
 not. For to say the truth, the Soissonacs are, in 
 my opinion, a vast deal too absurd to talk about ; 
 and of all people in the world, I am the last who 
 ought to enter upon the subject," said the young
 
 142 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 man, colouring. " I would rather not go, thank 
 you." 
 
 " Good gracious, why ? " said Agatha. " What 
 can you have to do with it, Edward ? " 
 
 " ^Vliat can you mean, Edward ? " cried Maria. 
 " For goodness' sake, speak out." 
 
 " Upon my word, my dear, you must not go 
 till you have explained yourself," said his mother, 
 " Perhaps, Edward, you know a great deal more 
 about them than we do. Do tell us everything 
 that you have heard, my dear, dear Edward. It 
 is cruel to keep us in the dark, if you do know 
 anything. I must beg that you will hide no- 
 thing." 
 
 " Really, mother, I know very little about her, 
 for I can't say I have ever given myself the trou- 
 ble to inquire. But if you won't talk too much 
 about it, I will tell you what I have reason to 
 suspect ; and one or two fellows of my acquaint- 
 ance, who know old Soissonac a geat deal better 
 than I do, say that they are quite sure I am right. 
 The fact is, my dear ladies — it is very absurd, you 
 know, but I can't help that — the fact is, that 
 Monsieur de Soissonac, the tiresome old husband
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 143 
 
 of our pretty friend, has taken is into his head to 
 be jealous of me." 
 
 " Jealous ! '' exclaimed all the three ladies at 
 once. "Jealous of you, Edward?" 
 
 The young man replied to them all, at one and 
 the same instant, by a low and graceful bow ; and 
 then turning round, by the help of a mirror 
 over the chimney-piece, re-arranged a curl upon 
 his left temple, which the playful profundity of 
 the salutation had displaced. 
 
 " Is it possible ? " exclaimed his mother, after a 
 pause, and looking at him with an eye that seemed 
 to say, " No wonder ! " And then she sighed very " 
 deeply, and, in an accent that visions of crim, con, 
 trials, and tremendous damages, rendered both 
 solemn and melancholy, she added, "For Heaven's 
 sake, set my heart at ease, and tell me that he has 
 no reason for it." 
 
 " Nonsense, ma'am ! " returned the young man, 
 in a tone of very spirited indignation. " How 
 can you suppose that I should so far commit my- 
 self as to answer such a question as that ? I 
 alluded to the circumstance, merely for the sake 
 of doing justice to poor Madame de Soissonac. 
 Of course you must perceive, from what I have
 
 144 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 said, though I have not violated any confidence of 
 any kind ; but of course you must perceive that 
 she is not to blame. It was my duty to shew 
 this, but you must please to excuse my saying 
 anything more on the subject. It is very wrong 
 to ask me." 
 
 "It is very shocking, I am sure, altogether," 
 said Agatha, looking very grave. " But I don't 
 understand exactly how her warning us off her 
 premises in so very impertinent a manner, can do 
 do any good in the business." 
 
 " Don't you, my dear ? " returned her brother 
 demurely, casting his eyes upon the carpet. 
 
 " No, certainly," said Maria ; " on the contrary, 
 if she is behaving as she ought to do, her best 
 security against the injurious suspicions of her 
 husband would be the cultivating an intimacy 
 with us. I think she is exceedingly wrong 
 indeed." 
 
 " Do you, my dear ? " said the young man, 
 again profiting by the vicinity of the mirror. " I 
 am sure lam exceedingly sorry for it." 
 
 "Upon my word, Edward," said his mother, 
 " this obstinate reserve on your part is exceedingly 
 ill-judged, to say the least of it. How can we
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 145 
 
 know, for instance, how we ought to conduct our- 
 selves, in case we meet Madame de Soissonac 
 accidentally ? If, as Maria says, she is behaving 
 as she ought to do, there is every reason in the 
 world that we should treat her with kindness, 
 feeling, as we must all do, that whether right or 
 wrong, as to judgment, her declining our visits 
 must be from the very best and most virtuous of 
 motives, poor dear young woman ! But if, on the 
 contrary, Edward, there should be unhappily any 
 real cause for her husband's suspicions, just think 
 of the incalculable injury you may do your sisters, 
 by letting them be seen to speak to her. For 
 mercy's sake, my dearest Edward, trust to our 
 discretion sufficiently to enable us to judge fairly 
 how we ought to act." 
 
 " How very horrid ! " cried one sister. 
 
 " Detestable woman ! " exclaimed the other. 
 
 " I would recommend you, ma'am, not to push 
 yourselves into any further intimacy with Madame 
 de Soissonac — you really must excuse my not 
 being more explicit," returned Mr Edward Ro- 
 berts, looking greatly displeased with them all. 
 " Your questions are not fair." 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " I nm sure that the sooner we leave Paris the 
 better," ejaculated the mother. 
 
 " I shall not, ma'am, oppose your departure," 
 said her son, " you may depend upon it ; nor 
 whatever my inclinations may dictate, will I dis- 
 tress my family by remaining behind them, and 
 all I require in return for this concession is, that 
 I may not be embarrassed by any more ques- 
 tions." 
 
 Having pronounced these words with much 
 more gravity than was usual with him, the young 
 man walked out of the room. 
 
 " Oh, goodness gracious ! have mercy upon 
 us ! " exclaimed Mrs Roberts, clasping her hands, 
 and raising her eyes towards the ceiling. " Is 
 it not enough to break one's heart to find one's 
 only son exposed to such temptations ? So shock- 
 ing, too, for his sisters to listen to it ! Abomina- 
 ble hussy ! How dreadful it is that a handsome 
 vounix Eno'lishman can't show himself in Paris, 
 without having the married women behaving in 
 this way ! It really is perfectly horrible." 
 
 " It is no good to fret about it, mamma, in that 
 way," said Agatha. " We all know that Edward
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 147 
 
 is particularly handsome, and it will be lucky for 
 him if this is the only French woman that attacks 
 him. I believe in my heart that they are one 
 and all capable of it." 
 
 " Yes, yes," returned Mrs Roberts, in a tone 
 of less profound despair, "we all know but too 
 well, I am afraid, what depraved creatures French 
 women are — nor will I pretend to deny that if 
 one could bring one's mind to say that any man's 
 perfections could be an excuse for such abomina- 
 ble conduct, my son Edward is the man. But I 
 beg you both to observe, my dears, that I don't 
 say this with the least atom of a thought towards 
 meaning that any such thing can be excused. 
 We English know better. But here, to be sure, 
 the case is altogether different. God forbid I 
 should ever be unjust to any woman. And upon 
 the whole, I can't say but what I think it might 
 be, as Maria says, the surest way to stop such a 
 report, if we, that is, without Edward, of course, 
 but if we three were to keep going on to all her 
 balls as long as we do stay here ; and perhaps the 
 best thing I could do, after all, would be to get 
 Lady Moreton or Lady Foreton to give Madame 
 de Soissonac a hint about it. I am sure I don't 
 
 H 2
 
 148 THE FwOBEETSES 
 
 know what use it was to have those last new 
 dresses if we don't go there — for the embassy 
 people still mean to go on in the same impertinent 
 way, that's quite clear. We shall never get there 
 above once in a month at the very most. So 
 that, on the whole, I think we owe it to ourselves 
 not to give up Madame de Soissonac." 
 
 " At any rate," observed Agatha, " the best 
 thing we can do now is, to try and get a good 
 talk with Lady Moreton and her cousin. We 
 shall be sure to find out something, and it is veiy 
 possible, I think, that it may end by our going 
 without poor Edward to the Soissonac ball on 
 Tuesday. Come, Maria ! let us put on our 
 things — the carriage will be here directly."
 
 ON THEIK TRAVELS. 14d 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 On reacliing the splendid mansion in the Rue 
 de Rivoli, in which the titled cousins had their 
 very showy apartment, the Robertses had the 
 satisfaction of being informed that they were both 
 at home. Nevertheless, on entering the spacious 
 drawing-room, they found no one in it, save a 
 young girl in deep mourning, whom they had 
 never seen before, and who seemed almost lost in 
 its ball-room-like extent. She looked a little 
 frightened, as if unaccustomed to the task of 
 receiving strangers, but she rose, and begged them 
 to be seated, in a manner which shewed that she 
 considered herself at home, and bound to do the
 
 150 TUE KOBERTSES 
 
 honours of the saloon, till the mLtrcss of it 
 appeared. 
 
 She was very young for such an office— cer- 
 tainly not more than seventeen, and looked 
 younger still, from the great simplicity of her 
 dress, and the almost childish manner in which 
 her pretty brown hair was combed away from her 
 face, and suffered to hang with its closely cm'led 
 ends behind her ears. Perhaps it would be im- 
 possible to hit upon a less becoming mode of 
 arranging a young head than that exhibited by 
 the dark- eyed stranger. The regular features 
 and delicate complexion, the large and brilliant 
 eyes, — nay, even the reddest lips and whitest 
 teeth that ever were seen, could scarcely atone 
 for the look of naked boldness which this merciless 
 exposure of the fair and ample forehead produced. 
 
 "Lord, what an ugly girl!" whispered Agatha 
 to Maria. " Did you ever see such a fright ? " 
 
 " Never ! " was the satisfactory reply. " Never 
 since I was born ! " 
 
 " I will go and tell my aunt Moreton," said the 
 young stranger, leaving the room as soon as the 
 party had seated themselves. The moment her 
 slight young figure had become safely invisible by
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 151 
 
 the closing of the door behind her, the mother 
 and daughters exclaimed in chorus, 
 
 " Who in the world can this be ? I never heard 
 she had a niece." 
 
 " Isn't she ugly ? " whispered Maria. 
 
 " Humph ! " returned her mamma, to whom the 
 question was addressed ; " I am not quite sure 
 that she is absolutely ugly. She is quite a girl, 
 you know, as yet, perfectly a child; but when 
 she is grown up, I should not wonder if she were 
 to be called handsome. Those eyes will tell, you 
 may depend upon it. They are absolutel}^ magni- 
 ficent." 
 
 " Grown up, ma'am ! " returned Maria, " why, 
 she is as tall as a house already! She is taller 
 than Agatha, take my word for it." 
 
 " Nonsense, Maria ! " said the elder sister. 
 " She is as thin as a whipping-post, but I am posi- 
 tive she is not so tall as I am. I agree with 
 mamma, however, now I have given her a second 
 glance. I don't think she would be so very ugly 
 if her hair were not strained oiF her forehead so. 
 And I'll tell you what, she has the very prettiest 
 foot I ever saw in my life. Did you look at it ? " 
 
 " Yes, I did look at it," replied her sister, with
 
 152 THE ROBEPwTSES 
 
 a sneer. " That is so like you, Agatha. You 
 fancy every foot that is small must be pretty, 
 which, as I often tell you, is the greatest mistake 
 in the world. Any artist would tell you so. I 
 can't endure those little unmeaning Chinese feet. 
 They always strike me as being much more like a 
 deformity than a beauty. 1 can see no beauty in 
 her feet, I confess." 
 
 Perhaps as " Bailey junior " would say. Miss 
 Agatha had not rather small feet, and her sister 
 rather the contrary, " Oh, no I " 
 
 Before the elder Miss Roberts could reply to 
 the artistic observation of the younger, the draw- 
 ing-room door w^as re-opened, and Lady Foreton 
 entered. 
 
 " My cousin will be here directly," said her 
 ladyship, courteously extending, first one hand 
 and then the other, to receive the offered saluta- 
 tions of the Roberts family ; " but at this moment 
 she is under the hands of a mantua-maker, and 
 cannot stir an inch." 
 
 Either because Lady Moreton was the widow 
 of a peer, whereas her cousin. Lady Foreton, was 
 only the wife of a baronet (from whom she was 
 separated on account of a recently-discovered in-
 
 ON THEIK TRAVELS. 153 
 
 compatibility of temper), or because the income 
 of the widow was treble that of the wife, the 
 former lady was considered as so much the princi- 
 pal person in the establishment, that all visits 
 were presumed to be made to her in the first 
 instance. But now Mrs Koberts hastened to 
 assure the elegant Lady Foreton, who was always 
 by far the most elaborately dressed j)erson of the 
 two, that she hoped Lady Moreton would not 
 hurry herself on their account, for that the plea- 
 sure of seeing Lady Foreton made them all much 
 too happy to permit their wishing for any other. 
 And then the weather having, as a matter of 
 course, received its daily offering of observation, 
 Mrs Koberts, assuming a tone of easy intimacy, 
 said, "Who was that charming young person, 
 Lady Foreton, whom we found here when we cam.e 
 in ? I do not think we ever saw her before, did 
 we ? And if I mistake not, she called Lady 
 Moreton her aunt." 
 
 " No, Mrs Roberts, I do not believe you ever 
 saw her before ; she has only been with us about 
 a week," replied Lady Foreton. 
 
 " A niece of Lady Moreton's, is she ? " returned 
 the curious visitor. 
 
 H 3
 
 154 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " Yes, she is a niece of my cousin's," was the 
 reply. " Her sister's daughter." 
 
 " Do you not reckon her very handsome, Lady 
 Foreton ? May I ask her name ? " resumed the 
 persevering Mrs Roberts. 
 
 " Her name is Bertha Harrington," replied Lady 
 Foreton, coldly, and v/ithout deeming it necessary, 
 as it seemed, to enter upon any discussion con- 
 cerning her beauty. Mrs Roberts had discern- 
 ment enough to perceive that whether handsome 
 or ugly, the young lady had not the good fortune 
 to be a favourite with her aunt's cousin, in conse- 
 quence of which she proceeded to observe (as 
 Lady Foreton was rather plump), " that to be 
 sure it was a pity the young lady should be so 
 lamentably thin, a defect which, in her opinion, 
 was quite enough to destroy the effect of any 
 beauty in the world, for that tlicre could be no 
 softness, no roundness of con — " 
 
 But ere she could finish her speech, Lady 
 Moreton entered, followed by the thin young 
 niece herself. Lady Moreton was not only the 
 nobler and richer lady, but she was also l)y much 
 the most chatty and conversable, being, in fact, 
 one of the greatest gossips that ever lived, and
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 155 
 
 caring but little, at tins period of lier career, who 
 was the listener, provided always that it was some 
 one who thought it worth while to listen patiently. 
 Mrs and the two Miss Robertses were great fa- 
 vourites with her ; for the gossip of a peeress was, 
 in their estimation, so greatly superior in interest 
 to any commoner gossip, that they all three hung 
 upon her accents, as if they flowed from the lips 
 of a Siren. It was not, indeed, uncommon for her 
 ladyship to find among the travelling English a 
 good many who evinced the same species of par- 
 tiality ; but " use lessens marvel," and it not 
 unfrequently occurred that the halo which her 
 dowager coronet threw round her conversation, 
 evaporated after a few months' acquaintance 
 with her, so that in general, it was her last made 
 friends and intimates that she liked the best. 
 And this flattering pre-eminence the Roberts 
 family had not yet lost. It was therefore with 
 very fascinating cordiality that their visit was 
 welcomed by her. 
 
 " How d'ye do, Mrs Roberts ? How d'ye do, 
 my dears ? Pretty bonnets, upon my word. 
 Here, you see, I have got a young niece come to 
 visit me — Miss Bertha Harrington is her name.
 
 156 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 I don't know whether your young ladies will like 
 her. She is rather dull by way of a companion 
 just now, that's the truth. She has just lost her 
 mother," she added in a half whisper to Mrs 
 Roberts. But if it was intended to be unheard 
 by poor Bertha the purpose failed, which was* 
 made evident by the rush of tears which filled her 
 eyes, and by the suddenness with which she rose 
 from the chair in which she had placed herself, 
 and left the room. " There she croes ajrain, 
 Sophy," continued Lady Moreton, now addressing 
 herself to her cousin. " Upon my honour I shall 
 be worn to death if she goes on so ! Her mother 
 was my own sister, the only sister I ever had, 
 and therefore, of course, her sudden death has, 
 naturally, almost broken my heart ; and then just 
 think, my dear Mrs Roberts, what it has been for 
 me, in addition to my sufferings as a sister, to 
 have to bear with this poor weak-spirited girl, who 
 positively never passes an hour of the day without 
 shedding tears, more or less ; docs she, Sophy ? '' 
 
 " Most assuredly she does not," replied Lady 
 Foreton with a sneer, which sj^oke plainly enough 
 the sort of sympathy which she was in the habit 
 of bestowing on the motherless girl.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 157 
 
 " How long we shall be able to endure it 
 Heaven knows," resumed Lady Moreton. " Poor 
 Sophy bears it better than I do, for her temper is 
 perfectly angelic ; and God knows, I can't charge 
 myself with being particularly ill-tempered neither. 
 I can assure you, Mrs Roberts, that I have suf- 
 fered enough in my time. Poor Lord Moreton, 
 who was old enough to be my father, would cer- 
 tainly have been the death of any woman who had 
 not had a good temper. But from my earliest 
 childhood I have always loved nothing in the 
 world so well as being gay and happy; and, 
 Heaven knows, I managed to have my little 
 private theatre, and my public breakfasts at Rich- 
 mond, and my pretty balls, kept up constantly 
 through it all. I couldn't have had a bad temper 
 with such a husband as mine, to have managed in 
 this way for years before he died, and never to 
 have disappointed any of my friends of a single 
 fete ; not one, I give you my honour. I could 
 not have had a bad temper, could I ? " 
 
 " Good Heavens, no ! " exclaimed both the Miss 
 Robertses in a breath, while Mrs Roberts, after a 
 moment's meditation, which must have greatly in- 
 creased the value of her opinionj* gravely replied,
 
 158 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " I really do think, Lady Moreton, that you too, 
 as well as your cousin. Lady Foreton, must have 
 had the temper of an angel, I do indeed." 
 
 " Well, to say the truth, that is exactly what I 
 have been very often told ; and I leave you to 
 judge, Mrs Roberts, what a person with my gay 
 happy temper must suffer from having this poor 
 dismal girl for ever and for ever before my eyes ! 
 I do assure you that I believe it is killing me by 
 inches." 
 
 " But, my dearest Lady Moreton, this must not 
 be ! " excl limed Mrs Roberts warmly, and de- 
 lighted beyond measure at the confidential tone in 
 which the dowager countess addressed her. 
 
 " All Paris ought to make a remonstrance ! " 
 cried the equally touched Agatha, 
 
 " Oh dear me, it is quite shocking," moaned the 
 sentimental Maria. 
 
 " It is very bad, isn't it ? " resumed her lady- 
 ship, looking from one to the other, and seeming 
 greatly inclined to laugh, as if to prove how 
 totally unfit her happy temper was for such 
 dismal companionship. Lady Foreton sighed 
 dseply, and pressed her forehead with her delicate 
 hand.
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS. 159 
 
 " Ah ! there it is, you see. Poor Sophy has 
 not the strength of mind to bear it as I do. It 
 will kill her, my good friends, it will positively 
 kill her. And then just think of the utter impos- 
 sibility of finding what to do with her when we 
 go out I Though the child is sent here ah-eady, 
 my sister has not been dead above a fortnight, so 
 that for the present moment you see I lose 
 nothing, because I have no full dress mourning 
 made; but the dressmaker tells me that every 
 thing will be ready by to-morrow night; and 
 then I should like to know what is to l^e done 
 with Miss Bertha! It is enough to drive one 
 wild ! " 
 
 " Indeed, indeed, my dearest Lady Moreton, I 
 must blame you for inviting her ! " said Mrs 
 Roberts, encouraged by this confidential commu- 
 nication, to assume the tone of reproving friend- 
 ship. " Knowing your own charming character 
 and constitution, how could you think of under- 
 taking such a charge ? " 
 
 " God bless you, my good woman, I never did 
 think of it," replied the dowager countess, warm- 
 ing in her turn into a forgetfulness of etiquette.
 
 160 THE PtOEERTSES 
 
 The Miss Robertses were a good deal shocked 
 at hearing their mamma called a " good woman ; " 
 this feeling, however, was soon conquered, not by 
 the feiirned interest which had hitherto been their 
 usual offering at the dowager's footstool, but from 
 genuine curiosity, which was thoroughly awakened 
 as she proceeded. 
 
 " Heaven knows," said she, " 1 might have lived 
 a hundred years before I had ever dreamed of such 
 a thing. But by all I can learn from this poor 
 blubbering girl, my sister died very suddenly — 
 very unexpectedly indeed, and Sir Christopher 
 Harrington, that's her hueband, you know, was so 
 horribly shocked and frightened at it, that, as well 
 as I can understand, he gave orders to have mourn- 
 ing made for the child (Bertha is his only child) 
 without an hour's delay ; and, as soon as she was 
 fairly covered with bombasin and crape, he sent 
 her off with his lawyer and an elderly female 
 seiwant, who has always waited on her, with 
 orders to bring her to me ! I am sure his grief 
 must have made him mad, poor man, or he never 
 would have thought of doing anything so dis- 
 tracted."
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 161 
 
 " Distracted and distracting ! " murmured Lady 
 Foreton, again applying her hand to her forehead, 
 as if ready to sink. 
 
 "There it is, you see," resumed Lady Moreton, 
 " my poor dear cousin Sophy, who has devoted 
 herself to me, and who is the greatest comfort to 
 me, and who sets off all my parties so delightfully, 
 looking so divinely handsome as she does when 
 she is dressed — just think what it must be to such 
 a temper as mine to see her overcome in that 
 way. I must give a fancy ball the week after 
 next. Everybody expects it ; and I am sure I 
 hope that your daughters will come, Mrs Roberts, 
 and your son also; he is really a fine-looking 
 young man. Well, as I was saying, just imagine 
 what my cousin Sophy will be fit for, if she is to 
 live with this unlucky girl before her eyes from 
 this time to that. The whole thing will be as flat 
 as ditch-water, I know it will ! " 
 
 "Would that I knew how to help you,' my dear 
 lady," said Mrs Roberts mournfully. 
 
 " Well, you see, that would be bad enough, 
 wouldn't it ? " resumed Lady Moreton ; " but 
 what's that, I should like to know, compared to 
 what we have got to look forward to afterwards ?
 
 162 THE nOBERTSES 
 
 It is perfectly clear, from what the lawyer said, 
 that Sir Christopher expects we should keep her 
 here ; for he coolly mentioned, just as if it could 
 be any object to me, you know, that her father had 
 settled five hundred a year on her, four of which 
 was to be paid for her board ; as if I should care 
 three straws whether she paid or not. If she 
 were a fine, handsome, lively girl, that could help 
 us on with our parties, she might spend the whole 
 five hundred upon her dress, and welcome ; for we 
 should both of us, I am sure, be glad to have her. 
 But such a girl as that ! I really do feel that 
 she is killing me by inches." 
 
 " My poor dear lady ! I am sure my heart 
 aches for you ! " said IMrs Koberts, wringing her 
 hands together, and looking as dolorous as if all 
 her own family were condemned to death by 
 inches also. 
 
 "You are a very kind-hearted woman, Mrs 
 Koberts," resumed her ladyship, " and it really is 
 a comfort to open one's heart to you ; but I can- 
 not help laughing either, at the thoughtful slyness 
 of Sir Christopher. What do you think of his 
 ordering his lawyer to tell me that in case he 
 did not marry again (and he is just forty
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 163 
 
 years old, observe), but in case he does not 
 marry again, this girl will have the whole of his 
 unentailed property, amounting, the man said, 
 to at least three thousand a year. Now I know 
 perfectly well that this message was sent in order 
 to tempt me to keep her for the pleasure of hav- 
 ing an heiress to take about with me, which every- 
 body in this country knows is exactly the same 
 thing as having a fine piece of preferment in one's 
 gift. But 1 am too well off, and stand too well in 
 Paris, to care a farthing about it. It was cleverly 
 thought of, too, for most people would give a 
 great deal for it, though I would not give a but- 
 ton." 
 
 Hitherto, Mrs Roberts had continued to listen 
 to her illustrious friend with a well-sustained air 
 of affectionate yet respectful interest, which really 
 did her great credit, being precisely the ' aspect 
 most likely to obtain what she wished, namely, 
 the continuation of her ladyship's condescending 
 familiarity, which not only gratified her feelings 
 at the moment, but gave her a treasure of noble 
 anecdotes, which she determined carefully to hoard 
 up for future use. But as Lady Moreton drew near 
 to the conclusion of the speech above CLUoted, the
 
 1 64 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 eyes of Mrs Roberts began to wander. First, 
 they ceased to meet those of the noble speaker, 
 and then they appeared to avoid her face altogether, 
 till at length they finally settled themselves on 
 the carpet, and she remained unconsciously a per- 
 fect model of meditation, and as silent as a 
 statue. 
 
 For some time after this alteration took place, 
 the dowager countess continued to harangue, but 
 at length she paused to take breath, a variation 
 which seemed to rouse Mrs Roberts from her 
 reverie, for she instantly rose, and in rather a 
 hurried manner besian to take her leave. 
 
 Both Agatha and Maria, meanwhile, had been 
 endeavouring, in a very praiseworthy manner, to 
 keep on something of a conversation with the 
 elegant Lady Foreton; but this, though it was 
 very hard work, had not so completely occupied 
 their attention, as to prevent their keeping their 
 ears on the alert, to learn in what manner their 
 mamma would introduce the subject of ^Madame 
 de Soissonac's delinquency, and what degree of 
 information she would obtain in return. But 
 when she rose thus suddenly, without having 
 alluded to the subject at all, they exchanged
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 165 
 
 glances, knit their brows, and looked exceedingly 
 angry ; but perceiving that their negligent parent 
 was actually backing towards the door, they ex- 
 changed another glance ; and then Agatha said, 
 in rather a louder voice than she usually deemed 
 proper in the presence of a countess, 
 
 " Stop one moment, mamma. I should so like 
 to ask their ladyships if they are going to Madame 
 de Soissonac's on Tuesday next, because we want 
 80 particularly to know." 
 
 " On Tuesday next ? " returned Lady More- 
 ton. " Yes, to be sure we are, child ; we always 
 go there every Tuesday. She gives some of the 
 best parties in Paris, arid I don't care a straw for 
 the looms. What made you ask the question, 
 mademoiselle ? " 
 
 Agatha felt that she had got herself into a 
 scrape. She did not at all like having to say that 
 Madame de Soissonac had warned them off; but 
 she could not now avoid it, and therefore replied 
 with a little scornful laugh, that 
 
 " Madame de Soissonac appeared to have taken 
 offence at something they had said or done, 
 for that she had distinctly told them the evening 
 before, that she was going to make some altera-
 
 166 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 tions in her parties, which would prevent her 
 being able to receive them on Tuesday, and yet 
 it was plain that she had not said the same to 
 other people." 
 
 " Really I " said Lady Moreton and Lady Fore- 
 ton in chorus. And the eyebrows of both ladies 
 gradually raised themselves considerably higher 
 than usual on their foreheads. Their look and 
 manner altogether, were indeed exceedingly dis- 
 agreeable to the Roberts es. Their two ladyships 
 evidently received it as a fact which admitted of 
 no contradiction, that Madame de Soissonac in- 
 tended to affront them. 
 
 " Is it not very strange ? " said Agatha, her 
 cheeks glowing with indignation. 
 
 " I don't know, I'm sure, my dear," replied 
 Lady Moreton. " Perhaps she did not like the 
 look of your dresses last night ? That would be 
 quite enough, I promise you. She never can bear 
 shabby dresses." 
 
 " Not like the look of our dresses I " were the 
 words which most assuredly would have risen to 
 the lips of each of the Robertses, had they not all 
 been too well behaved to repeat the words of a 
 countess in her presence. For a moment they
 
 ON THEIR TRATELS. 167 
 
 were all silent, and then Mrs Roberts articulated, 
 but with a great deal of gentleness, " I don't think 
 it could have been that." 
 
 And the poor lady remembered, not without a 
 disao'reeable twin":e, that all their dresses were 
 both new and costly, and, alas ! that none of them 
 had been paid for. The two young ladies also 
 were a good deal disgusted, and very naturally so, 
 at the suggestion, but they only smiled, upon 
 which Lady Moreton rejoined, 
 
 " Well, I don't know — I am sure I can't tell — it 
 is impossible to say," concluding these satisfactory 
 remarks with a condescending nod to each of 
 them, adding, "Good bye — good bye — don't let 
 us keep you standing," which of course meant, 
 " Don't keep me standing." A hint sufficiently 
 well understood to induce Mrs Eoberts and her 
 daughters to retreat without further ceremony.
 
 168 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTEK IX. 
 
 The two young ladies re-entered their carriage 
 with feelings a good deal irritated ; but Agatha's 
 first words, which were, " Horrid old woman ;" 
 and Maria's first words, which were, " How I 
 do detest that sort of pride and condescension 
 mixed up together, so that it is impossible to tell 
 which one is going to have ! " did not receive so 
 sympathetic a retm'n from their mamma, as they 
 might naturally have expected ; but the fact was, 
 that at that moment Mrs Roberts's faculties were 
 so completely absorbed upon a speculation that 
 concerned the future, that she had little or no 
 attention left to bestow upon the present.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 169 
 
 In a general way Mrs Roberts was far from 
 being reserved towards her daughters, and since 
 their arrival in Paris, this unreserve had deci- 
 dedly increased, rather than diminished. The 
 phrase by which in England she was wont to 
 express her intention of taking, or rather of 
 hearing an opinion, had almost invariably been, 
 " Of course the father of a family ought to be 
 consulted whenever it is possible to do so ;" it was 
 now generally changed for, " Young people have 
 eyes in their heads as well as their elders," a 
 difference which displayed a very judicious power 
 of distinction on the part of Mrs Roberts; for 
 whereas Mr Roberts was very likely to agree 
 with her, in days of yore, upon most subjects of 
 economy and expenditure, the young ladies were 
 morally certain to do so now ; which must already 
 have become obvious to the reader, from sun- 
 dry little traits which have been cited, relative 
 both to mother and daughters. But now, this 
 delightful unreserve seemed to have vanished, for 
 all that the poor girls could get in return for 
 repeated bursts of the most confidential openness 
 on their part was this, 
 
 "I beg your pardon, my dears, but I really 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 was thinking of something else, and I don't quite 
 know what you are talking about." 
 
 " What is it, mamma ? " said Agatha. 
 
 " What is it, mamma ? " said Maria. 
 
 But this question, direct as it was, did not help 
 them a bit, for though Mrs Roberts did not look 
 the least angry, the smile which she gave, first to 
 one and then to the other, in return, was of so 
 very vacant and unmeaning a character, as more 
 to increase their uncertainty than to remove it. 
 However, they behaved with great good sense on 
 the occasion, merely giving each other a little kick, 
 which was made perfectly intelligible by the 
 words, " It's no use ; " which they uttered without 
 restraint, and, in fact, without the least wish that 
 Mrs Roberts would notice, or even hear them. 
 
 But whatever the young ladies might think of 
 it, their mamma did not deserve to be accused of 
 caprice. She really had a great deal to think of, 
 and that too of an extremely important kind. 
 
 The situation of Mrs Roberts at this time was 
 certainly one of some difficulty and embarrass- 
 ment. Though the ready wit of her daughters, 
 acting upon her own sagacious judgment, had re- 
 lieved her from the sudden difficulty produced by
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 171 
 
 the demand of Mademoiselle Amabel, Mrs Roberts 
 had received and paid too many bills in the course 
 of her life, not to feel, in the very midst of her 
 triumph at getting rid of the dun, that the relief 
 was but temporary. Moreover, though she did 
 not think it necessary to tease the poor girls by 
 talking about it. Mademoiselle Amabel's account 
 was not the only one which lay concealed in the 
 recesses of her writing-desk. The elegant Edward 
 had not reached the pinnacle on which he stood, 
 as one of the best-dressed Englishmen that walked 
 the Boulevards, without having been obliged to 
 ask his proud mother for a little assistance, which 
 assistance had been given, not only in the shape 
 of all the ready money she could spare, but also 
 by her telling him that if he would leave one of 
 his tailor's bills with her, she would take care, 
 somehow or other, to get it paid before very long. 
 Moreover, though such trifles were not of sufficient 
 consequence, seriously to torment any person with 
 so respectable an income as she had the command 
 of, she could not help recollecting sometimes, with 
 rather an uncomfortable consciousness, that the 
 butter and cream bill had been suffered to run on 
 a good while ; and also that Mr Roberts had 
 
 I 2
 
 172 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 given her money expressly to pay a wine bill, 
 which she had quite forgotten, and suffered the 
 money to melt away out of her fingers, she really 
 did not know for what. 
 
 But there was something a great deal worse 
 than all this, which weighed upon the mind of 
 Mrs Roberts. She had been for above twenty 
 years in the habit of assuring her husband, 
 children, and as many people as would listen to 
 her, that she was one of the best managers that 
 ever lived ; and the consequence was that a great 
 many people consulted her in a very flattering 
 manner upon points of economy, and that her 
 husband trusted all domestic affairs to her without 
 reserve. Could she quietly have gone into prison 
 for these troublesome little debts, without any- 
 body's knowing anything about it, she would 
 have suffered absolutely nothing, in comparison to 
 what she sometimes endured now, when she 
 thouccht what little chance there was that she 
 should ever get clear of them, without confessing 
 their existence to Mr Roberts. This idea tor- 
 mented her perpetually, and the more so, of 
 course, because she would not indulge herself with 
 the relief of confiding it to her daughters. Why
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 173 
 
 was it then, that although nothing in the world 
 had occurred to alter this position of things, and 
 although she had all the vexation of Madame de 
 Soissonac's offensive conduct, and the uncere- 
 monious commentary of the Ladies Moreton and 
 Foreton upon it, to add to her annoyances — why 
 was it that her countenance expressed so very 
 benign a degree of satisfaction ? 
 
 It was not for nothing, gentle reader. Mrs 
 Roberts had that morning heard enough to occupy 
 her mind by night and by day for some time to 
 come, without leaving her any leisure to recur to 
 her trumpery little debts; excepting just to re- 
 member, perhaps, what a great pleasure it would 
 be to get rid of them. 
 
 " Why," thought Mrs Eoberts, " why should 
 not I step forward at this critical moment, and 
 offer to relieve my excellent and most flatteringly 
 confidential friend Lady Moreton, of the trouble- 
 some guardianship of her niece ? As to her 
 mourning and her moaning, it could not possibly 
 produce the slightest inconvenience to me. I 
 should not be called an unfeeling sister because 
 I did not mourn and moan with her. Four
 
 174 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 hundred a year ! More than half as much again 
 as we have got now ! It would be perfectly im- 
 possible that we could go wrong with that — per- 
 fectly ! And then the contingency ! Let any 
 woman look at Edward — any woman in the 
 world, rich or poor, old or young, and see if she 
 can do it without feeling at her heart that he is 
 the handsomest man she ever saw. Living with 
 him, too, actually living under the same roof with 
 him ! I will defy her to help herself, poor girl ; 
 there can be no doubts or fears about that part of 
 the business. And even if her father. Sir Chris- 
 topher, should marry, and it should turn out that 
 she would never have anything beyond her present 
 five hundred a year, I should still be delighted 
 with the match. The connexion, with our high 
 spirit and superior sort of feeling on those subjects, 
 would perfectly reconcile us all to the marriage, 
 even though her father were to have half-a-dozen 
 sons. Our calling on that proud old woman to- 
 day, was perfectly providential." 
 
 , Now then, who will wonder at Mrs Roberts 
 looking pleased, despite of all the troubles which 
 beset her ? Or who can blame her if, with such
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 175 
 
 occupation for her thoughts, she did not pay any 
 great attention to what her daughters were talk- 
 ing about ? 
 
 Few women, in any station of life, had ever 
 attained a more thoroughly independent situation 
 in their domestic circle than Mrs Roberts. No- 
 body, not even Edward, unless he pretended to be 
 half in joke, ever ventured to contradict her. 
 Mr Roberts, as far as he was concerned, knew 
 that he had a great deal better not. His life, as 
 he managed it, was by no means a very uncom- 
 fortable one, though he hated being scolded as 
 much as most men ; for, without absolutely 
 yielding up the power of seeing, hearing, and 
 guessing from day to day, what was going on around 
 him, he managed so cleverly to bow and to bend, 
 to twist and to turn, in order to avoid falling 
 under the displeasure of his wife, that, notwith- 
 standing her strictly sustained authority, they 
 very rarely appeared to disagree. Neither were 
 her daughters at all more restive under the yoke 
 which her principles of domestic discipline led her 
 to put upon them, than she was at all times ready 
 to forgive upon due submission on their parts. 
 It may, indeed, always be remarked, that where
 
 176 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 the conjugal part of an establishment is carried on 
 upon a system resembling that of Mrs Roberts, 
 the children of the family are found to restrain all 
 symptoms of natural and hereditary vivacity of 
 temper to their intercourse with their papa ; 
 feeling, from a sort of intuitive logic, that the 
 man who has been brought to declare, without a 
 murmur, that black was white, every time his 
 lady and mistress required the concession, was not 
 likely to make any great difficulty about allowing 
 that pale pink was dark crimson, when his off- 
 spring particularly wished that he should do so. 
 Yet, notwithstanding the admirable simplicity of 
 the machinery which regulated all the more im- 
 portant movements of the Roberts family, by 
 which one main spring did everything, without 
 any perplexing complication of action from minor 
 ones — notwithstanding this admirable arrange- 
 ment, there were now and then circumstances 
 which, like the present, required the acquiescence 
 of the titular master of the family to be publicly 
 expressed in order to bring the business to per- 
 fection. 
 
 But not for this was the heartfelt contentment 
 of Mrs Roberts the less perfect. She knew her
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 177 
 
 power, and if there was something of ahnost ner- 
 vous hurry in the manner in which, on returning 
 home, she sought her husband, it was not from 
 any agitating doubt as to how her proposal might 
 be taken, but solely from eagerness to be doing in 
 a business, from the accomplishment of which she 
 anticipated such delightful results. 
 
 Mr Roberts had an old English newspaper 
 before him when she entered the room where he 
 was sitting, but he was more than half asleep over 
 it, and started when roused to consciousness by 
 his wife, who laid her hand upon his shoulder as 
 she approached him, giving him a gentle shake. 
 
 *^ Oh ! is it you, my dear ? " he exclaimed. " I 
 do believe I was dreaming, for I fancied I heard 
 old Smithson, our head clerk, complaining that 
 the balance sheet didn't show off so well as it 
 ought to do. Only think of my dreaming that, 
 my dear ! " 
 
 " But you must be wide awake now, Mr Roberts, 
 to listen to what I have got to say to you," said 
 his wife, in an accent which showed plainly enough 
 that the promised communication was to be re- 
 ceived as extremely agreeable. " And most 
 thankful you ought to be, Mr Roberts," she 
 
 I 3
 
 178 THE EOBEETSES 
 
 added, solemnly, " that neither your prosperity, 
 nor that of your family, depends any longer upon 
 Mr Smithson and his balance sheet. I think I 
 have something to tell you that will convince you 
 at last, my dear, that the wisest thing you ever 
 did in your life, was letting me have my own way 
 about giving up that terribly slow coach, the 
 banking concern, and coming to a country where 
 my knowledge of the world, and my unceasing 
 anxiety to improve the position of my family, can 
 be turned to account." 
 
 " Have either of the girls had an offer ? " cried 
 Mr Roberts eagerly. 
 
 " Nonsense, Mr Roberts ! You really need 
 not trouble yourself to be in any fuss about their 
 marrying. Such girls as mine, with a mother to 
 take care of them, w^ho tolerably well knows 
 what she is about, are not very likely to encumber 
 their father's house too long. Xo, sir, I have 
 something better than that for you," said Mrs 
 Roberts, seating herself in an arm-chair opposite 
 to him, resting her elbows on its anns, and looking 
 at him with a countenance perfectly radiant with 
 satisfaction. 
 
 Had not Mr Roberts several times, since his
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 179 
 
 arrival in Paris, heard his lady announce an invi- 
 tation, or even a call from some titled absentee, 
 with an appearance of triumphant delight as re- 
 markable as that she now displayed, he might 
 have been more moved by her exulting manner ; 
 but although no secret accumulation of debts had 
 as yet been disclosed to him, the worthy gentle- 
 man had begun to have a painful sort of misgiving 
 about their expenditure. The carriage, the gay 
 dresses of the whole family, particularly in the 
 case of his son, of which naturally he was in some 
 degree a better judge, altogether made him feel 
 doubtful whether the economy of this continental 
 scheme was quite as much to be depended on as 
 its gaiety. And now he only expected to hear 
 the name of some French, German, Polish, or 
 British grandee, whose visiting card had produced 
 the exhilarating effect on his lady's spirits which 
 he witnessed. 
 
 " Well, sir," began Mrs Eoberts, as soon as she 
 had finished her jocose examination of her hus- 
 band's grave face, "though you do look so very 
 solemn, I suppose you do not intend to deny that 
 we are living with a great deal more enjoyment.
 
 180 THE ROBEETSES 
 
 and amongst a very much better set of acquaint- 
 ance, than we ever did before ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, my dear," replied the husband, " it 
 is quite certain that we none of us ever went out 
 into company so much before ; and as to titles, and 
 all that sort of finery, of course there is no 
 comparison. I am only afraid sometimes, my 
 dear, that there may be a little too much of it — 
 not for pleasure I don't mean, for I am sure it is 
 quite delightful to sec you all enjoying yourselves 
 so — talking French all of you, like natives, which 
 must be such an improvement. So of course I 
 am not afraid of all that. But I can't help think- 
 ing sometimes that it must be impossible for you, 
 my dear Sarah, to save quite so much money as 
 you intended. The table is certainly very econo- 
 mical, I can't deny that, and it does you great 
 credit, I am sure, very great credit ; but it is the 
 carriage, wliich you know is always going on, and 
 the beautiful dresses, all of which it is quite a 
 pleasure to see, if it was not that 1 do sometimes 
 feel half afraid, my dear, that you must bo putting 
 your good management to some inconvenience 
 about it. But though this does sometimes come
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 181 
 
 into my head, I soon satisfy myself again, by re- 
 collecting how quite impossible it is that, with 
 your management, you ever should get into any 
 real trouble about money." 
 
 Mrs Roberts did certainly feel uncomfortable 
 for about half a minute as she listened to this very 
 civil speech, but she rallied again directly, and 
 replied, 
 
 " Keep yourself easy, sir, I beg, about money 
 matters ; as long as you choose to conJfide them to 
 me, they can never go very far wrong, you may 
 depend upon it ; and what I am going to say now 
 is a proof of it. You are not altogether out, Mr 
 Roberts, in fancying that a handsome carriage, 
 like ours, is not kept for nothing. Neither can I 
 dress my girls as I do, in a style that gives them 
 such a decided superiority over almost everybody 
 they meet, without paying for it. Edward, too, 
 dear fellow, can't go naked ; and you must know 
 as well as I do, that it is not his little morsel of an 
 allowance than can enable him to keep himself 
 decent ; and Heaven knows that it is not the 
 scrimping mite of an income, which was all that 
 you could contrive to squeeze out of your stupid 
 business, that can do to keep up things as they
 
 182 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 are now — it is impossible to form intimate 
 friendship with peeresses and that sort of people, 
 and yet go on dressing like a kitchen-maid. You 
 may put the question yourself to anybody you 
 like." 
 
 " Then what can we do, my dear Sarah ? " 
 cried the wortliy man, exceedingly alarmed. " If 
 the income won't do, what is to become of us ? " 
 
 " Why, really, sir, I believe you would find it 
 rather difficult to get out of the difficulty if you 
 had not a wife to help you. But if you will have 
 the condescension to give me leave, I will tell you 
 what you must do. My friend, Lady Moreton, 
 has been opening her heart to me respecting her 
 charming niece, the daughter of Sir Christopher 
 Harrington, his only daughter and heiress, you 
 know. Dear Lady ^loreton has been all but 
 asking me if we will take her with an allowance 
 of four hundred a year for her board and other 
 expenses. Now this, you see, my dear, would 
 not only make everything perfectly easy on the 
 score of money — for four hundred a year makes 
 an immense difference — but it will be such a mon- 
 strous advantage to the girls in point of connexion. 
 And who knows, Roberts, what mav be the end
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 183 
 
 of it ? Who knows whether Edward and Miss 
 Bertha Harrington may not like one another? 
 She is quite young, in fact, almost a child, 
 and therefore it must be, in a great measure, in 
 our power to make her understand by degrees 
 that Edward is not only the handsomest, but by 
 far the most amiable and excellent young man she 
 can ever hope to meet with. And just think, my 
 dear — only fix your mind for a few minutes upon 
 the real facts of the case, Roberts. Five hundred 
 a year, certain, and she the daughter of a baronet. 
 If this were all, it seems to me that we might 
 really be pretty tolerably contented. What do 
 you think about it, Mr Roberts ? " 
 
 " Think about it, Sarah ? Why I think that 
 if I could live to see him make such a marriage 
 as that, I should be contented to die the day 
 after." 
 
 " Then what should you say, I wonder, if I 
 was to tell you that this five hundred a year, cer- 
 tain, is no more than the sixth part of what this 
 young lady will have in all human probability ? 
 What would you say to that, my good man ? " 
 
 " What would I say to it ? Oh ! my dear 
 Sarah, I am afraid that I should say it was too
 
 184 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 much— too much for us to hope that we could 
 have auything to do with it. But nevertheless, 
 my dear, I should like, if you please, to hear 
 everything about it. That, you know, can do no 
 harm to any one." 
 
 " No, Mr Roberts, I should think not. I never 
 found that knowing and understanding every- 
 thing, which is my general way of going on, ever 
 did me, or anybody connected with me, harm ; 
 but rather the contrary, as I flatter myself you 
 will allow. I have taken care, sir, to know and 
 to understand everything in the least degree im- 
 portant, about this young lady and her fortune. 
 She has five hundred per annum, at present, 
 Mr Roberts, four of which her father has ar- 
 ranged for her, poor, young, motherless thing! 
 shall be paid for her accommodation in any 
 family where she may happen to reside. The 
 fifth hundred will be left in her own hands for 
 dress, washing, travelling, doctors' bills, and other 
 incidental expenses." 
 
 " God bless my soul, Sarah ! AMiat a wonder- 
 ful woman you are to be sure ! " exclaimed 
 Mr Roberts, in a burst of genuine admiration. 
 " Xot one single thing, as you truly say, but what
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 185 
 
 you have contrived to find out — that is, I mean, 
 not any single thing that signifies. Noav all that 
 about the washing and the doctors' bills is so 
 really important, and puts everything on such 
 a clear footing, that it is worth almost any money 
 in a business of this kind." 
 
 " Of course it is, Mr Roberts, or I should 
 never have given myself the trouble of remember- 
 ing it," replied the lady. 
 
 "But I think, my dear, you were going to be 
 kind enough to explain all about that six times 
 five hundred. Five sixes are thirty ; three 
 thousand a year, that is. What were you going 
 to say about that, Mrs Eoberts ? " 
 
 " I was merely going to mention the fact that 
 Bertha Harrington will have three thousand a year 
 at the death of her father, for she is his only 
 child; and that if his death should take place 
 without his happening to marry again, she might 
 certainly be considered, in point of fortune as well 
 as birth, an excellent match for Edward." 
 
 "An excellent match for Edward!" repeated 
 Mr Roberts, raising his spread hands towards the 
 ceiling, "how cool and quiet you do talk of it, to 
 be sure I Why, my dear, just think what it
 
 186 THE R0BERTSE8 
 
 would be, returning to England after such a 
 match as that ! Think how the Pearsons would 
 look, and the Rigtons ! Oh, the Eigtons, Sarah, 
 would be better than all, because they did use to 
 come over us so, about their cousin, Lady 
 Thomas! Should you not enjoy going back to 
 England in such an event as that, Mrs Roberts ? " 
 " Certainly, Mr Roberts, it would be highly 
 creditable to us, there is no doubt of it ; nor much 
 doubt either, in my opinion, that if she does come 
 to live with us, the thing will take place. I know 
 what Edward is, and that if he is but allowed to 
 make the best and the ' most of himself, by our 
 contriving to let him have money enough to dress 
 decently, and now and then to show oif his beau- 
 tiful figure on horseback, the girl will be no more 
 able to resist him than you were able to resist me, 
 Mr Roberts. I know Edward, and indeed, for 
 that matter, I know myself too, and that what I 
 may have lost in youthful looks since I was the 
 beauty of Fulham, I have gained in knowledge 
 of the world. Between you and I, Mr Roberts, 
 it would be rather a remarkable thing if a young 
 girl like Bertha Harrington could live in the 
 house with Edward, and his mother into the bar-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 187 
 
 gain, and leave it in any other way than as his 
 wife. But of course, my dear, you must not say 
 a word about the marriage just at present; not 
 even to Edward himself, remember. The first 
 object must be our getting her to become a mem- 
 ber of our family. That is all we have to think 
 about now." 
 
 Mr Roberts, his eyes fixed upon his lady's face, 
 and opening wider and wider at every word she 
 spoke, paused for several seconds after she had 
 ceased to speak, as if fearful of losing a syllable, 
 and then exclaimed, "Mrs Roberts, if you do 
 really manage to get this high young lady to 
 lodge and board in our family, I shall truly think, 
 and truly say, to the very last hour of my life, 
 that you are one of the cleverest women, if not 
 the very cleverest, that ever lived. For now, my 
 dear, without cockering ourselves up too much 
 with your sort of certain hope and expectation 
 that our Edward will marry her, — even without 
 this beautiful conclusion, I can't but say that I 
 should consider the securing such a boarder just 
 now as about the very best thing that could 
 happen to us. It would, I do think — indeed I am 
 quite sure it would, be the saving of us. Such a
 
 188 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 boarder as that, Mrs Roberts, would be the 
 saving of us." 
 
 " Such a hoarder ! For goodness' sake, sir, 
 leave off that horrid vulgar phrase. A boarder, 
 indeed ! I do really believe that if all prelimi- 
 naries were actually settled, and the day fixed on 
 which this dear young creature was to enter our 
 house as a member of our family. Lady Moreton 
 and Lady Foreton would both feel so dreadfully 
 disgusted at the word hoarder, that the whole 
 negotiation would be broken off." 
 
 " Oh dear ! oh dear ! oh dear ! " cried Mr 
 Roberts, closing his fists, and raising them on each 
 side to the level of his head, as if they were two 
 hammers, with which he was going to execute 
 justice upon his offending brains, " oh dear ! 
 oh dear ! oh dear ! You must gag me, Mrs 
 Roberts, you must indeed." 
 
 " Mr Roberts," replied his lady, with a degree 
 of dignity that, to do her offending husband 
 justice, he really felt, from head to foot — " !Mr 
 Roberts, it will not do for anybody in the situa- 
 tion in society which my husband ought to fill, 
 and, indeed, must fill, it w4U not do for him, sir, 
 to live with a gag upon his mouth. But if you
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 189 
 
 really wish not to undo everything that I have 
 done, you will be pleased to speak of this young 
 lady as a beloved guest. Her name is Bertha, 
 Mr Roberts, and we may, and indeed we must, 
 all call her Bertha ; for, unless we immediately 
 assume this sort of style with her, our position in 
 society will be altogether lost ; and I would not 
 give a single farthing for Edward's chance of mar- 
 rying her, or for our two poor girls' chance of 
 marrying anybody. Everything depends upon 
 this, sir ; and I should think that even you might 
 have wit enough to see it. What becomes of the 
 advantage of our intimacy with all her titled rela- 
 tions, if everybody that sees her with us is to be 
 told that she is our boarder ? Answer me only 
 that one question, Mr Roberts, if you please." 
 
 "My dear, I can't ans^^er you," replied Mr 
 Roberts. " No man, I will venture to say, could 
 answer such a woman as you are, in any words 
 having the appearance of sense in them, unless 
 they agreed with every word you said. There is 
 one thing, however, that I will say, because in 
 that nobody can contradict me. I will say that, 
 though I often talk like a fool, there was once in 
 my life that I acted like a wise man ; and that
 
 190 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 was when I married you, my dear. I hope 
 nobody will put a gag on me when I want to say 
 that." 
 
 Mrs Roberts acknowledged this civility by a 
 bow, and a smile, and then went on to explain her 
 intentions for the future. "As soon as this 
 matter is settled, Roberts, I shall be for leavincr 
 Paris, and going to Baden Baden. The season 
 here, you know, must be very soon drawing to a 
 close, and no people of real fashion ever stay any- 
 where after invitations begin to grow slack. Be- 
 sides, as I could easily make you understand, if I 
 had time, there are many other reasons which 
 would make our leaving Paris desirable, when we 
 have 2;ot dear Bertha Harrinixton with us. In 
 the first place, there would be something ex- 
 tremely disagreeable in having Lady Moreton 
 and Lady Foreton for ever spying to find out 
 whether Edward was beginning to be attentive to 
 her, and all sorts of curious peeping besides ; and 
 in the next place, Roberts, it will be quite as well, 
 after we leave Paris, that you should call her your 
 ward. This sounds respectable in every way, and 
 when there are no people near who are likely to 
 know much about her, or to ask any troublesome
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 191 
 
 questions, there cannot possibly be any objection 
 to it. But, let us be where we will, Mr Roberts, 
 don't, for mercy's sake, go about talking of our 
 having engaged a young lady to come and board 
 with us." 
 
 " No, my dear, I will not," replied Mr Roberts, 
 with the unmistakeable air of being very much in 
 earnest. "You may quite and entirely depend 
 that I will not, for I give you my word that now 
 you have pointed it out to me, I see perfectly 
 well what you mean, and I am altogether of your 
 opinion about it. I see as plainly as possible that it 
 does not sound as it ought to, and I ought to be 
 thankful for always having one near me who can 
 so well set me right when I am wrong. But do 
 tell me one thing more, my dear, will you ? Did 
 her ladyship, downright and bona fide, as we say, 
 did she bona fide propose that this rich young lady, 
 her niece, should come and live with us ? " 
 
 Although Mrs Roberts was, at that moment, in 
 a very particularly good humour, she could not 
 prevent a slight degree of scorn fi'om shewing 
 itself both in her look and manner, as she pre- 
 pared to reply to this question. She had, how- 
 ever, not the least inclination to quarrel w^ith
 
 192 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Mr Roberts, quite the contrary ; and she there- 
 fore conquered her feelings sufficiently to answer 
 without any appearance of rudeness. 
 
 " No, sir, she did not ; and to tell you the 
 truth, my poor dear Mr Roberts," she added, after 
 pausing a moment, "to tell you the truth, my 
 dear, I certainly think that if she had, I must, in 
 justice to myself, have refused her flatly, however 
 well I might like the arrangement, if brought 
 about in a proper, ladylike manner. But for 
 Lady Moreton to have addressed such a proposal 
 to me would have been taking a most unwarrant- 
 able liberty — a liberty which I truly believe she 
 would not have ventured to take with me for any 
 consideration that could be offered her." 
 
 " Now then, my dear love, I must beg you to 
 have the kindness to explain all this to me," re- 
 plied Mr Roberts, looking, as he felt, poor man, 
 most completely out of his depth. "I cannot 
 comprehend why her ladyship should be afraid of 
 paying you such a very flattering compliment." 
 
 " A compliment, indeed ! But it is no good to 
 be vexed at such nonsense. Now don't fancy I 
 am angry, Mr Roberts; I do assure you I am 
 not ; only it is impossible to help being surprised
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 193 
 
 at such very odd notions. The truth I suspect is, 
 my dear, that you do not yet quite appreciate the 
 place I hold in society. It is not merely the being 
 this man's wife, or another man's wife, which 
 settles this point for one. It may do so, indeed, 
 when the woman is a mere ordinary sort of cha- 
 racter, with no particular abilities to distinguish 
 her from the rest of the world ; but I should have 
 thought, Roberts, that you had knowr me well 
 enough by this time, to be aware that I lay claim 
 to other sorts of distinction besides that of beins: 
 your wife, my dear." 
 
 " To be sure, Mrs Roberts, I do know it, and 
 I don't see very well how I could help knowing 
 it," he replied, with the very least little twinkle 
 of a smile in his eyes ; " but, spite of that, I don't 
 quite catch the reason why your dear friend, 
 Lady Moreton, should be so terribly afraid to 
 speak to you, especially when what she had got 
 to say was so very agreeable." 
 
 " It is quite in vain, my dear friend," returned 
 Mrs Roberts with a sigh, " totally and entirely 
 in vain, to attempt making you comprehend all 
 the little niceties of high-bred manners and of 
 high-bred people. Lady Moreton's proposing to 
 
 VOL. L K
 
 194 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 me that her niece should come and make part of 
 my family would be something absolutely insult- 
 ing. No, sir, if we do make up our minds to 
 think such a thing desirable, the only possible 
 way in which it can be brought about will be 
 by my offering to do them this great and most 
 important service as a friend ; confessing, how- 
 ever, frankly, at the same time, that one great 
 reason for my doing so, independent of my affec- 
 tion for them, arises from my wish of securing 
 for my own dear girls so eligible a companion. 
 This is the way, sir, in which these sort of things 
 are always done among real ladies and gentlemen." 
 
 " Yes, to be sure, my dear, I see it all now," 
 replied Mr Koberts, laughing. " There is a pro- 
 verb, you know, that goes to it exactly, 'the 
 truth is not at all times to be spoken.' Do it 
 exactly in your own way, and then, of course, 
 I know it will be well done. Upon my word 
 and honour I would not interfere with your 
 manasemcnt of the business for any thin!:: that 
 you could give me. Do it your own way, my 
 dear, from first to last." 
 
 " That is all that I ever wish or desire, my dear 
 Mr Koberts," said she, with a pleasant, good-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 195 
 
 humoured smile, " and dej^end upon it I will set 
 about the negotiation with all convenient speed, 
 and, if nobody interferes with me, I don't feel the 
 least doubt but that I shall bring it to a favour- 
 able termination. Meanwhile, my dear, I must 
 trouble you to give me another check for a hun- 
 dred pounds. There are a good many little 
 things that dear Edward and the girls cannot 
 do any longer without, besides several small 
 housekeeping bills that the people neglected to 
 send in last week. Here's your check-book, dear, 
 and here's the pen and ink." 
 
 "Why, my dear Mrs Eoberts, this is the 
 seventh. It is, upon my word and honour, Mrs 
 Roberts, this is the seventh hundred I have 
 drawn for since we left London," replied the 
 frightened husband. "It is a great comfort, to 
 be sure, the knowing that you pay ready money 
 for everything, but yet, my dear, you must see 
 that it will be impossible for us to go on in this 
 way. I can't bear to refuse you, as long as I 
 know there is any money left. But, upon my 
 word and honour, we must not go on so." 
 
 "And pray, sir, what have I been saying to 
 you for the last hour ? Have I not been shewing 
 
 k2
 
 196 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 you as plain as that the sun is in the heaven, that 
 I do not mean to go on in this way ; or, in other 
 words, that what I do mean is to make your poor 
 little income half as much again as it is at pre- 
 sent ? Have you understood me, Mr Roberts, or 
 have you not ? " said his wife, with some appear- 
 ance of displeasure. 
 
 Mr Roberts sighed; but he took up the pen, 
 did with it as he had been desired to do, and only 
 said, as he presented the check to his lady, " I 
 hope, my dear, that it won't be inconvenient to 
 my lady to let the young heiress come to us 
 immediately."
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS, 197 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 Mrs Roberts certainly began to feel, that if 
 she hoped to sustain her reputation for being the 
 very best and cleverest manager that the world 
 ever saw of all pecuniary as well as other matters, 
 it would be necessary to lose as little time as 
 possible, in bringing to perfection her scheme for 
 obtaining the agreeable society of Miss Bertha 
 Harrington for her daughters. She suffered, 
 therefore, but one day to intervene between her 
 last visit to Lady Moreton, and the very impor- 
 tant one which was to decide the success of her 
 scheme. 
 
 She left her two dauo;hters in the carriage.
 
 198 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 having previously explained to them her plan, 
 and also in part the urgent necessity for it, and 
 then mounted the stairs with a beating heart. 
 
 She had, however, a comfortable and sustain- 
 ing confidence in her own powers ; and felt, as she 
 entered the drawing-room, that her courage rather 
 increased than diminished, as the moment for pro- 
 fiting by it approached. Unfortunately, how- 
 ever, she did not find Lady Moreton alone ; her 
 dearly beloved cousin, Sophy, being seated beside 
 her, reading scraps from Galignani's paper of the 
 day, while her young niece was stationed at a 
 table, one side of which was placed against the 
 wall at the bottom of the room, with an open 
 book in her hand, which, however, she did not 
 appear to be reading, as her eyes were earnestly 
 fixed upon the wall before her. 
 
 This she of course felt would not do at all ; and 
 having gone through all her most graceful evo- 
 lutions, in the way of easy Parisian morning 
 gossiping, she lowered her voice to a whisper, 
 addressed exclusively to Lady Moreton, and said, 
 "May I ask to have two minutes' private conver- 
 sation with your ladyshij) ? " 
 
 Lady Moreton opened her eyes with a stare
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 199 
 
 expressive of much more astonishment than satis- 
 faction, and repeating the word " private ? " inter- 
 rogatively, seemed to await a little further expla- 
 nation, before she ventured to accede to the 
 request. 
 
 Nobody could have understood better than Mrs 
 Roberts did, that both the word and the accent 
 implied a double doubt ; first, as to her own right 
 of making the request ; and, secondly, as to her 
 ladyship's inclination to granting it ; and nothing 
 could give stronger evidence of the high value 
 which Mrs Roberts put upon the esteem and con- 
 sideration of her own family, than the fact, that 
 her first sensation on recovering this rebuff was 
 one of gladness that no Roberts had heard it but 
 herself. 
 
 " Do not for a moment mistake me, my dearest 
 lady ! " she exclaimed, looking at her dowager 
 countess with eyes that seemed almost in an act 
 of adoration from profound respect ; " do not sup- 
 pose it possible that I do not feel that this request 
 would be perfectly unwarrantable, did it not 
 concern your ladyship more than it does my- 
 self." 
 
 " Oh ! well, I don't want to slip out of busi-
 
 200 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 ness ; though it always is a bore to such a temper 
 as mine," replied her ladyship ; " and it is not an 
 easy matter you see, just at first, Mrs Robson — 
 Mrs Roberts, I mean — it is not quite easy just at 
 first to guess what you can have to do with any 
 private business of mine. As to my getting up, 
 and trotting about the rooms, in order to find a 
 place for you to talk secrets in, I can't do it — 
 indeed I cannot, Mrs Roberts ; but I'll send the 
 child out of the room, if that is what you want. 
 My cousin Sophy's secrets and mine are all one 
 and the same, so she need not stop you. Shall 
 I send the child away ? " 
 
 Mrs Roberts bowed, and smiled a most cor- 
 dial, well-pleased acquiescence, though she 
 really would have been inexpressibly delighted, 
 could she have found at the moment any feasible 
 method of despatching the Lady Foreton, either 
 to the bright regions of the moon, or to the darkest 
 cave at the bottom of the ocean. She would 
 have cared not a farthing which. But as both 
 were alike impossible, she was obliged to reconcile 
 herself to the exceedingly disagreeable necessity 
 of enduring the unremitting stare of her lady- 
 ship's great black eyes, which always seemed to
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 201 
 
 come on duty with as impressive a steadiness as the 
 equestrian sentinels at Whitehall, whenever any- 
 thing in the least degree important was addressed 
 to her cousin. 
 
 Upon receiving this signal of acquiescence 
 from her mysterious visitor. Lady Moreton raised 
 her voice to a tone that was very satisfactorily 
 audible at the bottom of the room, where the 
 young person she addressed was sitting, and said, 
 " Go to your own room. Bertha Harrington." 
 
 The command was instantly obeyed ; and then, 
 very greatly to the satisfaction of Mrs Roberts, 
 who was beginning to feel a little nervous about 
 her negotiation, Lady Moreton exclaimed, 
 
 " If you have got an atom of feeling in you, 
 Mrs Roberts, you must pity me about that wet 
 blanket of a girl. In your whole life, now, did 
 you ever see a creature look and move as she 
 does ? It would be bad enough, I dare say, for 
 anybody, high or low, rich or poor, but think what 
 it must be to me ! But it is no good to talk of it 
 to you, or to anybody else who does not live in 
 my own style, and who does not know what it 
 is to have gone on as I have done with every 
 living soul, taking care that I should not be 
 
 k3
 
 202 THE PtOBERTSES 
 
 plagued ; for even poor gouty Lord ^loreton was 
 for ever and ever ordered by the physicians to go 
 here, there, and everywhere, according as they 
 thought it would best suit me. Everybody, all 
 through my life, has always known my happy, 
 cheerful temper, and how I hated beyond all 
 things on God's earth, to be bored and plagued. 
 I believe there are some people that don't mind it. 
 Everybody is not made alike, you know, it is folly 
 to fancy it ; and Sir Christopher Harrington 
 deserves to be burnt for daring to torment me in 
 this way." 
 
 These words, though uttered in the sharpest 
 possible key, fell like balm on the spirit of Mrs 
 Koberts, and seemed to render the undertaking so 
 delightfully easy, that she sat exhibiting her satis- 
 faction by a smile that became more bland and 
 more broad every moment, despite the increasing 
 asperity of the gay-hearted dowager. - 
 
 During the first part of her ladyship's speech, 
 her ladyship's eyes had been fixed upon the tapes- 
 try portrait of her favourite dog, which she was 
 assiduously working in a large frame that stood 
 before her, but at length condescending to raise 
 her eyes to the person she addressed, and whose
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 203 
 
 private business, by the way, she had utterly for- 
 gotten, she perceived the strangely inappropriate 
 expression of her countenance; and, stopping 
 short for a moment, staring at her with her needle 
 suspended, and with rather an alarming frown upon 
 her brow, she said, 
 
 " What in the world may you be smiling and 
 simpering at, I should like to know ? There is no 
 accounting for difference of tastes, my good 
 madam ; but my cousin Sophy and myself, I be- 
 lieve, think this young lady's arrival rather a cry- 
 ino; than a laus^hina: matter." 
 
 " My dearest Lady Moreton ! — my dearest 
 Lady Foreton ! " exclaimed the frightened Mrs 
 Roberts in reply, " I should break my heart — I 
 should indeed ! — I am quite sure I should break 
 my heart, if you could either of you think me 
 capable of smiling at what must naturally make you 
 both feel so very far from pleased. I did smile, I 
 am quite aware of that ; I did smile, my dear 
 ladies ; and the cause for which I smiled was, that 
 my sole and only reason for coming here this 
 morning was in the hope tliat I had thought of 
 something which might perhaps relieve you from 
 your disagreeable difficulties about this poor.
 
 204 THE ROBEPwTSES 
 
 melancholy-looking young lady. I could not help 
 smiling, as I thought that perhaps I might have 
 the exceeding great good luck and happiness of 
 being useful to you." 
 
 " How, ma'am ? " returned Lady Moreton, 
 rather drily. " I confess that I can't very well 
 see what use you are likely to be of to me in this 
 matter." 
 
 These words were by no means encouraging in 
 themselves; but the commentary which Mrs 
 Roberts' sharp glance caught from the eyes of 
 Lady Foreton was less so still, for they expressed 
 both ridicule and pride, with a degree of distinct- 
 ness which proved them to be very fine eyes in- 
 deed. Had poor Mrs Roberts been as free from 
 embarrassments at that moment as she had been 
 six months or so before, she would probably have 
 grown exceedingly red in the face as she looked and 
 listened, and would have made a sudden and in- 
 dignant exit, notwithstanding the imposing rank 
 and station of her companions. But now, poor 
 woman, she would as soon have thought of boxing 
 their honourable ears, as of manifesting, in the 
 very least degree, her annoyance. To Lady 
 Foreton indeed she did endeavour to turn a blind
 
 ON THEIR TEAYELS. 205 
 
 eye, but it never entered her head to attempt 
 turning a deaf ear to her more important cousin. 
 
 Very judiciously changing her own aspect from 
 gay to sentimental, she replied, " I am not at all 
 surprised to hear you say so, Lady Moreton ; for 
 few things could appear less likely, than that such 
 an idea as I have now called upon you to commu- 
 nicate, should ever have entered my head. But 
 you are not aware, dear lady, I am quite sure that 
 you are not aware, how deeply impressive your 
 manner is, when you describe your own feelings ! 
 I saw, and I felt to my fingers' ends, the sort of 
 heavy, dragging weight which this unfortunate 
 young lady's arrival had thrown upon you ; and 
 when I went home, I could not help saying to 
 myself, again and again, that it was one of the 
 most perverse and unlucky things that ever had 
 happened; for that ninety-nine people out of a hun- 
 dred might have had the very same thing happen to 
 them, without caring three straws about it ; while 
 to your ladyship, it seemed positively like putting 
 an extinguisher upon the very brightest candle in 
 the world." 
 
 The simile was a very happy one, and Lady 
 Moreton felt it to be so. She smiled, and nodded
 
 206 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 at her cousin, till the beautiful flaxen ringlets 
 which depended from beneath her blonde cap, 
 danced, as it were, with satisfaction. 
 
 " That is true, Sophy, is'nt it, let who will have 
 said it ? " she observed ; and then added, " You 
 could not have hit the truth better, my good 
 friend, if you had been King Solomon, or the 
 Queen of Sheba either. It is an extinguisher, 
 and put out I shall be, as sure as you sit there to 
 say it, unless I can find some means of throwing 
 it away before I am turned to snuff. So now you 
 may go on if you will ; and you need not be 
 afraid to tell us whatever may have come into 
 your head about it. Whether it turns out to be 
 wisdom or folly, it can't do any harm, if we choose 
 to take the trouble of listening to it." 
 
 " Heaven forbid I should do any harm, when I 
 really wish to do nothing but good," replied Mrs 
 Roberts, with a sort of grave propriety of man- 
 ner, that seemed to bespeak attention and respect, 
 whether what she were about to say were ap- 
 proved or not. " It has occurred to me. Lady 
 Morcton," she continued, " that I might, without 
 the slightest inconvenience to myself, be of use to 
 you in this matter. As the mother of two
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 207 
 
 daughters, just introduced into society, I have 
 naturally laid aside all thoughts of amusement for 
 myself, and am devoted wholly and solely to them. 
 This being the case, the having a third young 
 person to watch over, and take into company, 
 would be positively no evil at all. My introduc- 
 tions here, and indeed at every court in Europe, 
 are of the very best and most influential kind ; and 
 as it is our intention to shew our children, before 
 marriage shall have clipped their young wings, all 
 that is best worth seeing throughout the fashion- 
 able world, Ave should really consider it rather an 
 advantage than otherwise, to have just such an 
 addition to our party as your niece. Miss Har- 
 rington. My girls are still, in the most praise- 
 worthy manner, pursuing their various accom- 
 plishments; and it would be an encouragement 
 and a pleasure to them, to have a companion in 
 their studies. We shall leave Paris on a tour to 
 Baden Baden, in a very few days, after which we 
 shall proceed to Italy ; and if your ladyship will 
 entrust your young relation to my care, I shall 
 have much pleasure in undertaking the charge." 
 Mrs Roberts ceased, and the two ladies More-
 
 208 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 ton and Forcton looked at each other steadily for 
 a minute or two. 
 
 A twinge of feeling, not very strong indeed, 
 but in which something, a little approaching to a 
 conscientious doubt, made a part, caused this un- 
 usual suspension of speech in the elder lady. The 
 younger one was silent, because she chose that her 
 cousin should speak first; and because, in fact, 
 she had no intention of pronouncing any opinion 
 on the subject at all, unless she found it neces- 
 sary to do so, in order to obtain what she was 
 quite determined should be the final result ; such 
 indeed being the invariable custom of the Lady 
 Foreton, who detested the burden of responsibility, 
 almost as much as she liked having in all things 
 her own way, and never interfered in any of Lady 
 Moreton's arrangements, unless slie perceived 
 some reason to fear that they were not precisely 
 such as she approved. Then came the word in 
 good time, which invariably settled the question 
 as she chose that it should be settled. 
 
 Lady Foreton's prodigiously large black eyes 
 were as far as possible from having no speculation 
 in them ; in fact, they speculated in all sorts and
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 209 
 
 manners of ways from morning to night; and 
 now they were speculating, or, at any rate, assist- 
 ing her to speculate, on the meaning of the shadow 
 of doubt which the fair round face of her cousin 
 exhibited. The opinions of Lady Foreton had 
 seldom any of the alloy of doubt in them ; and on 
 the present occasion they were so instanteously 
 and resolutely decided upon, that not all the com- 
 punctious meditations of all the aunts in the world 
 could have sufficed to shake them for an instant. 
 Lady Foreton hated the sight of Bertha Harring- 
 ton. She hated the sound of her voice. She 
 hated her noiseless movements. She hated her 
 well-descended name. She hated both her pre- 
 sent and her probable fortune — for she saw in 
 each and every item something that militated 
 against her own well-being and consequence. 
 Lady Foreton had been very beautiful ; she was 
 very handsome still, and she clung to this fading 
 remnant of former triumph with a degree of 
 tenacity that might fairly be compared to that of 
 a wretch who felt himself sinking, and knew that 
 if he sunk, he must perish. No artist that ever 
 lived, with all his acute sensibility to beauty, past, 
 present, and future, could have been more awake
 
 210 THE ROBERT5E3 
 
 to the perception of the latent loveliness of poor 
 Bertha's pale young face, than was this heartless, 
 unprincipled, faded, old coquette; and from the 
 moment when the poor motherless girl first en- 
 countered the broad, full, acutely examining eye 
 of this amiable personage, the period of her resi- 
 dence in the elegant atmosphere of her presence, 
 was limited to the shortest possible time that 
 might be found necessary for the process of remoT- 
 ing her. 
 
 It might have cost time, and it might have cost 
 trouble, and it might have cost the risk of many 
 other disagreeable consequences besides, but the 
 certainty of her ultimate success was in no degree 
 weakened by such considerations ; and it was for 
 this reason that Lady Foreton was enabled to listen 
 with so much composure to a proposal so every 
 way agreeable. 
 
 And every way agreeable it assuredly was ; for 
 it was likely to remove the hated object soon, and 
 far, and lastingly — yes, lastingly — for it would 
 evidently be the interest of the Roberts family to 
 keep her ; and who knew better than Lady 
 Foreton the enormous strength of this argu- 
 ment.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 211 
 
 So the Lady Foreton waited patiently for the 
 Lady Moreton to speak, equally certain that whe- 
 ther she said yes or no, Bertha Harrington would 
 very speedily disappear. 
 
 "I am sure it is very obliging of you, Mrs 
 Roberts, very obliging indeed," said Lady More- 
 ton at length; " and I really do not see any 
 reason why we should not think about it. That, 
 you know, can't do any harm to either of us in 
 any w^ay. Wise people, I have heard, always do 
 think about things before they reject, as well as 
 before they accept, an offer. And I see no reason, 
 I am sure, why my cousin and I should not set 
 ourselves to think a little about what you have 
 been so obliging as to propose. There is no great 
 hurry, I imagine. We need not decide to-day, 
 nor to-morrow either, I suppose ? It is a sort of 
 thing that of course you know one ought to be 
 very cautious about." 
 
 It may be doubted whether amidst all the nu- 
 merous variety of sayings and doings which might 
 have entered Lady Moreton's head on the subject 
 of handing over the guardianship of her niece to 
 a family of perfect strangers, anything could 
 possibly have occurred to her so likely to bring
 
 212 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 the affair to an immediate conclusion, as this men- 
 tion of delay. Had she talked of refusing the 
 proposal altogether, her steadfast-minded cousin, 
 Sophy, could have endured it with perfect com- 
 posure, quite certain that a very few words from 
 her would cause it to be accepted in defiance of 
 pretty nearly any obstacle that could possibly 
 arise ; but at this mention of delay, she was 
 terrified. It affected her nerves, as the hearing 
 preparations for applying the rack might affect 
 those of a prisoner who knew himself for a time 
 in the power of an enemy, though his ultimate 
 release was sure; and, determined to avoid the 
 only evil which still seemed to threaten her, she 
 said, with an air of ripe decision, which seemed to 
 be the result of the most mature deliberation : 
 
 '^ If you will take my advice, cousin, you will 
 not suffer any delay whatever to intervene between 
 the proposal of this plan and the acceptance of it 
 Your niece is falling into habits of such pernicious 
 ill-humour and idleness, that, in my judgment, 
 every hour is of importance. You are not aware 
 what habit is to a mind of that class. Mrs 
 Roberts has shown herself a woman of great good 
 sense in considering, when making this projX)sal,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 213 
 
 the very great advantage to her own daughters of 
 having a companion in their studies. I really do 
 not see how you can justify it to yourself to keep 
 this miserable, melancholy, idle girl here for a 
 single hour longer, when you have the power 
 of placing her with cheerful young ladies, who will 
 soon cure both her melancholy and her idleness by 
 their example. Of course, you must do as you like, 
 my dear cousin, but I really have said thus much 
 from a sense of duty." 
 
 " It is just like yourself, cousin Sophy," replied 
 Lady Moreton, looking excessively comforted ; 
 "and I do not believe there is a woman in the 
 world so well calculated in every way to give 
 advice as you are. So then, my dear, good Mrs 
 Roberts, I will venture to say at once that you are 
 quite welcome to have Bertha, by way of a trial, 
 if you like it. I had better say trial, you know, 
 cousin Sophy, because that always leaves one 
 the power to change if desirable, and it may 
 be better, too, in the writing about it to Sir 
 Christopher." 
 
 " There can be no objection to your calling it a 
 trial if you like it," replied Lady Foreton, with a 
 quiet little smile, " and I don't think Sir Christo-
 
 214 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 pher is the least likely to be troublesome to you 
 by his over anxiety." 
 
 " No, indeed ! good-for-nothing, impertinent 
 man," returned the countess ; " I don't believe he 
 cares a straw about her. Not one quarter as much 
 as you do, my dear, kind Sophy ; but, neverthe- 
 less, you know it will be necessary for us to write 
 something." 
 
 " There will be no great difficulty in doing 
 that," replied Lady Foreton, " and I should there- 
 fore say that your best plan would be to fix the 
 day and hour of the young lady's departure imme- 
 diately." 
 
 To say that Mrs Roberts was pleased is a very 
 weak plirase by which to describe her sensations, 
 and yet, she was not altogether satisfied. A 
 disagreeable doubt had crossed her brain as to the 
 terms on which this unwelcome niece was to be 
 disposed of, and the Lady Foreton seemed to be 
 driving on at so vehement a pace towards the con- 
 clusion of the affair, that she felt there was no time 
 to be lost in making it understood that the advan- 
 tage of the companionship to her daughters was 
 not quite the only remuneration she expected for 
 taking the troublesome young lady oft' their hands.
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 215 
 
 Nevertheless, it went to her very heart to do any- 
 thing likely to check the rapid progress of an aiFair 
 which she so anxiously wished to conclude, and it 
 was therefore with evident reluctance that she said : 
 
 " We shall be quite ready to receive the poor, 
 dear, melancholy young lady, whenever it suits 
 you to send her; but Sir Christopher must of 
 course be aware, that the father of a large family, 
 though certainly a man of very good fortune, 
 would not be justified in making such an arrange- 
 ment as this without a proper remuneration." 
 
 " Good gracious me, Mrs Robins I " exclaimed 
 Lady Moreton, " do you really suppose that we 
 meant to ask you and your husband to take in my 
 niece, and Sir Christopher Harrington's daughter, 
 upon charity ? I should like to know how such 
 an idea as that could ever have entered your 
 head ? " 
 
 " No, indeed, your ladyship, it never did enter 
 my head," replied the frightened Mrs Roberts. 
 " I only thought that in all matters of business, it 
 was best to let everything be quite clearly under- 
 stood." 
 
 " Oh dear, yes, ma'am — quite right — perfectly
 
 216 THE rcIbertses 
 
 right beyond all doubt — that if you fancied there 
 was any danger you should guard against it. But 
 aU this is nonsense and folly," added her ladyship, 
 with sudden impatience. " I think you heard me 
 say the other day, that her father allowed her five 
 hundred a year. You may just take it and make 
 the most of it — only taking care, if you please, 
 that the girl is not left without having money 
 enough in her pocket to dress herself decently. 
 You must let her have one hundred out of the five 
 for that, if you please to remember, and as for the 
 other four hundred, you may set up a coach-and- 
 six with it, if you like ; and never alarm yourself or 
 your family with any fears that I should wish to 
 pilfer any part of it." 
 
 And here Lady Moreton laughed a little, and 
 Lady Foreton laughed a little too ; and Mrs 
 Roberts hardly knew whether to be most glad or 
 most sorry that she had said anything about the 
 money at all. However, this doubtful state of 
 mind was very speedily changed for self-congratu- 
 lation and self-applause, when, having taken her 
 leave, with the understanding that ^liss Harring- 
 ton was to come to her before dinner on the follow-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 217 
 
 ing day, she once more found herself sitting opposite 
 to her two anxious daughters in the carriage that 
 was to convey her and her news to her admiring 
 husband.
 
 218 THE ROBERTSE& 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The two young ladies, who had been pretty 
 sufficiently frightened by their mamma's confi- 
 dential revelations relative to the state of her debts 
 and resources, hailed her, and the information she 
 brought, with a great deal of charming young 
 enthusiasm, and listened with more than patience 
 to her narrative of all the difficulties she en- 
 countered, and the admirably skilful manner in 
 which she had contrived to conquer them. To her 
 husband, the manner of her communication was 
 different. It did not accord with her notions of 
 well-ordered domestic arrangements that the slow 
 intellect of an elderly gentleman in the always awk-
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 219 
 
 ward, and often invidious position of master of the 
 family, should be made acquainted with all the 
 minor manoeuvrings by which the ark of his con- 
 jugal and paternal felicity was kept afloat. 
 
 " All that is necessary for your father to know 
 he shall hear from me, girls," she said, " so take 
 care not to allude before him to anything I am 
 telling you now. He would neither make head 
 nor tail of it, and I should be bothered to death 
 with questions that might lead to answers which 
 could do nothing but mischief." 
 
 The young ladies promised discretion, and then 
 retired to their own room to cogitate, tete-a-tete, 
 on the possible advantages, and probable plagues 
 of having a girl to take about with them. 
 
 " Her being a girl of birth and fashion must 
 certainly be an advantage, you know," observed 
 Agatha, " and, on the whole, I suppose it is quite 
 as well that she should not be a beauty." 
 
 " Yes, Agatha, we may thank heaven for that," 
 replied her sister Maria ; " for of all the tiresome 
 things I can fancy, the having to take about a 
 beauty miss, in leading strings, must be the 
 worst ! We must take care, however, to make 
 her dress herself well, because there is something 
 
 L 2
 
 220 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 creditable in that ; and as she is such a mere child, 
 I think it will be neither more nor less than our 
 duty to make her lay out her money profitably." 
 
 " I quite agree with you," replied Agatha. 
 " Only fancy that brat having a hundred a year 
 to spend on her dress! We must never, you 
 know, attempt the same style of things ; we must 
 keep to the graceful, becoming, fanciful line, and 
 make her spend her money in rich solid dresses, 
 fine furs, you know, and great broad lace ; and as 
 we are, thank Heaven ! beyond contradiction, a 
 monstrous deal better looking than she will ever 
 be, we may trust the men for finding out that 
 looking elegant and looking rich, is not always the 
 same thing." 
 
 " Oh yes ! you are quite right," cried Maria, 
 gaily, " I am not in the least alarmed about her 
 hundred a year for dress ; besides, if she is not 
 absolutely a biiite, she must make us presents 
 sometimes. I don't mean that I want anybody to 
 give me dresses or bonnets, I am sure I should 
 quite hate it. 1 like to choose my own things 
 myself. Nobody knows what suits me so well as 
 I do my own se\£—7iobodi/, if they really wished it 
 ever so much, could ever understand about com-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 221 
 
 plexion, and eyes, and general effect, as one does 
 oneself. What this girl ought to do is, to give us 
 a trinket or two now and then. The merest child 
 knows the difference between a good brooch or 
 bracelet, and a shabby one, and that is the only 
 kind of present I should ever think of accept- 
 
 ing." 
 
 " I quite agree with you," again said the sensi- 
 ble Agatha, in an accent which conveyed autho- 
 rity. " There never can be anything unladylike 
 in accepting things of that kind, but I should be 
 exceedingly sorry to find myself driven to wish 
 — even to wish — for wearing apparel, unless it 
 was a scarf, or a shawl perhaps, or something of 
 that sort, you know, which can hardly be classed 
 as clothes. There is something so horrid in the 
 very sound of presents of clothes, that I would 
 almost rather go naked than accept anything of 
 the sort. This, however, is all idle talk, Maria . 
 for we know nothing on earth of this intimate 
 new friend, but that she is no beauty, and looks 
 as solemn as an owl. And it is quite nonsense to 
 attempt guessing whether she has any generosity 
 of character or not. But there is a consideration 
 Maria, that is a great deal more to the purpose ;
 
 222 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 and that is, wlietlier we shall be able to coax 
 mamma into making papa increase our allow- 
 ance." 
 
 " Heaven knows you are right, Agatha ! And 
 I, for one, shall never know any real comfort till 
 it is done," replied Maria, solemnly. " I don't at 
 all mean to say that we have any reason to com- 
 plain of mamma getting dresses for us; and I 
 must say that I think she has managed exceed- 
 ingly well, considering how very close papa seems 
 to keep his money. But that is altogether a 
 different thing from finding one's dresses oneself. 
 And then you see that mamma gets into such 
 dreadful scrapes about paying for the things ! 
 Poor dear soul ! I don't mean to say she can 
 help it ; but don't you think it would be a great 
 deal better for her, and take a monstrous deal of 
 anxiety off her mind, if we had an allowance, that 
 was really an allowance, for dress; for thirty 
 pounds a year in Paris, or anywhere else where 
 one has to go out, is a positive joke, you know." 
 
 " A joke ? To be sure it is a joke, and mamma 
 knows that as well as wc do. But I by no means 
 feel certain that she would like to make any 
 alteration," replied x\gatha ; " mamma is extremely
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS. 223 
 
 clever, we all know that, and clever people always 
 do like to keep the management of everything in 
 their own hands. Tliis is quite natural, and I 
 dare say in her situation I might, very likely, do 
 the same thing myself. So I make no complaints 
 on that score, though I might like well enough to 
 have it altered. But what I do complain of, 
 Maria, is mamma's deceiving herself into believ- 
 ing that the abominable heavy bills of Mademoi- 
 selle Amabel are chiefly for us. It is no such 
 thing. It is positively no such thing. Mamma's 
 turbans, Avith the birds and the gold lace, and then 
 her velvet things, and all the rest of it, run away 
 with ten times as much as our light trumpery 
 dancing dresses." 
 
 " I have no doubt you are right, Agatha, though 
 I have never had these horrid bills lono^ enou2:h in 
 my hands to make any very close calculation," 
 said Maria ; " but I don't see how she can help it. 
 I am sure I should not like to go out with her, if 
 she were not well dressed ; and she can't wear 
 gauzes, and nets, and trumpery muslins, as we 
 do." 
 
 " No, but then she need not talk so much more 
 of our things than she does of her own," returned
 
 224 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Agatha. " However, I am not going to quarrel 
 with mamma about the bills, or the dresses either. 
 Altogether she has contrived to get on exceed- 
 ingly well, and it does her great credit — nobody- 
 can be more aware of that than I am. But now 
 that such a monstrous sum of money, in addition, 
 is coming with this girl, and that everything will of 
 course go smooth and easy again, I shall be vexed 
 if she grumble any more about what we have had 
 from Amabel's, for I positively declare that we 
 never have had anything that was not absolutely 
 necessary to our making a decent appearance." 
 
 The two young ladies then proceeded to discuss 
 the various fears, and the various hopes, to which 
 this important addition to their family circle 
 naturally gave rise ; both agreeing that, after all, 
 Edward was the person to whoQi it was likely to 
 be the most really interesting. For that the girl 
 would fall in love with him, was as certain as that 
 she had eyes in her head ; and if he could make 
 up his mind to marry her, it would most certainly 
 be a very advantageous connexion for thcni all. 
 
 But all this, together with much more very 
 interesting matter, concerning the rather par- 
 ticular manner in which a young chevalier and
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 225 
 
 a middle-aged count had been " going on " for 
 some time past, must be left to the imagination of 
 the reader, while we follow Mrs Roberts to the 
 presence of her husband. 
 
 " Well, my dear," began that truly worthy 
 gentleman, with a look of considerable anxiety, 
 but without venturing to annoy his invaluable 
 wife by any more special questionings. 
 
 " Well, Mr Roberts," she repeated in an accent 
 so charmingly equable that it was impossible for 
 him to judge, with any degree of certainty, 
 whether she had succeeded or not ; and having 
 said this, she seated herself in the chair which 
 she usually occupied when she did him the 
 honour of paying him a visit in the little room 
 appropriated to his particular use and service. 
 
 " Well, my dear, have you seen the ladies ? " 
 said he, in rather a faltering voice. 
 
 "Yes, sir, to be sure I have," she replied, 
 looking greatly surprised at the question ; " what 
 do you suppose I have been about ? Did I not 
 tell you that I was going to them ? And do I 
 ever undertake a thing without doing it ? What 
 can you ask such an idle question for ? " 
 
 " Why, it is an idle question, to be sure, my 
 
 L 3
 
 226 THE KOBERTSES 
 
 dear, but the truth is, I did not like to plague you 
 by asking for particulars just the moment you 
 came in. But of course, my dear, I am very 
 anxious." 
 
 " Anxious, Mr Roberts ? What is it has made 
 you anxious, sir ? Nothing alarming has hap- 
 pened, I hope, since I left the house ? " 
 
 " Oh dear no, nothing at all. I was thinking 
 of what might have happened to you, my dear ; 
 I hope you have had nothing to vex you ? " 
 
 " Yex me, sir, what should I have to vex me ? 
 I am not so easily vexed, Mr Roberts, and I hope 
 you will not be vexed either ; or, at least, not 
 unreasonably vexed, when I tell you that I found 
 it absolutely impossible — " 
 
 Here Mr Roberts groaned, but quite involun- 
 tarily, and he immediately endeavoured to atone 
 for it by saying, " I beg your pardon, my dear. 
 Don't mind me, Sarah ; don't think about me ; 
 it can't be helped, and we must make the best 
 of it." 
 
 " The best of it," she replied in astonishment, 
 that seemed to increase with every moment. 
 " What can you mean, Mr Roberts ? I was 
 simply going to mention to you that I found
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 227 
 
 it impossible to avoid letting dear Bertha come 
 rather early to-morrow, they were all so kindly 
 eacrer and anxious that she should be with us at 
 
 o 
 
 once. But I really never imagined that there 
 was any very serious evil in having to hurry 
 a little in getting a room ready for her." 
 
 " She is coming, then ? " exclaimed the de- 
 lighted Mr Roberts, clasping his hands in a sort 
 of thankful ecstasy. 
 
 " Coming, sir ? " returned his wife, " didn't you 
 know she was coming ? " 
 
 " I knew, my dear, that it was your excellent 
 plan, and most truly wise intention, to get her 
 to come here if you possibly could. But how 
 could I — how could any man be perfectly sure in 
 a business that required so much skill to carry 
 through — ^how could I be quite certain that you 
 would have the astonishing cleverness to do it 
 at once ? " said Mr Roberts. 
 
 It was now Mrs Roberts' turn to sigh, which 
 she did very profoundly. " I really should like 
 to know, Mr Roberts," she said, "how many 
 years more you and I must continue to live 
 together before you find out that, whatever 
 I say I will do, I perform ? Did I not tell you,
 
 228 THE ROBEPtTSES 
 
 sir, that it was my purpose to inform Lady 
 Moreton that I should not object to take charge 
 of her niece for a few years ? Did I not tell you 
 this, Mr Roberts ? " 
 
 " Yes, you did indeed, my dear ; and no doubt 
 of it, it was nothing but my folly that made me 
 fear about it for a single moment afterwards," 
 replied Mr Roberts, looking the picture of peni- 
 tence. " But who is there in the whole world 
 but you, Sarah, that could be so very certain 
 about Lady Moreton's consent, the very moment 
 you mentioned the thing to her ? AVho but you 
 could have known beforehand that it must suc- 
 ceed?" 
 
 Here Mrs Roberts smiled ; a little in pity and 
 a little in pride. 
 
 " My poor, dear, excellent Mr Roberts ! " slie 
 exclaimed, "don't fancy I am angry with you. 
 I am not, I give you my word of honour, I am 
 not the least atom angry or out of temper ; but I 
 do believe that you are the only man alive wlio, 
 being told that I had no objection to taking 
 Bertha Harrington, would feel any doubt about 
 my having her. Now do just use your common 
 sense for one moment, !Mr Roberts, and tell me
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 229 
 
 how you suppose Lady Moreton must have felt 
 the moment I made her understand that I should 
 not object to adopting her niece into my family 
 as an inmate and friend ? How do you suppose 
 she felt, sir?" 
 
 "Why, delighted, my dear. I have no ques- 
 tion of it, none at all," replied her husband ; " she 
 must have been delighted; and so she ought, 
 Heaven knows, for she has now got an example 
 to set before her niece, such as few people in this 
 poor sinful earth of ours are often happy enough 
 to get sight of, unless they have the good fortune 
 to live tolerably near to you, my dear." 
 
 Mrs Roberts now rose, and patting her hus- 
 band's bald head as she passed him, said, " You 
 are never deficient in sense, Roberts, when you 
 give yourself a little time to think. But I must 
 not stay gossiping with you, my dear, though you 
 are very agreeable sometimes, when you know 
 what you are talking about. I must positively 
 look about the rooms, and see where I can manage 
 to stow this poor girl. I shall make a point of 
 being always particularly kind to her. Edward's 
 chance, you know, will be all the better for that. 
 If things go on between them as I expect they
 
 230 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 will, I shall begin to get very anxious to hear of 
 old Sir Christopher's death. It will be so much 
 pleasanter, you know, to have no doubt about 
 their income. Five hundred a year might do all 
 very well for a common-place young man, such as 
 one generally sees, but upon my honour three 
 thousand will not be a penny too much for him. 
 He is so thoroughly elegant and superior." 
 
 Mrs Roberts then left the room with a very 
 stately step, and her husband continued looking 
 after her as she went, as if he expected to see 
 a train of glory left along her path. 
 
 "There never was such another woman as 
 that ! " said he, relieving his full bosom with a 
 puffing sigh. " Xo, never I "
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 231 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 
 Mrs Roberts, when first made aware that she 
 really was going to have Miss Harrington as an 
 inmate, cast some vague thoughts towards a light 
 closet within her daughters' bedroom, as a possible 
 lodging-room for her during the short time that 
 they were to remain in Paris. But the utter im* 
 possibility of putting both a bed and a washing- 
 stand in it, at one and the same time, at length 
 decided her against it ; and it then became evident, 
 that the only feasible scheme for lodging her 
 young guest in their apartments, would be the 
 sending Edward to an hotel, and preparing for her 
 the room he had occupied.
 
 232 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 But although she was exceedingly desirous of 
 setting about it at once, she could by no means 
 think of taking the liberty of entering her elegant 
 Edward's domain without announcing to him the 
 necessity, and obtaining his permission. She 
 therefore waited with all the patience she could 
 muster, till he returned to the house, and then 
 invited him to a ttte-a-ttte in her own room. 
 
 Up to this time the heir of the Kobertses had 
 been kept in ignorance of all his parents' hopes 
 and fears respecting the young lady who was so 
 speedily to be adopted into the bosom of his 
 family, and who was intended ultimately to enjoy 
 the enviable pre-eminence of being his wife. 
 
 It would scarcely be doing justice to the 
 character of Mrs Roberts to say that she was 
 afraid of anything ; but if her courage ever 
 threatened to forsake her under any circum- 
 stances, it was when she thought that anything 
 was likely to happen which might by possibility 
 vex, embarrass, irritate, or in any way annoy her 
 son. The idea of seeing him look either cross, or 
 melancholy, was more than she could bear, and 
 the double possibility that he might dislike the 
 arrangement if it did take place, or be disappointed
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 233 
 
 if it did not, had prevented her having, as yet, 
 named the subject to him. But now the hour 
 and the man were both come, and she set about 
 the necessary communication with her usual skill. 
 
 " Oh ! here you are " she exclaimed, as he 
 entered the room, riding- whip in hand, and in the 
 act of drawing on his snow-white riding-gloves. 
 
 " Oh ! my darling Edward ! how I wish that 
 you had a whole stud of Arabian horses at your 
 command ! I never, in the whole course of my 
 life, saw a man look so perfectly elegant in a 
 riding-dress as you do." 
 
 " I really cannot say anything about tliat, 
 ma'am," replied the youth, walking up to her 
 toilet-glass, and bending fondly over to inspect 
 the condition of his moustache, " I must leave 
 that to you. But now you have hooked me for a 
 talk, mother, I will just give you a hint that you 
 must please to make the governor shovel out a 
 little. And indeed, a little won't do; he must 
 come down pretty handsomely, or I shall come to 
 a stand-still, and that won't answer for you, or 
 the misses either, I promise you." 
 
 " It is odd enough, my dear fellow," replied liis 
 mother, gazing at him with unequivocal delight,
 
 234 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " that you should happen to say that to me just 
 at this moment, because what I want to say to 
 you, has got a good deal to do with it. You are 
 not the only one of the family who is hard up, my 
 dear Edward — for your father is pretty well 
 drawn dry, and I have got half a dozen of your 
 bills in my desk, still unpaid, besides a horrible 
 lot of my own." 
 
 The young gentleman coloured a good deal as 
 he listened to this, and immediately replied, 
 " Then I must cut my stick and be off, ma'am ; 
 so you may as well give me some tin and your 
 blessing at once; for upon my soul I can't stay here." 
 
 " I am not at all surprised to hear you say so, 
 Edward," returned the indulgent parent ; " for it 
 is quite impossible, as I am constantly telling 
 your father, that any man can dress as you do, 
 and look as you do, for nothing. It is no good to 
 expect it." 
 
 " But the old gentleman can't coin, ma'am," 
 replied the considerate son. " You say he is done 
 up himself, and if that notion is not got up to 
 keep me in order, but is really truth and fiict, I 
 don't see what good I am to get by your bothering 
 him about my dress, and the rest of it."
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 235 
 
 " You speak like an angel, my darling Edward, 
 as you always do ; but you will see, if you wdll 
 listen to me, that I do not intend to sit down with 
 my hands before me, while you are at a loss, my 
 poor, dear boy, to find means of getting a decent 
 coat." 
 
 Her son stared, but waited in silence for what 
 was to come next. 
 
 " I do not wonder at your looking surprised, 
 my dear," she resumed, " for it is seldom that a 
 women can do anything to help her family at a 
 pinch ; but if you have patience to listen to rather 
 a long story, I think I shall make you understand 
 that you need not cut your stick, as you call it, 
 you dear, droll creature, just directly." 
 
 " Fire away then, mother," said the youth, 
 " pauvre Jacque must lead about my nag a little, 
 that's all." 
 
 Mrs Roberts then entered, somewhat more at 
 length than it is necessary for us to follow her, 
 into the condition of the family exchequer, and 
 then rather abruptly asked her son, if he had ever 
 heard his sisters mention a Miss Bertha Harring- 
 ton, who was staying wdth his great friend and 
 admirer, Lady Moreton.
 
 236 THE ROBEPwTSES 
 
 " No, not I, ma'am," returned the young man, 
 yawning. " Oh ! yes I have though ! " he added, 
 correcting himself; " that's the girl that they said 
 was as ugly as sin, and a great fortune." 
 
 " She is not as ugly as sin, Edward," returned 
 Mrs Roberts, knitting her brows ; " and it is ex- 
 tremely wrong and foolish in your sisters to say 
 so. I am not at all sure that she may not turn 
 out quite as handsome as they are themselves. 
 But that is not the point that is of the most im- 
 portance to us just now." 
 
 And then she went on to explain what the 
 reader knows already, respecting the situation and 
 fortune of Miss Harrington ; the immense advan- 
 tage which the stipend she paid would be to the 
 Roberts family in their present situation, and the 
 very extraordinary skill with which she had 
 managed to obtain it. 
 
 Considering the thoughtless age and sprightly 
 temperament of her son, Mrs Roberts had every 
 reason to be satisfied with the degree of attention 
 with which he listened to her. 
 
 " If things are as bad as you say, mother," he 
 replied, "you have certainly made a good hit. 
 But it is a confounded bore, too, to ha\c a great
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 237 
 
 Ugly girl in the house, by way of a boarder. 
 Everybody will see in a moment, you know, that 
 we are as poor as rats." 
 
 " Fear nothing on that score^ dearest," replied 
 his mother, " I shall take care to put everything 
 on a proper footing ; and, for goodness sake, don't 
 let me hear you call her hoarder again. It is 
 exactly what I have been scolding your father for, 
 Edward ; and upon my word, it is more excusable 
 in him than in you, because you ought to know so 
 much better what's what, than we ever can expect 
 him to do, poor dear man." 
 
 ** But what the devil is she, ma'am, if she is not 
 a boarder ? " demanded Mr Edward. 
 
 " A WARD, my dear boy — -your father's ward — 
 that is what she must be called. And if we all 
 remember, on all occasions, to give her this title, 
 everybody else will give it to her also, and the 
 dear girl herself will be sure to adopt the idea, 
 which will be a great advantage, because it will 
 at once put her on a proper footing with us all." 
 
 " And will her aunt, Lady Moreton, and her 
 cousin with the big eyes, adopt the idea too, mo- 
 ther ? " demanded the inquisitive son again. 
 
 " How like your mother you are, Edward ! "
 
 238 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 exclaimed Mrs Roberts, with a look of great ten- 
 derness. " You see everything with such asto- 
 nishing quickness. No, my dear ; most certainly 
 Lady Moreton would not adopt the same idea, nor 
 her cousin. Lady Foreton, either. You are quite 
 right; we should get into a very disagreeable 
 scrape, perhaps, if we hazarded anything of the 
 kind, while we remain in Paris; and for that reason, 
 as well as for some others, Edward, the best thing 
 we can do will be to move off with as little delay 
 as possible. It is perfectly clear that Madame dc 
 ISoissonac means to cut us all, and this will make a 
 great difference, I assure you. Such balls as 
 her's, once every week, might be worth staying in 
 Paris for, but I am sure the embassy isn't — the 
 rudeness of the embassy people, considering the 
 introduction we had, is perfectly disgusting. 
 However, it is no use to talk of this now, espe- 
 cially as we have so many other things to think 
 about ; and, in the first place, my dear Edward, I 
 wanted to tell you tliat I hope you wont mind 
 sleeping at an hotel for the few nights we sliall 
 stay here. You won't mind it, my dear, will 
 
 you?" 
 
 '* Mind it, ma'am ? — ves^. to be sure I shall
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 239 
 
 mind it — having to pack up all my things twice 
 over — and 1, with such quantities of things upon 
 my hands to do, and such lots of people to see. 
 It will be a most horrid bore, ma'am, I assure 
 
 you." 
 
 " I was afraid you would say so, my dearest 
 Edward, I was indeed ; and therefore I cannot be 
 surprised at it. But what can I do, my dear ? If 
 we refuse to take her in at once, I am quite sure 
 we shall lose her, and how will your bills be paid, 
 Edward ? There is not, as you will see yourself, 
 if you will look about, any hole or corner in 
 which we can put her — and it would look too odd, 
 you know, to turn your sisters out, and keep you 
 in the house, wouldn't it ? I am sure if it were 
 not for the look of it, they should march out in 
 double quick time, if you wished it." 
 
 " Nonsense, ma'am ; but you may tell them, if 
 you please, that I expect they will pack up my 
 things for me," he replied, putting on his hat be- 
 fore the glass, and preparing to escape ; " and 
 don't forget to mention that they are not to read 
 a single line — no, not a single word, remember, of 
 any notes they find. I wish the governor's newly 
 invented ward was in the sea."
 
 240 THE R0BERTSE9 
 
 "Edward," said his mother, laying her hand 
 impressively on his arm, as he passed her to go 
 out, " Edward, I don't wish to dictate to you, I 
 never did, and I never will ; but let me say one 
 word to you as a friend — never suffer your sisters 
 to judge for you respecting female beauty. Girls 
 are never fair judges of the beauty of each other, 
 that is one thing, my dear, that I wish you to 
 remember; and another is, that dear Bertha 
 Harrington — I trust she will be dear Bertha to 
 us all — remember, Edward, that dear Bertha 
 Harrington is the daughter of a baronet ; and 
 that, in all human probability, she will have an 
 income of three thousand a year. God bless you, 
 my dear. Take your ride, Edward, and be sure 
 that you shall find a comfortable room taken, and 
 all your things carefully packed up and removed 
 to it, by the time you return." 
 
 * * « * # ♦ 
 
 The Lady Moreton and the Lady Foreton were 
 as punctual as heart could wish, in escorting Miss 
 Bertha Harrington from her apartments in the 
 Rue Rivoli, to those occupied by the Roberts 
 family in the Rue Tetcbout. The two elder ladies, 
 having both of them business of considerable
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 241 
 
 importance to transact at various shops, did not 
 leave their carriage ; and the young girl, wrapped 
 in her dark mourning weeds, mounted the stairs, 
 and entered the sitting room of her strange hosts 
 alone. Mr Roberts was shut up in his own little 
 room, reading his ' Galignani,' and Mrs Roberts 
 and her two daughters were the only occupants of 
 the saloon. Mrs Roberts remained tranquil for a 
 moment, with her eye fixed on the door, to see if 
 any one was about to follow the young lady ; but, 
 perceiving that she was decidedly alone, she hastily 
 rose, stepped rapidly across the floor, and, a good 
 deal to the young lady's astonishment, enclosed her 
 in a most affectionate embrace. 
 
 "My darling child," she exclaimed, "how de- 
 lighted I am to see you ! I did so wish that my 
 poor dear girls should be thrown in the way of a 
 young English girl of nearly their own age. I do 
 not wish them to form intimacies with French 
 girls, and therefore they have no intimate young 
 friends at all; but now, thanks to the amiable 
 kindness of your dear aunt, they will feel this 
 want no longer. I feel exceedingly flattered, my 
 dear Bertha, and so I am sure we all do, at the 
 friendly confidence which Lady Moreton has 
 
 VOL. I. 31
 
 242 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 shown In trusting you to our care ; but, in fact, I 
 never would have accepted the trust, had it not 
 been for the sake of getting a companion for my 
 dear girls. Come here, loves," she continued, 
 beckoning her two daughters, who were engaged 
 in looking out at the window, and watching the 
 showy equipage of Lady Moreton, as it drove 
 down the street towards the boulevards, "come 
 here." 
 
 The young ladies obeyed, and each of them in 
 succession received the hand of Bertha, which 
 Mrs Koberts, in a very sentimental manner, de- 
 posited on their palms. 
 
 The sable stranger stood in the midst of them, 
 as if she knew that it was her destiny thus to find 
 herself she knew not where, and she knew not 
 why. But she made a faint attempt to smile at 
 the intimate young friends who were thus pre- 
 sented to her, and took a great deal of pains to 
 prevent their seeing the tears which were gather- 
 ing in her eyes. But the effort was in vain, for 
 they made their escape, and ran trickling down 
 her colourless cheeks. Whereupon Mrs Roberts 
 again seized upon her, and kissed her rather vehe- 
 mently upon her forehead, saying,
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 243 
 
 " This won't do, will it, girls ? What can we 
 do to put her in spirits a little ? What do you say 
 to a glass of wine, my dear ? " 
 
 " Lor, mamma ! of course she won't drink wine 
 of a morning — how can you think of such a 
 thing ? " said Agatha. "Let her come with 
 Maria and me into her room. Her boxes are all 
 there, and we will both of us help her to unpack 
 them." 
 
 No objection being made to the proposal, the 
 two Miss Robertses each seized upon a passive 
 arm, and led her away. Having reached the 
 room appropriated to her use^ they entered it all 
 together ; and Maria, dropping the arm she had 
 taken, shut to the door, and bolted it. 
 
 Bertha shook her head, and gently but deci- 
 sively applied herself to the fastenings thus 
 secured, and removed them. 
 
 " Not now, dear young ladies, not now," she 
 said, holding the door open, that they might pass 
 through it, " I do not want anything out of my 
 trunks just at present, and as my head is aching 
 very much, I am sure you will have the kindness 
 to excuse my wishing to be alone." 
 
 " Oh, just as you like. Miss Bertha ! " replied 
 
 ]M 2
 
 244 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Agatha, laughing; "only, you know, we shall 
 
 never get on, if you ehut yourself up in this 
 
 way." 
 
 '* I will be more sociable by and by," said 
 Bertha, still steadily holding the door wide open 
 in her hand. 
 
 " Come along, Agatha," said Maria, bouncing 
 out of the room, *Mt is no good standing here, 
 disputing about it." 
 
 Agatha appeared to be of the same opinion, and 
 immediately followed her, upon which the door was 
 very quickly, but very quietly, closed ; and the 
 bolt was very quickly, but very quietly, fastened 
 also. 
 
 " Did you hear that ? " said Maria, who heard 
 the sound, notwithstanding its being so little 
 obtrusive. " I'll tell you what, Agatha, I don't 
 believe a word about her being so very young 
 — she is too quiet by half— that girl likes to have 
 her own way, and so you'll see ; and I will tell 
 you something else too — I shall not quan*el with 
 her for being ugly, though I think her perfectly 
 frightful — and I shall not quarrel with her for 
 being cross, for 1 should snap my fingers at it ; 
 but I will not endure her giving herself any grand
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 245 
 
 and great airs to me. Mamma may manage her 
 as she likes, but I will not bear to be treated with 
 pride." 
 
 " You are a fool, Maria," replied her elder sis- 
 ter. " She may be as proud as she likes for me, 
 provided she does but pay enough for it."
 
 246 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 " Thank heaven, Sophy ! that plague's past 
 and over!" exclaimed Lady Moreton to her 
 cousin, as they drove away in all the happiness of 
 the irrecovered ttte-a-tke from the Rue Tetebout. 
 " I don't know what Sir Christopher may say to 
 it, but let him say what he will, I would rather 
 bear it than have that death's head and cross 
 bones for ever before my eyes." 
 
 "Indeed, my dearest cousin, I think you have 
 decided rightly. Nature gave you a temper that 
 was never intended for weeping and lamentation, 
 and it would be nothing short of ingratitude and 
 rebellion to Heaven if you submitted to sit down
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 247 
 
 with that girl before your eyes," replied Lady 
 Foreton. " But I think," she added, " that you 
 must write to her father." 
 
 " Stuff and nonsense, Sophy, I am sure I shall 
 do no such thing. What good could I possibly 
 do by writing ? Some months hence I dare say 
 I shall write, but shall pass over my sending her 
 to those worthy people, quite as a matter of course 
 — -just as if I had sent her to a school, you know." 
 
 Lady Foreton remained silent on hearing this, 
 while Lady Moreton put down the window of the 
 carriage, and then put it up again, half a dozen 
 times in half as many minutes, and then she 
 beo:an hummins^ a new waltz. This lasted till 
 they had got as far as the Rue St Honore, and 
 then her sweet, cheerful temper yielding at last, 
 she exclaimed, " Be so good as to tell me what 
 makes you sit moping there, cousin Sophy, with- 
 out condescending to give me a word of answer ? " 
 
 " No, no, ma cousine, I am not moping, I am 
 writing." 
 
 " AVriting ? and who are you writing to, pray ? 
 The Chevalier de St Armand ? " 
 
 " No, my dear, I am writing to Sir Christopher 
 Harrington."
 
 248 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 " Are you ? What a dear good creature you 
 are, Sophy ! What should I do without you ? 
 But, Sophy, dear, won't he think it odd for you 
 to write to him ? He never set eyes upon you in 
 his whole life, remember." 
 
 " Why, yes, cousin, I suspect he might think it 
 very odd indeed. But if I wrote the letter, and 
 you copied it, he would never find it out, and 
 I am sure it will not take you five minutes." 
 
 Lady Moreton sighed, but she probably knew 
 that resistance was vain, and said no more on the 
 subject, suddenly dismissing it, by turning the 
 discourse to the fancy ball with which she in- 
 tended to conclude the season. Her cautious 
 cousin followed her lead, and perfectly contented 
 to manage the charming-tempered countess, her 
 purse, and her parties, as completely as a pilot 
 manages the course of a ship in fair weather, said 
 not a syllable more either of Sir Christopher or 
 his daughter, till she brought the following letter 
 for her docile relative to copy. 
 
 " Dear Sir Christopher, 
 ** I hope that you will feel satisfied with what 
 I have done about your daughter. 1 am sorry to
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 249 
 
 say that I have found her rather behind-hand in 
 her accomplishments. Everything is so advanced 
 in Paris ! But luckily for her, a charming family 
 of the name of Roberts, who are among my most 
 intimate friends, and who move, indeed, in the 
 very first circles of Paris, have two daughters, 
 whose education is still going on, though they are 
 already among the most finished samples of 
 Parisian education which we have among us. In 
 order to render perfect their accent in all the 
 modern languages of Europe, they are about to 
 set out upon a most delightful tour, which will 
 comprehend Germany and Italy, and they have 
 the excessive kindness to take Bertha with them. 
 Had there been time, I would have written to 
 consult you on the subject ; but had I done so, 
 the opportunity would have been lost, and we can 
 never hope to find such another. 
 
 "Yours, dear Sir Christopher, 
 " Always affectionately, 
 
 «M. MORETON." 
 
 Having thus guarded against all possible danger 
 of reasonable remonstrance on the part of the 
 young lady's father, and, in a very prompt and 
 
 M 3
 
 250 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 business-like manner settled all pecuniary matters 
 with the Robertses, Lady Moreton dismissed the 
 disagreeable subject from her mind, as completely 
 as we now dismiss her ladyship from our pages. 
 
 As soon as this important transaction was com- 
 pleted, our travelling friends immediately fixed 
 the day of their departure for Baden-Baden ; Mrs 
 Roberts getting rid of all her debts (excepting a 
 few small, half-forgotten ones, for such vulgar 
 commodities as many particularly elegant people 
 find it impossible to remember), by means of 
 drainino; their credit at their London bankers as 
 " dry as hail ;" and were thus enabled to set out 
 with light hearts, and a quarter's stipend from 
 Miss Harrington in advance, safely stowed in 
 Mrs Roberts's private pocket-book. 
 
 What was, however, to Mrs Roberts's feelings 
 more precious still than her bundle of receipts, 
 and her not quite empty purse, was a certain tiny 
 letter of introduction to the Dowager Grand 
 Duchess of Baden, obtained for her by her old 
 friend Mrs Bretlow, from a French lady of rank. 
 This, and the comfortable conviction that, not- 
 withstanding all her blunders about prices, and 
 the comparative expenses of a quiet banker's life
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS. 251 
 
 in London and those of a fine lady in Paris, she 
 still retained in her husband's opinion the repu- 
 tation of being the very best manager that ever 
 lived, sufficed to send her off in excellent spirits. 
 
 She was conscious, too, that she was exceedingly 
 improved in a variety of ways by her residence in 
 Paris. She knew, as she told her confidential 
 Agatha, a monstrous deal more of life than when 
 she set out, and that she v^as certain she should 
 get on better and better ever}^ place she came to. 
 
 " It is the duty of an Englishwoman," said she, 
 "to teach all foreigners that we are the first 
 people of the earth in all ways. And that is what 
 I ivill teach them, go where I will, you may de- 
 pend upon that, Agatha. Nobody can learn every- 
 thing at the first moment, you know, and of 
 course I felt a little put out in Paris, just at first, 
 about that nasty, stupid milliner's bill, and one or 
 two other things. For instance, it never struck 
 me till quite lately, that we ought to call ourselves 
 De Koberts. I have not said a word to your 
 father about it as yet, but I have had new card- 
 plates engraved. You need not say anything 
 about it either, Agatha, till after we have left
 
 252 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Paris, because we should have such lots of ques- 
 tions to answer. But look here, my dear." 
 
 The young lady stretched out her hand to re- 
 ceive the card presented to her, and read thereon, 
 MADAME DE ROBERTS, 
 iWe de Hopkins. 
 
 "What put this into your head, mamma ? " said 
 Agatha, smiling with evident admiration and plea- 
 sure. 
 
 " Why, I got hold of it, my dear, from a conver- 
 sation I overheard some time ago at that ridiculous 
 Madame de Soissonac's, who, it is quite plain, by- 
 the-bye, has turned us off because Edward would 
 not give up that pretty Madame de la Motte 
 for her. But however, as I was saying, it was at 
 her house that I got the idea, which I must say I 
 think is rather a clever one. I overheard a French- 
 man say to an Englishman — it was one of the few 
 who have got common sense enough to speak 
 English, you know — that he believed all the best 
 English families either have, or used to have, a de 
 put before their names, as a sign that they came 
 first from some of the great families in France. 
 And the Englishman said, * Oh, yes, certainly, it
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 253 
 
 was SO.' And tlien the Frenchman said that it 
 was a great pity the English ever left it off, for 
 that not all the money in the world could give 
 them so much consequence on the continent as 
 the having de before their names. Nothing is lost 
 upon me, you see." 
 
 " No, mamma," replied Agatha, " you are very 
 clever, nobody can doubt that, and I shall like to 
 be called Mademoiselle de Roberts exceedingly ; 
 and so will Edward, too, 1*11 engage for it, and 
 Maria also. But I think it will puzzle papa 
 monstrously. What do you think he will say 
 to it?" 
 
 " I am sure I don't know, my dear, but it does 
 not much signify, I suppose. But you must not 
 think, Agatha, that I mean to speak disrespect- 
 fully of your father. You know I always forbid 
 everything of the kind. Nobody shall ever have 
 cause to say, when I am dead and gone, that I 
 ever taught my children to speak disrespectfully 
 of their father." 
 
 And now everything being settled, and every- 
 thing being packed, the whole family, but no 
 longer encumbered by a servant, repaired to the 
 Messagerie, and stowed themselves into the interior
 
 254 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 of the diligence bound to Strasbourg. One of 
 Mrs Roberts's last purchases in Paris was the 
 voluminous guide-book of the admirable Madame 
 Starkai/, as she is called by more than one of the 
 nations whose hidden treasures she has so indus- 
 triously laid bare, and from this treasury of 
 useful knowledge she had, during the short inter- 
 vals allowed by her more active labours, already 
 gleaned a great deal. Amongst the rest she had 
 made herself perfectly au fait of all the mysteries 
 of veterino-travelling, and of the immense advan- 
 tages to be derived from it when six persons are 
 to be conveyed. This advantage, however, did 
 not appear to be so attainable in France as else- 
 where, and she therefore, as w^e have seen, began 
 her onward course by the diligence. But she did 
 not leave Paris till she had made ^liss Harrington 
 understand, by a reference to Madame Starkay's 
 statements respecting posting, that the journey to 
 Baden-Baden could not possibly be made for less 
 than twenty pounds, which simi the melancholy 
 girl deposited in her hands, secretly rejoicing that 
 she was about to leave the turmoil of Paris at the 
 distance of twenty pounds behind her. Their first 
 halt was for dinner, and on this occasion Mrs
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 255 
 
 Eoberts brought forward her very last improve- 
 ments in the French language, for the purpose of 
 convincing the landlady, two chambermaids, and 
 three waiters, that they were themselves, together 
 with the w^hole nation to which they belonged, 
 the most ignorant and contemptible set of crea- 
 tures upon the earth; that nothing which they 
 brought to table was fit for the food of Christians, 
 and that the not having salt-spoons and sugar- 
 tongs was a demonstration of national inferiority, 
 of which they ought to be ashamed. 
 
 It was certainly a proof that her residence at 
 Paris had increased her vocabulary of French 
 phrases, that she so far managed to make herself 
 understood, as to lead the head-waiter to ask the 
 landlady whether she did not think the English 
 the most disagreeable travellers in the world. 
 But it w^as Miss Agatha who, in the first instance, 
 reaped this reward of her mother's progress in 
 "the tongues," for she not only overheard, but 
 understood Avhat the man said. However, she 
 immediately transferred it, in good English, to the 
 ear of her mamma, and then, very naturally, Mrs 
 Roberts grew vehemently patriotic, declaring that 
 the English condescended a great deal too low,
 
 256 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 in putting themselves so far upon an equality 
 with a set of contemptible foreigners, as to give 
 them an opportunity of displaying their detestable 
 ingratitude by abusing them. 
 
 " I only wish," she added, with fervour, " that 
 our gold would turn into lead between their fin- 
 gers, and then they would know the difference 
 between a really great nation and themselves." 
 
 However, on the whole, they might be said to 
 have reached Strasbourg in safety ; for though no 
 part of the distance was unmarked by some very 
 striking display of Gallic inferiority, they were 
 neither starved to death, nor crushed into frag- 
 ments by the disorderly conduct of the horses 
 which drew their vehicle; though both the one 
 fate and the other were pretty incessantly pro- 
 phesied by the indignant Mrs Roberts, who could 
 neither understand how a civilized nation could 
 submit to eat the meat that had positively been 
 boiled in their soup, or suflfer four horrid great 
 animals to gallop abreast, when drawing a public 
 carriage to which the safety of English travellers 
 was so frequently intrusted ! 
 
 In the midst of all the disgust and indignation, 
 however, Mrs Roberts never ceased to feel that.
 
 ON TIIEIH TRAVELS. 257 
 
 by thus travelling with her family abroad, she was 
 doing an extremely genteel thing ; and it may be 
 doubted whether her expressions of admiration and 
 enjoyment, concerning everything she saw and 
 everything she did, when writing to her friends 
 at home, or her demonstrations of disgust and 
 contempt to the offending natives of the countries 
 which she honoured with her presence, were the 
 most energetic and powerful. 
 
 At Strasbourg Mrs Roberts of course thought 
 it necessary to remain long enough to pass judg- 
 ment on the merits of its cathedral ; and it was 
 there that for the first time her young prottgee. 
 Miss Harrington, displayed any symptom of in- 
 terest in what was going on before her eyes. 
 
 At the sight of the mighty church she started, 
 and without thinking of what she was about, she 
 remained as perfectly still as if her feet had been 
 rooted to the pavement, in contemplation of the 
 western front, long after the rest of the party had 
 entered the building. 
 
 As soon as the mournful young traveller had 
 sufficiently recovered her presence of mind to 
 become aware that she was alone, she experienced 
 a painful sensation of bewilderment and fear.
 
 258 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 But although this poor girl partook of that par- 
 ticular weakness of mind which beset the Danish 
 prince, and though while confessing, like him, 
 that death was common, she might fairly enough 
 have been exposed to the rejoinder, " Then if it 
 be, why seems it so particular to thee ? " — not- 
 withstanding all this. Bertha Harrington was by 
 no means a silly girl, and putting her hand before 
 her eyes, to shut out for a moment the sight of 
 the astounding edifice which had so overpowered 
 her faculties, she set to work upon a strict self- 
 examination, as to how much she remembered 
 about the hotel at which they had taken up their 
 quarters for the day and night. Fortunately, she 
 remembered its name, and this was enough to re- 
 assure her; for if she should happen to see no 
 more of her party either in or about the church, 
 she knew that she could inquire her way to the 
 hotel. 
 
 Having made up her mind on this point, a very 
 ardent wish sprang up in her mind that she might 
 see no more of the Robertses till she met them at 
 dinner. The hour for this repast had, in her 
 hearing, been named at three hours later than the 
 present time, and the possibility that she might
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 259 
 
 pass that interval not only beyond the reach of all 
 their voices, but within the precincts of the 
 solemn wonder that reared itself before her, caused 
 a movement of joyous satisfaction at her heart, 
 which it was long since she had experienced. 
 
 She had no doubt, however, that she should be 
 speedily sought for, and judiciously anticipating 
 that the spot first revisited would be that on 
 which she had been last seen, she glided away to 
 the left, and was again standing entranced before 
 the statued stateliness of the north side of the 
 building, while her party, staring in all directions 
 round the wide extent that spreads before the 
 western front, remained wondering a Venvie Vun 
 de Vautre, where she could possibly be. 
 
 Their exit from the building in search of her, 
 however, though by no means long delayed, was 
 not made till the whole family had seen quite aa 
 much of the interior of Strasbourg cathedral as 
 they desired to see. There were no statues upon 
 which Mrs Roberts could. display her enthusiasm, 
 as she had been wont to do in the halls of the 
 Louvre; there were no moustached beaux, nor 
 gaily-attired belles, for the fair sisters and tlieir 
 brother to stare at ; and as for the worthy Mr
 
 260 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 Roberts himself, he rushed out of the church with 
 his huge bandanna pocket handkerchief wrapped 
 closely round his head, declaring that he had 
 never been in such a well in his life, and that if 
 he stayed another minute there he should have 
 rheumatism in his head for a twelvemonth. 
 
 Having therefore looked about as much as they 
 thought needful, for the lost Bertha, all serious 
 anxiety on her account being effectually prevented 
 by their being aware that, by some strange acci- 
 dent or other, this very odd girl spoke French as 
 well as she did English, they agreed to proceed 
 on their ramble round the town. The ever-provi- 
 dent Mrs Roberts, indeed, whispered to her son 
 before they set off, that perhaps he would do 
 better to stay behind and poke about the old 
 church a little in search of her. 
 
 " It would be such a nice opportunity, Edward, 
 if you did happen to find her," she added, coax- 
 ingly ; " and I don't suppose we shall see any- 
 thing very particular in this queer old town." 
 
 '* No, ma'am, I don't suppose there is a single 
 thing, dead or alive, in the whole place, that I 
 would give half a sou to look at. But I won't 
 play guardian angel to Miss Bertha for all that.
 
 OK THEIR TRAVELS, 261 
 
 She is the dullest young devil that I ever came 
 near in my life, and I would see her jump from 
 the top of that filagree steeple up there rather 
 than be plagued with her impertinent silence for 
 five minuter." 
 
 " But, Edward, dearest," persisted the anxious 
 parent, "you should never forget that she will 
 have three thousand a year." 
 
 " Make yourself easy, mother," replied the 
 young man, " I never do forget it, and if her 
 father keeps single for the next three years I fully 
 intend to marry her, if she were to grow paler and 
 duller every hour of her life from this day to that. 
 But I hope, ma'am, you don't suppose that I am 
 such a very slow coach as to require three years 
 to bring me in ? You may manage the girl as 
 you will for the next two years eleven months and 
 fifteen days, and I will manage myself according 
 to my own fancy during the same time, and then 
 you shall see me make play, mother, push all 
 other pretenders out of the field, and join myself 
 in holy wedlock to the young lady and her thou- 
 sands before you know where you arc." 
 
 " Dear lively creature I " returned liis mother, 
 releasing the struggling arm she had seized while
 
 262 THE ROBERT8ES 
 
 making the remonstrance ; " if you have a mind 
 to do that, or anything else, darling, I don't feel 
 much doubt but that you will be able to do it. 
 But do step on, my dear Edward, and give those 
 two audacious officers a look with those eyes of 
 yours. You see how they have stepped off the 
 pavement, almost into the gutter, to let your 
 sisters pass, as if we were such fools as not to 
 know that they do it only to have a good oppor- 
 tunity of staring at them ? I suppose they think 
 we shall take it all for politeness. Xot quite so 
 soft as that, are we, Edward ? "
 
 ON THEIE TEAVELbo 263 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 For the first time since the strange and terrible 
 events which had sent her in a condition far worse 
 than that of an orphan, from her home and her 
 country. Bertha Harrington now felt a sensation 
 of positive enjoyment. Before she entered upon 
 the stupendous vastness of the venerable church, 
 she watched from behind a sheltering buttress the 
 departure of the family into which she had been 
 so strangely grafted, from the square, if the open 
 space in which the Cathedral stands supreme can be 
 so termed, and then, released from all fears of an im- 
 mediate reunion with them, she pushed open a small 
 door and w^ent in. On first entering the vast cathe-
 
 264 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 of Strasbourg the emotion felt is generally rather 
 that of disappointment than pleasure; a disap- 
 pointment occasioned by the contrast between the 
 rude and unfinished appearance of the interior, 
 and the rich magnificence of the external architec- 
 ture. The whole edifice is a noble conception ; 
 but the patience, the labour, and the abounding 
 wealth which may so easily be traced in all the 
 elaborate details of its exterior finishing, seem 
 to have failed before the pious work had been 
 long continued within. But when the pampered 
 eye that had been feasting on the dainty deco- 
 rations of the outer walls, their buttresses, their 
 pinnacles, their cornices — their countless popu- 
 lation of saints and angels, martyrs and kings — 
 the doorways, that look like the gates of Paradise, 
 and the spire whose leafy tracery seems piercing a 
 way to it — when the pampered eye has become 
 accustomed, as it were, to the striking difterence 
 between what it has been gazing at without, and 
 what it has to rest upon within, the imagination 
 very speedily becomes satisfied, and, forgetful of 
 the pomps and vanities which have been left to 
 the idle gazers of the market place, lulls itself 
 into holy meditation in the still space, so awful in
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 265 
 
 its vastness, which seems void of everything but 
 the solemn silence that permits the thoughts to 
 rise to heaven. 
 
 Such, at least, was the influence of the place on 
 the mind of Bertha Harrington. It was long, 
 very long, since she had felt herself so completely 
 at liberty, and though a well-taught young Pro- 
 testant, her first impulse, in this Romish church, 
 was to pray. Poor young creature! her heart 
 was almost as heavy as it was innocent ; and yet 
 Bertha Harrington was not in love, nor was she 
 poor, nor was she persecuted after the manner of a 
 heroine, nor had she left in any other land any 
 persons who were much dearer to her than those 
 she had found in this. For, in truth, she had never 
 loved, warmly, truly, and devotedly, but one human 
 being, and that one was her mother. This mother, 
 as unlike in all things to the sister who has been 
 introduced to the reader, as it was possible for one 
 woman to be to another, had passed through a 
 short life to an awfully sudden death, with little 
 to cheer her seemingly prosperous, but really un 
 happy destiny, save the constant society, the con- 
 stant love, and the constant duty of her one sweet 
 child. 
 
 VOL. L N
 
 266 THE ROEERTSES 
 
 Lady Harrington, who was fifteen years younger 
 than her sister, had been early married to her 
 wealthy, handsome, and very accomplished husband. 
 She had loved him, too, most tenderly ; and as she 
 was blessed with great beauty, very bright intelli- 
 gence, perfect health, great acquirements in all ac- 
 complishments that could fascinate others and 
 amuse herself, and, to crown all, possessed a most 
 sweet and loving temper, it is not surprising that 
 she was looked upon as one of the happiest young 
 women in existence. 
 
 It is, however, to be hoped that there are but few 
 so wretched. Her first misfortune was the giving 
 birth to a daughter, instead of a son. The sort of 
 effect which this disappointment produced on the 
 father is not easily described. His beautiful young 
 wife seemed suddenly to become disagreeable to 
 him. He did not positively use her ill ; that is to 
 say, he never addressed her in harsh or unseemly 
 lanffuasre, nor were anv of the luxuries of her sta- 
 tion and fortune withdrawn. But, in truth, he 
 rarely addressed her at all ; and having arranged 
 her removal from London, wdiere her child was 
 born, to his remote castle in L'eland, he never ar- 
 ranged any other removal for her, but without
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 267 
 
 alluding to any cause whatever for his conduct, he 
 gradually withdrew himself from her society, pass- 
 ing the greater part of his time in London, but 
 still occasionally paying a visit of a few days at a 
 time to his castle, his wife, and his child, so that 
 he could not strictly be said to live separately from 
 her. 
 
 But it would have been greatly more for her 
 happiness had he done so ; for then, time, her little 
 daughter, her books, her music, and the lovely 
 wildness of her magnificent abode, would by de- 
 grees have soothed her spirit, and reconciled her 
 to her strange destiny. But these visitations, 
 startling from their unannounced suddenness, and 
 always bringing the alternate hot and cold ague 
 fits of hope and disappointment, to the hard-to-cure 
 love of the fond young wife, perpetually disturbed 
 her existence, without cheering it, and it was only 
 during the last two or three years of her life, when 
 Bertha had become capable of being her companion 
 as well as her pupil, that the spirit of the neglected 
 wife, and almost desolate recluse, became tolerably 
 tranquil, and resigned to the lot she had drawn. 
 
 During these years. Bertha had grown into so 
 very charming, and so very dear a companion, that 
 
 n2
 
 268 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 her mother could endure with comparative indiffe- 
 rence the seemingly unmeaning comings and go- 
 ings of Sir Christopher. The only care which the 
 negligent father of this sweet girl ever bestowed 
 on her education, was the sending down a young 
 Frenchwoman to Castle Harrington by way of a 
 governess. Bertha was, however, rather more 
 than twelve years old when she arrived, and as 
 her mother had already made her an extremely 
 good French scholar, this innovation mij^ht verv 
 well have been dispensed with. However, as the 
 young woman was a Parisian, and appeared to 
 have been well educated. Lady Harrington wil- 
 lingly submitted to it, permitting the handsome 
 stranscer to live en tiers with herself and her 
 daughter, save for two precious hours in the even- 
 ing, when previous to their retiring together to 
 rest, the mother and daughter still enjoyed an in- 
 terval of unbounded confidence. And in the 
 mornings, too, when rambling farther on foot than 
 the delicate Mademoiselle Labarre liked to follow 
 them, they still pursued their sketching, or their 
 botanising tete-d-tete ; but during the rest of the 
 day they lived all together, and Bertha had the 
 advantage of improving her French accent, and her
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. ' 269 
 
 familiarity with the colloquial idiom ; for the con- 
 versation was wholly French, Mademoiselle pro- 
 fessing herself entirely ignorant of the English 
 language. 
 
 In this manner above four years had passed with 
 little variety, save that which arose from the visits 
 of Sir Christopher. These seldom lasted beyond 
 a day or two, but they had become considerably 
 more frequent than formerly ; they caused, how- 
 ever, but little variety in the daily routine of Lady 
 Harrington's life, or in that of her daughter either. 
 Their morning walks, and their evening in tete-a- 
 tete, went on as usual, for Sir Christopher invari- 
 ably passed the evenings in his library, where he 
 had an excellent collection of books, which, not- 
 withstanding the general dissipation of his habits, 
 had ever continued an object of interest to him. 
 Mademoiselle Labarre also continued her usual 
 practice of respectfully saluting the ladies as soon 
 as she had taken her coffee, and leaving the saloon 
 to Lady Harrington and her daughter. 
 
 Although Mademoiselle Labarre was, as we 
 have said, no great walker, her general health had 
 appeared exceedingly good till within a few weeks 
 of the sudden death of Lady Harrington. She
 
 270 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 then appeared to lose her spirits and lier strength, 
 and soon took the oi)portunity of Sir Christopher's 
 arrival at the castle to signify her intention of re- 
 signing her situation and returning to the con- 
 tinent. No time, however, was specified for her 
 departure, but it was understood that she intended 
 to set oiF as soon as she felt well enough to under- 
 take the journey. 
 
 Great kindness and attention was shown her on 
 the part of Lady Harrington, but she made no 
 effort to detain her, as it appeared emlent, from 
 Sir Christopher's silence on the subject, that he 
 agreed with her in thinking that Bertha could not 
 reap any further benefit from her services. 
 
 Things were in this state, and Sir Christopher 
 himself still at the castle, when one night shortly 
 after the mother and daughter had retired to bed. 
 Bertha, who slept in a bed beside her mothers, 
 was suddenly awakened by a cry from Lady Har- 
 rington. The young girl was by her side in an 
 instant, and the light of the night-lamp sufficed to 
 show her the beloved features of her mother con- 
 vulsed in mortal agony. To procure assistance 
 was of course the first idea that occurred to her, 
 and hastily stretching out her hand to seize the
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 271 
 
 lamp, while her eyes were still fixed on the con- 
 vulsed features of her mother, she overturned it, 
 and the flame went out. She knew her way, how- 
 ever, to the chamber of her mother's personal at- 
 tendant too well to cause her any fear lest she should 
 fail to find it without a light, and losing not an in- 
 stant even to clothe her delicate feet in slippers, 
 she crept along by the help of the well-known fur- 
 niture till she reached the door, and entered upon 
 the long passage which led to the rather distant 
 sleeping-rooms of the household. 
 
 Her unclad feet moved so noiselessly along the 
 carpeted passage, that if every room she passed 
 had been inhabited, it would have been impossible 
 that any one could have heard her. Nevertheless 
 she perceived a strong light gleam from the par- 
 tially opened door of one of the rooms she was 
 about to pass, and rejoiced by the hope of finding 
 speedy aid, she quickened her already rapid pace 
 for a step or two, and presently perceived that 
 the light came from the door of Mademoiselle 
 Labarre. 
 
 There had ever been something, it would be 
 difficult to say what, in the manners of this young 
 woman, which, though perfectly well-bred and
 
 272 TPIE ROBERTSES 
 
 respectful, had never led to that kindly degree of 
 intimacy which Lady Harrington would willingly 
 have permitted ; there had ever been sometliing 
 of restraint and coldness throughout the whole of 
 their intercourse, which would certainly have 
 prevented Bertha from selecting her as the first 
 to summon in a moment of such painful alarm as 
 the present ; nevertheless, she determined, as her 
 door was open, to enter her room, and entreat her 
 to awaken some of the men servants, and send 
 them off for medical assistance. 
 
 But one or two more of her rapid, noiseless 
 steps, brought her within reach of seeing the 
 figure of the Frenchwoman, who stood immediately 
 within the door, and also her features, made 
 distinctly visible by the light of a wax taper she 
 held in her hand. 
 
 The figure of Bertha was still completely hid in 
 the obscurity of the passage, and for an instant 
 she paused to contemplate the spectre-like coun- 
 tenance of Mademoiselle Labarre. She was as pale 
 as death ; her eyes were not only wide open, but 
 distended so much beyond their usual size, as to 
 give her the appearance of being under the influ- 
 ence of terror, that amounted to agony. Her lips
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 273 
 
 were unclosed, and frightfully colourless, and her 
 beautiful teeth were visible from side to side, in a 
 manner that seemed to express the suspension of 
 all her faculties in a paroxysm of horror. 
 
 At any other moment Bertha would have fled 
 from her in alarm, in the belief probably that some 
 sudden fit of frenzy had fallen upon her ; but now, 
 bewildered herself, the poor girl, by the dreadful 
 fears to which her mother's violent sufferings had 
 given rise, fancied that Mademoiselle Labarre 
 had been made aware of them, she knew not how, 
 and feeling that her ghostly appearance was only a 
 part of the frigthful terror of the moment, she 
 rushed onward, and seized her by the arm. 
 
 The governess uttered a shriek, so loud and 
 shrill that Bertha recoiled from her in terror, but 
 she called her by her name, adding, " Gracious 
 Heaven ! she has lost her senses ! " 
 
 These sounds seemed to restore the bewildered 
 faculties of Mademoiselle Labarre, and she 
 exclaimed, in French, " I beg your pardon. Is 
 it you? Why—" 
 
 " Oh I mademoiselle," exclaimed Bertha, " my 
 mother ! " 
 
 N 3
 
 274 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 " Your mother ? Is she dead ? " said the gover- 
 ness, shuddering. 
 
 " Oh ! Heaven forbid I " cried Bertha, " but she 
 is ill, mademoiselle, very ill, I am going for her 
 maid. Give me your candle; we are in dark- 
 ness. Light this other candle. Mademoiselle 
 Labarre, and in the name of pity rouse some of 
 the servants that they may go for the apothecary." 
 
 Having obtained the light, Bertha darted 
 forward, and presently aroused the sleeping maid, 
 who instantly accompanied her back to the cham- 
 ber of her mistress. As they passed the door of 
 Mademoiselle Labarre, they perceived that it was 
 wide open, and the apartment empty. 
 
 " She is gone to call the men servants," said 
 Bertha. 
 
 " Ko matter where she is gone," replied the 
 waiting-maid, between her closed teeth. 
 
 Bertha turned quickly round to look at her, but 
 this was no moment to ask for explanations. They 
 were already at the door of Lady Hamngton s room, 
 and, hastening through it, they found her lying 
 perfectly still, but already as pale as a corpse, and 
 very nearly as motionless. Bertha bent over her
 
 ON THEIE TEAVELS. 275 
 
 in unspeakable agony, and wiped the cold dew 
 from her forehead. 
 
 "Sir Christopher ought to be called," Miss 
 Bertha, said the sobbing maid. 
 
 " Go," replied Bertha, " go to him." 
 
 The woman left the room without reply, and 
 then the wretched girl, who already felt that she 
 was motherless, pressed her trembling lips to those 
 of the idolised parent whom she knew too surely 
 would soon be removed from her for ever. The 
 cold hand which she had taken in hers, feebly 
 returned the pressure of her fingers, and then, as 
 Bertha stooped again to kiss that dear and still 
 living hand, the lips of her dying mother parted, 
 and a voice that sounded as if it issued from the 
 tomb, pronounced the word " poison." 
 
 There could be no mistake. The voice was 
 low, hollow, and sepulchral, but the word was 
 perfectly distinct. 
 
 The agony which but one short moment before 
 seemed beyond the power of fate to render more 
 bitter, was now increased tenfold. Bertha uttered 
 a shriek almost as terrible as that which she had lis- 
 tened to from her governess a few moments before, 
 and then a wild idea that help might even yet be
 
 276 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 administered took possession of her, and, utterly- 
 distracted, she rushed out of the room, exclaiming, 
 "Murder! Poison! Help!" 
 
 At no great distance from the door she met her 
 father ; his dressing-gown was hurriedly thrown 
 round him, and he looked pale and frightened. 
 
 " She is poisoned ! she is poisoned I " shrieked 
 Bertha. 
 
 Sir Christopher spoke not, but hurried onward 
 to his lady's room. 
 
 "Give orders, Miss Bertha,— give orders in- 
 stantly, that the guilty wretch escape not ! " cried 
 the personal attendant of Lady Harrington, in a 
 state of dreadful excitement, " I found her with 
 him, Miss Bertha ! I found her in the bed-room 
 of your father. Let her not escape. If you are 
 my angel lady's daughter, let her not escape. She 
 has murdered her — your mother I " 
 
 Several servants, both male and female, were 
 by this time collected in the corridor, and all of 
 them rushed forward tosjether towards the room 
 of Lady Harrington. Bertha, when the dreadful 
 words of her mother's maid reached her ear, at- 
 tempted to speak, but her voice failed her. She 
 raised her arms as a signal that the throng which
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 277 
 
 was hurrying onward should stop and hear her ; 
 but ere she could make herself heard or under- 
 stood, the horror of the moment overcame her, 
 and she fell fainting upon the ground. 
 
 When she recovered her senses, she found her- 
 self in a room distant from that which had for 
 years been shared between her and her mother, 
 and with the usual medical attendant of the 
 family hanging over her. For a few moments she 
 was utterly bewildered, and all her efforts were 
 insufficient to recall clearly the scenes which had 
 preceded the loss of her senses. By degrees, 
 however, these dreadful scenes returned with only 
 too much precision and certainty, and raising her 
 head from the pillow, she exclaimed, "My mo- 
 ther ! " No voice answered her. The apothecary 
 stepped aside ; and taking a glass of hartshorn and 
 water from the table, put it silently to her lips. 
 
 " It is over ! She is dead ! " said the poor girl, 
 putting aside the needless remedy which was to 
 restore sensation, already too acutely alive. 
 
 " It is too true, my dear young lady,*^ replied 
 the apothecary. " Pray to God that you may be 
 supported under this most terrible affliction." 
 
 Bertha fixed her eyes upon him, and was evi-
 
 278 THE R0BERTSE8 
 
 dently struggling with her own weakness to ask 
 some question, the nature of which might be read 
 in her eyes, though her lips refused to utter it. 
 At that moment there is no doubt that she was in 
 perfect possession of her senses, but no one had 
 the heart to tell her that there was every reason 
 to believe her mother was murdered ; no one 
 had courage to say that some of the servants, who 
 had long suspected a too great intimacy between 
 Mademoiselle Labarre and their master, had now 
 spoken openly; and that the wretched woman, 
 having been sought for in vain in every part of the 
 castle and grounds, was considered as the author 
 of Lady Harrington's death. No one dared to 
 tell her that her father, having looked for a mo- 
 ment on the breathless body of his wife, had shut 
 himself up in his own apartment; and when 
 applied to for instructions as to how the terrified 
 household were to proceed, uttered only the words, 
 " Begone ! Leave me ! Do what you will ! " 
 
 None of this was spoken openly to Bertha ; she 
 would have suffered less in health, probably, if it 
 had been ; but having heard and understood enough 
 to make her either know or suspect almost every- 
 thing, she was left to supply what was imperfect in
 
 ON THEIR TEAVELS. 279 
 
 the horrible history, by the working of her ah'eady 
 shaken reason; and the consequence was, that 
 within twelve hours of the mother's death, the 
 daughter was in a state of violent delirium. 
 
 Sir Christopher, meanwhile, must have so far 
 recovered his composure as to have issued the 
 orders wliich the nature of the circumstances ren- 
 dered absolutely necessary for his own security. 
 He volunteered a deposition before the nearest 
 magistrate, in which he confessed the disgraceful 
 fact that the governess of his daughter was his 
 mistress ; and plainly stated his belief that this 
 woman, moved by a paroxysm of jealousy, had 
 caused the death of Lady Harrington by poison. 
 He had lost no time in summoning the proper 
 persons to examine the body, which had exhibited 
 the most unequivocal proofs of the cause of her 
 death ; and he had caused every repository which 
 had been used by the suspected fugitive to be 
 sealed, till formally examined before proper legal 
 authorities. 
 
 Not only these, but all the minor details called 
 for by the occasion, were punctually attended to. 
 The state of his young daughter, not being con- 
 sidered dangerous, but merely the temporary con-
 
 280 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 sequence of the violent agitation she had endured, 
 did not prevent Sir Christopher's giving orders for 
 the preparation of suitable mourning for her ; and 
 as soon as it was deemed proper for her to travel, 
 she had been sent to her estimable aunt in Paris. 
 
 But none of all this important business had oc- 
 cupied the baronet so completely -as to prevent his 
 organizing a series of mystifications for the public 
 papers, which, by the help of a skilful agent, had 
 succeeded beyond his hopes. The first step in 
 this series was to despatch an account of his lady's 
 sudden death to a multitude of journals, in which 
 every fact, except that of her death, was falsified ; 
 and as these diiFered from each other in all essen- 
 tial points, the truth, which was never stated in 
 any of them, was merged and lost sight of, amidst 
 the mass of wild romances which were immediately 
 put into circulation. 
 
 In one account it was stated that the unhappy 
 lady had been barbarously murdered by a party of 
 discontented tenants, who had been suddenly dis- 
 missed from their farms. This was contradicted 
 on the following day, by a declaration, " by the 
 highest authority," that the district, though one of 
 the most disorderly in Ireland, had been particu-
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 281 
 
 larly quiet for some time ; and that it was the life 
 of Sir Christopher, and not that of his lady, which 
 had been endangered by the practices of some 
 evil-disposed individuals who had contrived to get 
 domesticated in the family. 
 
 This again was quickly followed by a grave 
 statement, that the whole of the reports respect- 
 ing the peculiar circumstances which had been 
 supposed to attend the death of the late lamented 
 Lady Harrington, were utterly unfounded, and 
 had arisen solely from her having died so suddenly, 
 as to induce her agitated husband to insist upon a 
 post mortem examination ; and in this last state- 
 ment there was, apparently, such a weight of grave 
 authority, as to make it speedily settle itself into 
 the public mind as the truth. Of private accounts 
 there were none whatever. The castle and its 
 dependencies formed one of the most desolate, 
 though most picturesque domains in Ireland ; and 
 such was the state of the population round it, that 
 no single proprietor, except Sir Christopher, made 
 a residence of any mansion to be found for many 
 miles round Castle Harrington. And thus an 
 event which, under other circumstances, might 
 have made a nine days' wonder for the gaping
 
 282 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 world, passed like the unsubstantial vision of a 
 magic lantern, too rapid in movement and too 
 vague in outline, to leave much trace on the 
 memory of any save the scattered few whose des- 
 tinies were affected by it. This rapid sketch may 
 accoimt for the melancholy of the " horrid girl," 
 whose sadness had so painfully annoyed the sweet 
 temper of Lady Moreton.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 283 
 
 CHAPTEK XV. 
 
 And now to return to time present. There 
 stood Bertha beneath the towering roof of Stras- 
 bourg cathedral, her sorrows, as well as herself, 
 seeming for the moment to be lost in its stupen- 
 dous vastness, and a feeling of pious submission to 
 the Being for whose worship it was reared, so 
 soothingly stealing her over that, for the first time 
 since her misfortune, she forgot to think herself 
 the most unhappy being in existence. 
 
 The holy stillness of the place was most deli- 
 cious to her, and as she paced with noiseless tread 
 from one extremity of the solemn edifice to the 
 other, she thanked God that her reason had not
 
 284 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 forsaken her for ever, and that her sph'it could 
 still taste the elevating influence of such a mo- 
 ment as she now enjoyed. 
 
 Though the Roberts family had wandered away 
 to the gardens which skirt the town, without the 
 clog of any great anxiety on the subject of Ber- 
 tha's disappearance, she was not forgotten by them 
 during the domestic enjoyment of their ramble ; 
 and, to say truth, there was not one of the family, 
 the heavy Mr Roberts himself included, who did 
 not relieve their minds by abusing her, more or 
 less. The young gentleman, though he confessed 
 that he had decided upon making her his wife, not- 
 withstanding declared that she was, beyond all 
 comparison, the most confounded little rococo bore 
 he had ever encountered, and that he did not be- 
 lieve she had ever once looked him in the fi\ce from 
 the first moment she had entered their house at 
 Paris to the instant she had contrived to dodge 
 away from them at the cathedral. 
 
 " My dear Edward, tlie girl is a fool," observed 
 his mother in reply. " I have watched her closely ; 
 my eyes were not given me for nothing, and I will 
 venture to assert that her intellect is below the
 
 ON THEIR TRATELS. 285 
 
 ordinary level. This is certainly a great misfor- 
 tune, and I am very sorry for it. But we can't in 
 this life, you know, Edward, expect to find every 
 thing cut and dried exactly according to our wishes. 
 I do not thiiik she is ugly, and there is some com- 
 fort in that, you must allow." 
 
 "You are not going to fancy, I hope, that I 
 have any intention of falling in love with her, 
 ma'am ? " said Mr Edward with a broad grin, and 
 pressing the arm of his sister Maria, who at that 
 moment had the honour of walking with him. " I 
 must beg that you will make up your mind to be 
 contented by my marrying her." 
 
 " You dear droll creature, you ! Who ever 
 asked you to fall in love with her ? " returned his 
 lively mother, with a gay laugh. " I am afraid 
 we all knew you too well, you gallant gay Lothario, 
 for us to entertain any such expectation. But my 
 conscience gives me no trouble on that head, Mr 
 Edward Koberts. Your angelic temper will be 
 sure to make any woman you marry happy, whe- 
 ther you love her or not." 
 
 This did not reach the still rather old-fashioned 
 ear of Mr Roberts, nor was it intended to do so. 
 But he caught enough of the conversation to
 
 286 THE R0BERTSE3 
 
 know that the subject of it was his ward, as he was 
 already beginning pretty constantly to call her, and 
 he ventured to join in it, so far as to say, " I see 
 you are talking of my ward, my dear, and I'll bet 
 sixpence that there is not one of ye who can find 
 anything very favourable to say of her. No won- 
 der, no wonder ; I am not going to quarrel with 
 you for that, for I do think she is the very 
 dullest young girl that I ever made acquaintance 
 with in the whole course of my life." 
 
 " Then what do you think she must appear to 
 us, sir ? " demanded Agatha, sharply. " Nobody 
 seems to consider what Maria and I must suffer, 
 such lively creatures as we both are, from being 
 perpetually obliged to associate with such a girl as 
 Bertha Harrington. I know that mamma thinks 
 she will turn out a perfect treasure by way of a 
 contrast, but it is not paying us a very flattering 
 compliment to fancy we want such a one." 
 
 " You may talk of her folly, her stupidity, her 
 melancholy, or her bad temper, as much as you 
 like," said Maria, with a good deal of bitterness, 
 "but I tell you it is all pride, hateful, detestable, 
 abominable pride, and if Edward does make up his 
 mind to marry her (which I trust he won't do if he
 
 0?r THEIR TRAVELS. 287 
 
 can get anything better), I shall take care to make 
 her understand that she is not to play the great 
 lady to me — I won't bear it." 
 
 Having reached the ca/4 to which the military 
 who guard the venerable town, and the fair ladies 
 who adorn it, are wont to resort, to eat ices, sip 
 cherry water, and to look at each other, the 
 English party seated themselves upon a bench, 
 and Mr Edward inquired what they intended to 
 take. 
 
 " Take, Edward ? " replied his economising mo- 
 ther, " why, good gracious, my dear, we are just 
 going to dinner." 
 
 " And who ever heard that ice spoilt the appe- 
 tite, ma'am?" rejoined the youth, "It never 
 spoils mine at any rate, and I shall take some, if 
 nobody else does." 
 
 Mrs Eoberts gave an intelligent look to her 
 daughters, between whom and herself there was an 
 understanding that they were to spare every pos- 
 sible expense on the journey, for the purpose of 
 saving money to buy a new bonnet all around, the 
 very first time they saw " anything decent " in 
 that line ; for the getting clear of Paris had not 
 been achieved without considerable difficulty, and
 
 288 THE R0BERTSE9 
 
 all intended farewell purchases there had been per- 
 force abandoned. 
 
 Mr Edward therefore walked off alone, and the 
 young ladies beguiled the period of his absence by 
 listening with much dutiful attention to the inge- 
 nious theories by which their mamma kindly en- 
 deavoured to reconcile them to remaining behind. 
 
 " It is all very natural for Edward, you know, 
 to think more of the pleasure of eating an ice than 
 of the value of the sous he pays for it ; for it is 
 impossible that it can make so much difference to 
 him as it may to you. But I would just have you 
 ask yourselves, girls, whenever you bring your 
 minds to consent to any little economy of the kind 
 — I would just have you ask yourselves which is 
 likely to answer best — eating ices and cakes, or 
 spending the money in something that shall im- 
 prove your appearance ? Ask yourselves if eating 
 ices ever got any girl a husband ? Only ask your- 
 selves that question, and I don't think you wiU 
 ever care much about eating ices again." 
 
 Both the girls having agreed that she was per- 
 fectly right, aud that they would rather have a new 
 bonnet than all the ices in the world, they sat wait- 
 ing very patiently for the return of their brother.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 289 
 
 only thinking, in the way of regret, how very much 
 better off the men were, who had the power of 
 getting a rich wife, as Edward was going to do, 
 than the women, who had nothing for it but to 
 wait, and look beautiful, till they were invited to 
 change their condition. 
 
 They were in some degree rewarded for their 
 good behaviour, by perceiving that the group of 
 which they made part had attracted the attention 
 of a very gay -looking party of officers who were 
 lounging a})out the door of the cafe, and reasonably 
 thinking that neither their papa nor their mamma 
 were at all likely to draw upon themselves so 
 lengthened an examination, they fairly concluded 
 that the gentlemen were looking at them. 
 
 They might, perhaps, have been better pleased 
 still, had they known the sort of observations to 
 which their position at the present moment and 
 that of their brother had given rise. They must 
 have been pleased, for they had doubtless heard 
 that 
 
 Pity melts the soul to Love, 
 
 and these military gentlemen were, one and all of 
 them, expressing a great deal of pity for the 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 290 TITE ROBERTSES 
 
 pretty girls sitting so forlornly on the bench, 
 while " that odious-looking young pupj:)y " was 
 cramming ices by himself. 
 
 These observing gentlemen, having in truth 
 nothing very particular to do or to look at just 
 then, had permitted their eyes to reconnoitre " la 
 famille Anglaise " with a good deal of attention, 
 for they possessed one great and decided attraction 
 for officers in gaiTison — they were new. On per- 
 ceiving the young man of the party enter the 
 cq/e, and hearing him demand in the usual English 
 accent of authority, " Avez-vous des glaces 9 " they 
 took it for granted that he was about to convey 
 this pleasant refreshment to the ladies, and, as the 
 Miss Robertses were really pretty girls, they 
 would gladly have assisted him in performing this 
 service, had waiters been wanting. But when 
 they saw him seat himself under the shade 
 of the . awning, and drawing a second chair 
 forward, repose his legs in the most leisurely atti- 
 tude imao^inable, while a waiter brouirht him ice 
 after ice, till he had devoured throe ; when they 
 saw this, and moreover perceived by the frequent 
 turning of the ladies' heads towards him, that they 
 were waiting for him, and perhaps rather iinpa-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 291 
 
 tiently, one of them said to tlie rest, with a most 
 expressive shrug, 
 
 " How much do you think a French girl of 
 eighteen would take to change places with either 
 of those unhappy ones ? " 
 
 Alas ! poor England ! It is thus thou art 
 perpetually judged by our short-sighted neigh- 
 bours. Yet how can we blame them ? what 
 avails it that our countrywomen would be quite 
 as unwilling to change places, as the fairest French 
 receiver of petits soins could possibly be ? They 
 know nothing about it. How should they ? — 
 five hundred finished English gentlemen may pass 
 through the country without drawing upon them- 
 selves half so much popular attention as one such 
 
 strutting cub as Mr Edward Roberts. 
 
 # * * # * 
 
 On returning to their hotel, the Koberts family 
 found that their sagacity had led them to judge 
 rightly, for that Miss Harrington had re- 
 turned before them. They were not surprised 
 at this, but they were surprised at the strikingly 
 altered aspect of the young lady. Bertha Har- 
 rington did not greet them, as heretofore, with 
 downcast eyes, and silence as nearly perfect as it 
 
 o2
 
 292 THE R0BERTSE9 
 
 could be, consistent with civility. Xo, she looked 
 up at them, and spoke to each of them, with a 
 kind and gentle smile. The hour she had 
 passed in the solemn solitude of Strasbourg 
 cathedral had been turned to good account. She 
 had prayed for resignation, and the humble prayer 
 was not unheard. 
 
 Their dinner was taken at the table-d'hote, 
 where the guests were for the most part militar\'. 
 One of these gentlemen sat beside the elder Miss 
 Roberts, and politely did the honours of the wine 
 and the dishes near him. 
 
 " Qu'il est bete ! " said the young lady to her 
 sister, who sat on the other side of her. And the 
 phrase was uttered very audibly, because it en- 
 abled her at once to display her knowledge of the 
 French language, and her indignation at being 
 spoken to without an introduction.
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 293 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The spending either time or money in hunting 
 for the treasures which nature or art might 
 chance to have bestowed on the various places 
 through which her travels led her, did not enter 
 into the scheme of Mrs Roberts's economy ; unless, 
 indeed, the said treasures had become so notori- 
 ously objects of fashionable curiosity as to render 
 the paying some attention to them both a matter 
 of necessity, and a matter of course. The cathe- 
 dral of Strasbourg was one of these, because Mrs 
 Roberts had so often heard about the spires being 
 so very high, and so very much like lace-work ; 
 and because, moreover, Agatha had written a
 
 294 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 memorandum In her pocket-book, to assist her in 
 remembering that it was in the cathedral of Stras- 
 bourg that the Earl of Oxford and Queen Mar- 
 garet, according to the unimpeachable Xorthern 
 chronicle, had their famous interview. In respect 
 to the lace-work, Mrs Roberts honestly confessed 
 that she was a good deal disappointed. What it was 
 she had expected in that line, she did not explain, 
 but it certainly was not what she saw. However, 
 she confessed also that the spire was uncommonly 
 high ; and Agatha protested that she was perfectly 
 sure she had found the door at which the queen 
 made her mysterious exit ; so, on the whole, the 
 family declared themselves greatly pleased, and 
 set oiF for Baden-Baden the next morning, with 
 the pleasantest conviction that they had made the 
 most of their time, and done and seen a great deal 
 more than most people. 
 
 Bertha Harrington indeed had a silent thought or 
 two concerning the chances there might be against 
 her ever finding herself within the venerable city 
 again, and perhaps guessed that there might be 
 something more there which she, in her youthful, 
 humble-minded state of existence, would have 
 deemed worth looking at. But she did not think the
 
 OJf THEIR TRAVELS. 295 
 
 looking at them worth the tremendous experiment 
 of asking Mrs Roberts to remain there for another 
 day. Her meditations in the church had done 
 her good, nor was she at all likely to abandon the 
 resolution she had there taken of rousing herself 
 from the state of almost torpid despair into which 
 she was conscious she had fallen since the terrible 
 death of her mother. But although this was 
 likely to produce very considerable effect upon 
 her general conduct, it did not inspire sufficient 
 courage to induce her to enter into discussion with 
 Mrs Roberts. And so the Roberts family moved 
 on, though it is certain that at this stage of their 
 travels, a single word from the heiress would have 
 sufficed to have made them halt, retreat, turn eyes 
 right, or eyes left, or march forward, at her 
 pleasure. Perhaps it was a pity she did not know 
 this, as it might have enabled her to see many 
 things which were now left unseen ; and as " use 
 lessens marvel," it was possible that, as time wore 
 on, they might lose their sense of her greatness, 
 and feel less disposed to prefer her will to their 
 own. 
 
 The purpose of the effective leader of the 
 party, however, was in this case, as in most others.
 
 296 THE ROBEPwTSES 
 
 ill very happy conformity with the inclinations of 
 her family. Her son and her daughters sighed 
 for ball-rooms and public walks, and the estimable 
 father of the race was still so freshly under the 
 influence of the admiration inspired by his adora- 
 ble wife's last display of good management, in 
 carrying off with her from Paris an extra purse 
 of such considerable value, while rather adding to, 
 than derogating from, the family dignity by the 
 achievement, that the mere circumstance of her 
 making a proposal to do this, that, or the other, 
 was a positive pleasure to him, and he listened 
 with a broad, bland smile upon his countenance, 
 and as broad and bland a conviction at his heart, 
 that something good and profitable must come of 
 it. So on they went, and found themselves and 
 their well-packed veterino carriage driving along 
 the picturesque defile, blessed by the tepid springs 
 of Baden-Baden, just at the hour when its cosmo- 
 polite population begin to display their many- 
 coloured wings, in order to sec and be seen, for 
 the next twelve hours, under all the various 
 aspects that pleasure can devise. 
 
 The spectacle was at once horrific and enchant- 
 ing. " Gracious Heaven ! what a beautiful group
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 297 
 
 of women ! " exclaimed Edward Roberts, twisting 
 himself round in his seat in the open coupee of the 
 vehicle, both for the purpose of addressing his 
 sisters within the carriage, and lengthening his 
 gaze at the party. " I wonder what country 
 they are ? but what a confounded bore it is to be 
 seen for the first time boxed up in this beastly 
 tub ! Just look at my father's hat ! " 
 
 "Don't talk of his hat, Edward! Look at 
 Maria's. Look at us all, covered with dust, and 
 as tightly wedged in, with all our boxes and 
 trunks piled up behind us, as if we were a company 
 of strolling players ! " said Agatha. 
 
 Maria groaned. 
 
 " Was there ever anything so provoking ! " 
 resumed her not less sensitive but more expansive 
 sister. " What a set of men those ladies on 
 horseback have got with them ! It is really too 
 provoking." 
 
 " It is a d — d shame to travel in such a way as 
 this," said Edward, muffling his face in his pocket- 
 handkerchief. 
 
 " You are a fool for what you say, my dear, but 
 you are wise in what you do," said Mrs Roberts, 
 following his example, and as nearly as possible 
 
 O 3
 
 298 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 covering her ample face also with her pocket- 
 handkerchief. 
 
 The veterino crept on, and for about two 
 minutes the agitated family had the comfort of 
 enjoying the road, with nothing but the dust to 
 annoy them. Mrs Roberts put the interval to 
 profit, by pronouncing the following oration : — 
 
 "You are very great fools, all of you. And so 
 you always will be, you may depend upon it, 
 whenever you choose to fancy yourselves wiser 
 than your mother. I know extremely well what 
 I am about — few people better, I believe ; and if 
 you were not all of you too young to have your 
 common sense ripened sufficiently to be fit for use, 
 you would know, without my telling you, that it 
 is not very likely such a person as I am should do 
 anything without having good reasons for it, 
 or without being perfectly aware of both the risk 
 and the profit. If you were a few years older, 
 Edward, you would know that it was a thousand 
 times less dangerous to come into a new place as 
 we are doing now, which is exactly in the right 
 way to prevent any one from caring a straw about 
 us, than if we were to appear in a dirty, dusty, 
 shabby-looking carriage, with fom* bony post-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 299 
 
 horses, with no out-rider, no courier, no servants. 
 Everybody always does look up, and begin peer- 
 ing and peeping when they hear and see post- 
 horses, but nobody ever thinks of giving a second 
 glance, or a first either, at a veterino. And you 
 may just ask yourselves if it is likely you should 
 either of you be known again when you come 
 forth, dressing as you did at Paris, for the same 
 shabby set that looks so cross and so dusty now ? " 
 To this point the voice of authority had been 
 listened to with apparent resignation ; but exactly 
 as Mrs Roberts pronounced the word " now," a 
 handsome open carriage, with two elegant-looking 
 women in it, and an exquisitely caparisoned gentle- 
 man on eitlier side, was seen advancing towards 
 them. The road was narrow, and the coachman 
 of this gay equipage made an authoritative sign to 
 the veterino that he was to draw up his vehicle 
 into the hedge, in order to leave good room to 
 pass. The quiet German obeyed, and having 
 lodged two wheels and one horse in a commodious 
 little ditch, patiently awaited the approach of the 
 other carriage and its gay cortege. The agony of 
 the trio of young Robertses was then at its climax. 
 The son uttered a very unseemly word indeed. It
 
 300 THE EOBEETSES 
 
 was now Agatha's turn to groan, which she did, as 
 she buried her face in her hands ; while poor Maria 
 muttered, " Diable ! " with an accent perfectly 
 French, but a pang at her heart which, under the 
 circumstances, was perfectly English. She re- 
 tained sufficient self-possession, however, to follow 
 the example of her brother, and to envelop her 
 face very completely in her handkerchief. But 
 the superiority of the mother's genius displayed 
 itself at this trying moment most strikingly. She 
 rose from her seat in the back of the carriage, and, 
 throwing herself forward, seized the head of her 
 husband in both her hands ; and twisting it suddenly 
 round towards the hedge, exclaimed, " Look there I " 
 Of course Mr Roberts did look there most 
 effectually, concealing his large comely face there- 
 by, and Mrs Roberts was rewarded for her pre- 
 sence of mind and admirable aplomb^ by seeing the 
 dreaded carriage roll by ; and feeling certain that 
 though the bright eyes it conveyed were very de- 
 liberately directed towards her and her family, 
 there was not so much as the tip of a nose left 
 visible by which they might any of them be known 
 again under the widely different circumstances 
 in which they intended hereafter to appear.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 301 
 
 But alas ! at the instant that she ventured to 
 replace her person in its seat of honour, and per- 
 mitted herself, from beneath her sheltering veil, to 
 take a glance both at her own party and that which 
 had passed by them, she perceived that the ey es of 
 Bertha Harrington, caught by the picturesque 
 ruins of the Alt Schloss, were not only wide open, 
 and unshaded by any contrivance whatever, but 
 thrown up in eager admiration of the scene on 
 which they had fixed themselves, and looking at 
 that unfortunate moment so infinitely more bright 
 and beautiful than she had ever seen them before, 
 that she exclaimed, in a burst of uncontrollable 
 passion, " Hang the girl ! she does it on purpose ! " 
 
 Maria's conscience told her that this burst of in- 
 dignation was produced by her own too spirited 
 appeal to the Prince of Darkness, while Agatha 
 bitterly reproached herself, in the belief that the 
 attitude into which she had thrown herself was too 
 likely to attract attention, and both felt very duti- 
 fully penitent. Their emotions would probably 
 have been altogether of a different character had 
 they been aware that their young companion, 
 whose appearance they most sincerely believed to 
 be too perfectly insignificant to attract or to fix the
 
 302 THE ROBEltTSES 
 
 eye of any commonly rational human being while 
 they were themselves present, had, at that most un- 
 lucky moment, both attracted and fixed by far the 
 most fashionable pair of eyes of which Baden-Baden 
 could boast that season, and that, too, with an 
 ecstasy of admiration which left not the hundredth 
 part of a glance for any one else ; a fact which 
 would have been rendered more provoking still, 
 could they have also been made aware that the 
 earnestness of that glance, though it excluded all 
 others, men, women, and children, from its specu- 
 lation, had very satisfactorily ascertained the fact 
 that the most captivating face in the world was 
 making its ejitree into Baden in a dusty, overloaded 
 sort of a caravan ! But ignorance is indeed very 
 often bliss, and most assuredly was so on the pre- 
 sent occasion, for delighted by the bright specimens 
 of " good company" which they had already seen, 
 and flattering themselves that it was quite impos- 
 sible they should ever be recognised as the dusty 
 travellers whose faces had been so carefully con- 
 cealed, they scrambled out of the carriage, and 
 dived into the shelter of the hotel to which they 
 were driven, with a lightness of step that spoke 
 well for the state of their spirits.
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 303 
 
 Mrs Roberts herself enjoyed the release from her 
 travelling equipage, fully as much as her daughters 
 could do, but there was more of sobriety and 
 thouschtfulness in her movements. She looked 
 about her, and became immediately aAvare that the 
 draperies of the window curtains were a great deal 
 too elegant to permit any hope of reasonable 
 charges at the hotel, and therefore that it would be 
 absolutely necessary for her to find private lodg- 
 ings before night. All she had yet seen of the 
 place convinced her that it was exceedingly gay 
 and elegant, and thereupon she naturally de- 
 termined that she and her family should be exceed- 
 ingly gay and elegant too, a sort of resolution 
 which never came to her mind unaccompanied with 
 another, for the moment at least, equally strong, 
 that she would be most strenuously economical. 
 
 " We must not stay here a moment longer than 
 we can help, my dear," said she, addressing her 
 husband. " Not a bed to be had under three 
 francs, I'll answer for it. Dinner we must have, 
 if" it is only to get house-room for an hour or two, 
 and I shall order it directly, and then set off with 
 you and Agatha, to look for lodgings." 
 
 " With me, mamma ! " exclaimed Agatha, with
 
 304 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 every appearance of disinclination to the proposal. 
 " You don*t suppose that I intend to show myself 
 in such a place as this, dressed as I am now ? I 
 neither can nor will do it, and that's flat." 
 
 "You know, Agatha, tliat you speak better 
 French than any of us," replied her mother, coax- 
 ingly, "and, depend upon it, my dear, that it will 
 be greatly for your comfort and advantage to go 
 with me. Girls have always such a quick eye for 
 closets and wardrobes, and all that ; besides, the 
 fact is, that I won't go without you. I never can 
 speak French in my best manner when I am as hot 
 and tired as I am now, and unless you mean to go 
 back to Strasbourg, or some of the little villages 
 near it, to pass the summer, you must come with 
 me ; so don't make any more difficulties about it, 
 there's a dear girl." 
 
 " If I do go, then, it shall be without papa," re- 
 turned the young lady, " for change of dress, you 
 know very well never can make such a difference 
 in him as to prevent his being known again. The 
 best way, if I must go, will be for Bertha to lend 
 me her crape bonnet and mantle, and with this old 
 black gown everybody will fancy, of course, that I 
 am somebody in mourning, and then / certainly
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 305 
 
 shall have a tolerable chance of not being known 
 again, for I shall first come out visible in my 
 prtjuge vaincu bonnet and scarf. And as for you, 
 mamma, I will positively not stir a step unless you 
 will let me take every atom of ribbon out of your 
 bonnet, and that flower out of your cap, and you 
 shall have Maria's thick green veil and your own 
 horrid old travelling shawl, and then I think we 
 may venture. But, remember, never as long as 
 you stay here shall you ever put on that striped 
 gown again." 
 
 All these conditions being complied with, the 
 dinner was ordered, and while it was preparing the 
 masquerading apparel of the two ladies was pre- 
 pared also, and having performed their parts at the 
 repast, they set off immediately on its conclusion, 
 looking, as Maria assured them, so very queer and 
 unlike themselves, that she did not conceive there 
 could be any danger of their ever being recognised 
 afterwards.
 
 306 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Had the landscape-loving Bertha Harrington 
 been of the party, it is likely enough that the 
 lodging-seeking might have proceeded but slowly ; 
 for it is difficult to take a single step at Baden- 
 Baden, without coming in sight of tempting paths, 
 which so evidently lead to what is beautiful, that it 
 is difficult to turn away from them. Fortunately 
 for the family convenience, ]\Irs Roberts and her 
 daughter Agatha were free from all such wander- 
 ing weakness. Mountains and forests were to 
 them no more attractive than Salisbury Plain 
 would have been under similar circumstances, and 
 the murmuring Oelbach on one side, and the
 
 ox THEIR TEAYELS. 307 
 
 massive walls that enclose and conceal the cham- 
 bers of the secret tribunal on the other, stole not 
 a single glance from the square little painted 
 boards which here and there volunteered the agree- 
 able intelligence that " appartementes garnis " were 
 still to be had. Not one of these welcome 
 notices was neglected; even where the outward 
 appearance of the accommodation offered was 
 such as to produce from the young lady a very 
 eager exclamation, such as, " For Heaven's sake 
 do not go in there, mamma ! " or, " How can you 
 suppose, ma'am, that we can all be packed into such 
 a hole as this ? " the indefatigable Mrs Roberts 
 replied, " It is impossible to judge, Agatha, till 
 Ave have seen everything." In many cases, the 
 little square boards led them to the examination 
 of little square rooms, too miserably small to 
 afford any hope to the heated and weary Mrs 
 Roberts that her party might be coaxed into en- 
 during them. The heart and soul of this excel- 
 lent parent and admirable manager were about 
 equally divided between vanity and economy ; 
 though sometimes the one, and sometimes the 
 other, seemed to have the preponderance, which, 
 of course, depended upon the particular circum-
 
 308 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 stances in which she found herself placed ; but 
 when she set out upon this tour in search of 
 lodgings, economy was decidedly in the ascendant. 
 She had not yet forgotten, good lady, all she had 
 suffered at Paris from having permitted her love 
 of practical elegance to overpower the influence of 
 her theoretical economy ; and although her admir- 
 able management in obtaining Miss Harrington 
 as an inmate had saved her from the immediate 
 consequences of this indiscretion, she was really 
 and truly doing all she could to keep the scales 
 which indicated the state of her mind as to pru- 
 dence and splendour, as evenly balanced as possible : 
 nay, she fancied at this particular time, she rather 
 wished to give the preponderance to prudence, 
 either as a sort of private atonement for her Paris 
 blunders, or because she had some indistinct 
 visions of Roman greatness in the distance. Ac- 
 cordingly, she repeatedly endeavoured, or appeared 
 to endeavour, .to prove that many of the little 
 lodgings they now went over would be good 
 enough, quite good enough, if they could but 
 contrive to have an additional bed or two added to 
 the accommodation they offered. 
 
 " How can you say so, mamma ? " exclaimed
 
 ON THEIR TRAYELS. 309 
 
 the vexed Agatha, upon one occasion, when the 
 apartment under examination was not only ex- 
 ceedingly small, but situated at the extremity of 
 a long dark passage, which gave anything but a 
 distinguished air to the approach. " How can you 
 talk of bringing Miss Harrington into such a 
 place as this ? You know she can be obstinate 
 when she takes it into her head. I would advise 
 you to remember the resolute stand she made 
 against our either of us sleeping in the same room 
 with her. It would be very short-sighted eco- 
 nomy if you were to disgust her just at the begin- 
 ning in this manner. I think from what I know 
 of her that she is quite capable of writing to her 
 relations to tell them that she is so extremely 
 uncomfortable that she cannot bear it." 
 
 "And / think, my dear, from what I know of 
 her relations, that if she did, she would get nothing 
 for her pains but a good scolding," replied her 
 mother. 
 
 " Very likely, ma'am," returned the acute Aga- 
 tha, " if she were such a fool as to write to that 
 impertinent old lady in Paris. But that is not 
 what she would do, you may depend upon it ; she 
 would write to her father, ma'am, and such an
 
 310 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 application as that might answer better, perhaps." 
 " Good gracious, child ! what could have put 
 such a very disagi-eeable idea into your head?" 
 returned Mrs Roberts. " I would not have such 
 a thing happen for a hundred pounds, or more 
 too, perhaps. Suppose we go back, Agatha, to 
 that pretty house that looked out upon a garden ? 
 It was most abominably dear, certainly, but it 
 might, after all, be better economy to give a high 
 rent just for one or two of the summer months, 
 than run the risk of losing this girl. Don't you 
 think that house would do very well, my dear ? " 
 " No, mamma, I do not," replied Agatha, feeling 
 her courage strengthened by her easy victory. 
 " Though the fine folks we met as we came into 
 town did not see much of us, I should think that 
 you must have seen enough of them to be very 
 sure, that let us dress and look as well as we may, 
 they Avould see us all at the bottom of the sea 
 before they would come to call upon us in such a 
 little bit of a cottage as that. I suppose you have 
 forgotten, mamma, that you have brought a letter 
 to the dowager grand-duchess ! Just fancy any 
 of her people bringing an invitation to sucli a 
 house as that ! and also fancy, if you can, two
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 311 
 
 such men as those we saw riding with that car- 
 riage being introduced to ns, perhaps at a ball, 
 and then inquiring where we lived ! Only flincy 
 how pleasant it would be to tell them that we 
 lodged nt a little low house with two small 
 windows in front of it." 
 
 '' For goodness sake, Agatha, what would you 
 propose then ? " said her mother, looking a great 
 deal provoked at her pertinacity, and the more so, 
 perhaps, because she felt such very perfect sym- 
 pathy with all she said. 
 
 " I will tell you at once, ma'am, what I should 
 propose, if you wish to hear it," replied Agatha^ 
 who was really becoming every day cleverer and 
 cleverer ; " I would not propose that you should 
 take a house that is most abominably dear, but, 
 on the contrary, that you should take the house 
 which is, beyond all comparison, the cheapest we 
 have seen. I should propose that without trotting 
 about in this horrid manner any more, you should 
 at once go back to the house with the balcony, 
 and secure that for as many months as you think 
 we are likely to stay." 
 
 " The house with the balcony, Agatha ! " ex- 
 claimed Mrs Roberts, in dismay. " You must
 
 312 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 certainly be joking, child. You know very well 
 that they asked for that house exactly double 
 the price we might get the cottage for; you can- 
 not possibly suppose that I would give such a rent 
 as that ? " 
 
 " Very well, ma'am. Of course you must do 
 as you please ; I am sure I do not mean to dic- 
 tate. You asked for my opinion, and I have 
 given it. You cannot blame me for saying what 
 I think when you desire me to do so." 
 
 "But, Agatha, how is it possible that you can 
 call the very handsomest lodging we have seen in 
 the whole place the cheapest ? Why they asked 
 three hundred francs a month for it, my dear. I 
 really believe you do not know what you are 
 talking about." 
 
 " Oh yes, I do, ma'am. I beg your pai'don, but 
 I know perfectly well what I am talking about. 
 The Balcony House is three hundred francs a 
 month, and the little hole of a cottage that you 
 talk of is one hundred and fifty, and such being 
 their respective rents, my opinion most decidedly 
 is, that the Balcony House is the cheaper of the 
 two." 
 
 " Well, my dear, perhaps, you are right after
 
 ON THEIR TRAVEIS. 313 
 
 all, as a matter of comparison,' which, to be sure, 
 is the only fair way of judging anything. But, 
 nevertheless, you must allow that three hundred 
 francs a month is a great deal for us to pay for a 
 mere summer lodging, where, of course, we should 
 never, with our present strict plans of economy, 
 think of giving a party." 
 
 "Whether you give parties or not, mamma, 
 makes not the slightest difference in the question, 
 which is simply whether it will be best and most 
 prudent, under all the circumstances, to cram your 
 family into such an oven of a place as the cottage, 
 during the vehement heat of a German summer, 
 without the slightest chance of their dismal impri- 
 sonment being enlivened by a single acquaintance, 
 and that for the sake of saving about thirty pounds 
 upon the expenses of the whole year." 
 
 "Why, to be sure, Agatha, as you put it," 
 replied her mother, thoughtfully, "it does seem 
 almost a pity to deny ourselves what would be so 
 very agreeable, for the sake of thirty pounds 
 upon the whole year, and it is impossible to 
 deny that it would make a wonderful difference 
 in the style of our appearance ; and Bertha Har- 
 rington certainly does pay a very handsome sum, 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 314 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 which of course I know must help us greatly. 
 But I am terrified, Agatha, at the idea of getting 
 into trouble again." 
 
 " Nonsense, mamma, there is not the least dan- 
 ger of it," replied Agatha, increasing in energy as 
 she perceived the success of her efforts. " The 
 only real danger of your getting into trouble, as 
 you call it, arises from your not keeping constantly 
 before your eyes the ruinous mischief which must 
 ever be sure to arise from half-measures. Now 
 just observe, for one moment, while the proprietor 
 of this elegant apartment is engaged in shutting 
 up her squalhng child, how frightfully great is the 
 danger you will run if you do fall into half-mea- 
 sures at this very critical moment. In the first 
 place, the continuance of Bertha Harrington's four 
 hundred a year of course depends upon her being 
 decently lodged and accommodated. In the next 
 you must be aware that the prospects of Maria 
 and myself depend altogether upon the class of 
 people among whom we take our place in every 
 new circle we get into. How perfectly absurd it 
 would be for us to put down our names at the 
 residence, and transmit to the lady in waiting our 
 letter of introduction to the dowac^er srrand-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 315 
 
 duchess, with no better address to give than your 
 thirty-shilling a week lodging, next door to the 
 butcher's ! — that is what I mean by a half-mea- 
 sure, mamma. If we are to lodge next door to 
 the butcher, burn your letter to the duchess, and 
 let us creep in and out of our hole in a manner to 
 be as little noticed as possible. Another half- 
 measure, observe, is the absurdity of straining 
 every nerve, and running to the very brink of 
 destruction, in order to obtain elegant dresses, and 
 then to come here and take such a lodging for us 
 as will give us a very equivocal appearance in 
 point of character if we put them on. If saving 
 up money, ma'am, is really your only object, what 
 you ought to have done was to buy each of us, 
 and yourself into the bargain, two or three decent- 
 looking coloured calico gowns before we left 
 England — they wear an immense while, you 
 know, and would have been as good as new now 
 -^a good stout shawl and a straw bonnet, for each 
 of us, would have completed our costumes, and 
 then we might, with perfect propriety, have taken 
 your favourite lodging next the butcher, and 
 perhaps, as I believe we are rather well-looking 
 
 p2
 
 316 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 girls, we might, if we had any luck, have got up a 
 little flirtation with his sons or nephews." 
 
 " Good Heaven, Agatha, how you do run on ! " 
 replied the fully-convinced, yet high-spirited Mrs 
 Koberts. ** As the woman of the house has 
 thought proper to run away and leave us to our- 
 selves, I have not the slightest objection, my dear, 
 to sit here and listen to you, for you express your- 
 self very much in my own style — I mean to say 
 tliat you speak with a good deal of eloquence and 
 good sense. It is a sort of inheritance, Agatha, 
 and you ought to be thankful for it. But to be 
 quite honest with you, my dear child, I never did 
 really think that poor-looking place would do for 
 us — only, you know, I always consider it right to 
 check your lively imagination a little. However, 
 on the present occasion, I believe we agree tol- 
 erably well on the main points of the case ; and if this 
 tiresome woman would but come back to take our 
 answer about this dismal place, the best thing we 
 can do, I suspect, will be to return to that 
 abominably dear Balcony House at once, and 
 secure it ; for I really cannot trot about all the 
 evening without knowing where I am to lay my
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 317 
 
 weary head at night. I am always ready, Heaven 
 knows, to do all I can for my family, but there is 
 reason in everything. But you must observe, 
 Agatha, that in taking the Balcony House, I 
 make a great effort for the gratification and ad- 
 vantage of my family, and the high rent must be 
 made up by economy in other things. You and 
 Maria must be very careful about your washing, 
 and I most certainly shall not allow any fruit after 
 dinner, nor any cream, except just for your father 
 
 and me at breakfast." 
 
 # * * * « 
 
 This important discussion being thus happily 
 brought to a conclusion, the mother and daughter 
 descended from the apartment in which they had 
 been left by the civil Alsatian hostess, in order 
 that they might discuss, without interruption, the 
 merits and demerits of her neat little house ; and 
 meeting her at the bottom of the stairs in the act 
 of returning to know their pleasure, Mrs Roberts 
 announced to her with great dignity that " Son 
 maison ttait ahominahlement petit, et quHl fallait 
 chercher une autre plus convenable a leur rang^ 
 The good frau made an extremely low courtesy, 
 not quite sure that she rightly understood what
 
 318 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 the lady said, but construing by a sort of instinct- 
 ive consciousness of disappointment, the repeated 
 noddings of Mrs Roberts's head into a civil assu- 
 rance that she liked her house very much, but 
 that, somehow or other, it would not do for her. 
 
 The return of the purveying detachment, which 
 had seemed to the party they had left to be most 
 w^onderfully long delayed, was hailed almost with 
 a shout. 
 
 " ^Vell, my dear," said ]Mr Roberts, " what's 
 the news ? " Are we to stay in this dull, and, 
 doubtless, equally dear house ? Are we to lodge 
 with the wolves in those dismal-loooking woods 
 up yonder ? or have you, with your usual clever- 
 ness and care for us all, been able to find some 
 tolerably pleasant little lodging, where we may 
 be quiet and comfortable, and save money till the 
 winter and the balls come again ? " 
 
 This speech was pronounced with so much 
 good humour, and such a very evident intention 
 to be amiable, that ^Irs Roberts, though exces- 
 sively hot, very tired, and with her conscience in 
 that uncomfortable, irritable sort of state wliich 
 tends to ill humour, if not to repentance, could 
 not avoid bestowing about three-tenths of a smile
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 319 
 
 upon him as she replied, " You may be quite 
 sure, my dear, that I have not fagged myself into 
 this state for nothing. When I undertake to do 
 a thing, I believe I generally do it well. You 
 will neither have to remain in a nasty, cheating, 
 vulgar inn, Mr Roberts, nor yet will I condemn 
 you to sleep with the wolves. But for mercy's 
 sake give me something to drink. The fatigue I 
 have gone through since I left this house is some- 
 thing past belief ! " 
 
 " Ring the bell, Maria ! " replied the attentive 
 husband, himself hastening to disencumber his 
 panting helpmate from all such parts of her 
 drapery as it was convenient to part with. 
 
 " Moselle, my dear ? — shall it be moselle ? — 
 mixed with a little water, I suppose. I do cer- 
 tainly think that they have got the brightest sun- 
 shine here that is to be found anywhere. It would 
 almost be a relief, wouldn't it, to fix one's eyes for 
 a few minutes upon the deep shade of some of our 
 London streets ? " 
 
 " Do go and get me a towel, Maria, out of the 
 bed-room ; I feel as if I should die with the heat," 
 exclaimed Mrs Roberts, suiting the action to the 
 word, as soon as the light step of her obedient
 
 320 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 daughter had procured for her the ample instru- 
 ment which she required for her relief, and ap- 
 pearing to be greatly relieved after continuing the 
 use of it for some minutes. Agatha, meanwhile, 
 who had shared her labours, though apparently 
 without suffering quite so much from it, conten.ed 
 herself by stretching her length upon the sofa, 
 and regaling herself with a refreshing draught 
 similar to that of her mamma, and obtained by 
 the flattering aid of her brother, who, though by 
 no means particularly famous for waiting upon 
 his sisters, condescended to do so in the present 
 instance, for the sake of indulging in a few whis- 
 pered inquiries as to the result of the lodging- 
 hunting. 
 
 " I hope, Agatha," said he, " you have not let 
 my mother indulge in any very violent economical 
 whims in finding a house for us ? You don't 
 imagine, I suppose, that I have been enjoying a 
 ttte-a-tete with my papa all the time you have been 
 away. This costume, you know^ is perfectly 
 comma il faut for a travelling man of fashion, and 
 adorned as you now see me, I have already found 
 my way into the very centre of the fashion and 
 gaiety of Baden ; and a devilish nice place it
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 321 
 
 seems to be ; much too elegant, I can tell you, for 
 me to submit to be seen coming out of a barrack 
 by way of a lodging. What sort of a place has 
 she got for us ? " 
 
 " She has got, or rather, Mr Edward, / have 
 got, what I conceive to be the most stylish 
 lodgings in the town. I suspect from what I saw 
 as we walked about, that many of the best people 
 stay at the hotels, but I knew it was no good to 
 try for that, so, after a monstrous tough battle, I 
 fairly badgered her out of taking a horrid little 
 Ijouse with a parcel of cupboards in it, and now 
 we have got a very genteel-looking concern, I 
 assure you; in short, it is a sort of place that 
 you need not be ashamed of if you happen to 
 make the acquaintance of any young men whom 
 you may like to bring home. I thought of that, 
 I assure you." 
 
 " You were quite right, my dear, for more 
 reasons than one," replied her brother, displaying 
 his pretty, regular, and particularly small teeth by 
 a satirical sort of one-sided smile, which he had 
 for some weeks past been very successfully 
 practising before his mirror — " quite right, 
 'Gatha ; nothing in nature is so horrible as for a 
 
 P 3
 
 322 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 fellow to make play and get into the dwelling of 
 a pretty, well-dressed girl, with whom he has 
 danced at a ball, and find her ensconced in a 
 vulgar one-windowed parlour, looking more like a 
 dungeon than a fitting abode for beauties. There- 
 fore, my dear, though I am vastly obliged to you 
 for my share of your good deeds, I give you credit 
 for sufficient common sense to have made you do 
 all you have done for your own sake or Maria's." 
 
 " And I declare to you, Edward, whatever you 
 may think of it," returned his sister, " that the 
 doing what is right and proper by that little 
 dreamy thing. Bertha, had some share in making 
 me stand such a battle against mamma's economy. 
 I do think that she pays enough to give her a 
 right to expect decent lodgings. Don't you ? " 
 
 " Why, as to that, my dear, I cannot say that 
 my conscience would trouble me if the young lady 
 were lodged in a tea-kettle. Her situation is 
 quite different from that of yourself and ^laria. 
 You have both of you got to find husbands, and 
 find them you must, or I shall kill you, for the 
 having a pair of old maids for sisters would be 
 considerably more than I could stand. Yet it is 
 no very easy matter, either, though you are pretty-
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 323 
 
 looking girls too. But as I suspect that you will 
 have devilish little money, and as the daughter of 
 a ci-devant banker has no very illustrious rank to 
 distinguish her, I know the thing won't be easy, 
 especially as there are a pair of ye. But as to 
 Bertha, the affair in her case is altogether dif- 
 ferent. She is already provided for. I have 
 quite made up my mind to marry her, though I 
 certainly do think that she is altogether the most 
 uninteresting little animal that I ever saw in the 
 shape of a young girl. I feel, however, that it is 
 a duty to my family, as well as to myself, and I 
 shall do it. But I do wish she were a little more 
 attractive." 
 
 " Surely, Edward, you must allow that she is 
 rather pretty," said his sister. 
 
 " I don't know what you mean by rather pretty y^'' 
 replied the young man. " Her eyes, nose, and 
 mouth, are all in their right places, I suppose ; but 
 there is nothing in the very least degree attrac- 
 tive about her. She is not ugly, certainly, I do 
 not mean to say she is, and I know well enough 
 that her fortune, for a young fellow without title, 
 would make her a capital good match even if she 
 were. So that I have no notion of complaining
 
 324 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 of what chance has thrown in my way — far from 
 it. I am, on the whole, very well pleased about it. 
 But what I should like, Agatha, if I could have 
 everything quite my own way, would be to see 
 her admired by all the men that looked at her ; 
 and then you know there would be some fan in 
 snapping my fingers at them all, knowing that I 
 had the game in my own hand. Besides, it would 
 render the love-making, which must come some 
 day or other, you know, so much more easy. If 
 I could but see one really fine fashionable fellow 
 admire her, 1 should begin the business at once. 
 And I think I will venture to say, that I should 
 not be very long before I brought her into a pro- 
 per frame of mind. But now, I confess, I never 
 think of the job without yawning. I positively 
 dread the having to dance with her. But you 
 need not look so frightened, Agatha ; I know it 
 must be done, child, as well as you do, and do it I 
 shall, all in good time." 
 
 By the time the cautiously-muttered conversa- 
 tion between the brother and sister had reached 
 this point, Mrs Roberts began to find herself in a 
 considerable degree relieved from the superabun- 
 dant caloric produced by her vehement exertions
 
 ON THEIE TRAVELS. 325 
 
 in the service of her family ; and having drained 
 the last drop from her second goblet of moselle 
 and water, and her towel being exchanged for her 
 pocket-handkerchief, she indulged in a sprinkling 
 of eau-de-Cologne ; and said, " Now then, sir, you 
 must please to exert yourself a little. You must 
 ring the bell, and order the bill to be brought. 
 You must also see about finding a porter to carry 
 our luggage. The place they are to carry it to is the 
 Balcony House, just before you come to the hotel 
 with the sign of the Black Eagle. That is very easily 
 settled," she continued, after the thoughtful pause of 
 a moment, " we know the worst of it ; it will cost 
 us a few francs, and there's an end of the plague of 
 baggage for the next three months or so ; but the 
 difficulty lies in finding out how we are to convey 
 ourselves. The daylight will last for hours yet ; 
 and I can't stay here wasting my time, when I 
 might be settling myself comfortably in our beau- 
 tiful new lodgings. As far as I am concerned, 
 however, there is no difficulty. I can go wrapped 
 up as I did before. Nobody will know me again, 
 I'll answer for it. But I don't know what to do 
 about the girls. Agatha must give up her mourn- 
 ing bonnet and cloak, I suppose, to Bertha ; and
 
 326 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 without the thick crape veil there will be no safety 
 for her, she is so very striking ; and you, sir, 1 am 
 sure I don't know what in the world we are to do 
 with you. Upon my word, you are too bad to be 
 seen; and I really would not have you known 
 again, when we set off properly in our own cha- 
 racters, for fifty pounds." 
 
 " Fifty pounds, my dear ! Well, that is a good 
 deal, to be sure, in order to keep a man from being 
 taken for himself. However, you may do with 
 me exactly whatever you like ; I am ready and 
 willing to get into a sack, or into a basket, like old 
 Sir John Falstaff, if you can but manage to have 
 me carried along," said Mr Roberts, with great 
 good humour. 
 
 " There is no joke in it, sir, I can tell you," 
 replied his wife, with a good deal of severity. 
 " What is the use of my exerting myself as I 
 have done, or of making such an efibrt as I must 
 do, in order to enable me to pay for the beautiful 
 lodsiinss I have taken, if we are all to be brouo;ht 
 down slap from the air and style of a family of 
 fashion, which, for the sake of my children, I am 
 quite determined to keep up, by your being seen 
 such a figure as you are now ? "
 
 ON THEIR TRAVELS. 327 
 
 " Well, wife, well ! " returned the ci-devant 
 citizen, giving an expressive look to the sleeve of 
 his coat, which was still a very respectable gar- 
 ment, " I have told you that you may do what you 
 like with me ; and so you may, my dear, for I 
 don't care a farthing how you manage it, so that 
 you do but contrive to bring me to the bed I am 
 to sleep in, by ten o'clock or thereabouts, for I 
 really am very tired. But still, though I don't 
 want to oppose you in anything, I can't help 
 saying, that I do think travelling about has turned 
 your head a little. Why, in Heaven's name, wife, 
 should you set us all up for a family of fashion 9 
 How can a London banker's family, with seven 
 hundred a year, ever be mistaken for any such 
 thing ? A family of fashion means a nobleman's 
 family, as I take it ! or, may be, that of a wealthy 
 aristocratical Member of Parliament, or that of a 
 long-descended tip-top baronet. But I do not 
 believe, wife, that anybody in the whole world 
 ever dreamed of a family like ours being taken for 
 people of fashion. I wish you would not say that 
 any more, my dear, because it makes me afraid 
 that we shall all get laughed at." 
 
 " You may take my word for it, Mr Roberts,
 
 328 THE ROBERTSES 
 
 that you would get laughed at, and most deservedly 
 too, if anybody could hear you putting forth such 
 fusty, musty, old-fashioned nonsense, by way of 
 law. All that sort of stuff might have done very 
 well, good man, some half a century ago, but now 
 you might as well expect people to wear full-bot- 
 tomed cauliflower wigs, powdered as white as 
 snow, as listen to such hum-drum." 
 
 " Well, my dear, 1 always like best that you 
 should have your own way, because I think it 
 makes us all more comfortable ; and, therefore, I 
 shall never make any objection to your calling 
 yourself a lady of fashion, and all the rest of us a 
 family of fashion, if you like it. But you will not 
 persuade me, nevertheless, Sarah, that we are, any 
 of us, at all of the same class as those who are 
 called people of fashion in England." 
 
 " And what on earth do you suppose made me 
 decide upon leaving England, Mr Roberts ? " re- 
 turned his lady, with a very expressive smile, 
 which said, as plainly as a smile could speak, 
 ** Silly man ! you have stumbled upon the truth 
 without knowing it ! " But plain-spoken as the 
 smile was, Mrs Roberts would not trust to it, but 
 rising from her ieat, and shaking her garments
 
 ON THEIB TRAVELS. 329 
 
 into proper order for again setting forth into 
 the garish daylight of Baden-Baden, she said, 
 ** Depend upon it, Mr Roberts, and take it into 
 your mind once for all, that I would have seen 
 all the foreign countries we have passed through 
 already, and all that I intend to pass through 
 into the bargain, one and all of them, swamped 
 and sunk for evermore to the bottom of the sea, 
 before I would have left my English comforts, 
 my tidy store-room, and my stair-carpets, and 
 all the rest of it, to scramble up and down the 
 world as we are doing now, unless I had happened 
 to know, from good authority, that we might be 
 taken for people of fashion abroad, though we 
 could not at home. You might have known me 
 well enough to be quite sure that I had pretty 
 strong reasons for what I was about. I suppose 
 it is because you don't give yourself the trouble 
 of thinking, Mr Roberts, or you might have 
 found out yourself, even before we had seen it 
 with our own eyes, by merely listening to those 
 who had done the same thing before us — you 
 might have found out that when a set of English 
 people set off upon their travels, with money 
 enough in their pockets to dress smartly, and to
 
 330 THE EOBERTSES 
 
 make a little show now and then, by driving about 
 like regular milors, they very soon got jumbled 
 together both with those above and those below 
 them, so that it is one of the most difficult things 
 in the world for the natives, or even for other 
 English travellers themselves, when they are all 
 whirling about together, to find out (if people 
 don't stay too long in one place) who are really 
 people of fashion, and who are not. At any 
 rate, it's the best chance there is for us, and that 
 is quite enough to make me feel that it is my 
 duty to my family to go on as I have begun. 
 And you will think so too, sir, when your children 
 have all made the connexions which I anticipate 
 for them. And now, I hope, you understand what I 
 am about, and no more need be said on the subject." 
 " If it is all the same to you, my dear," said 
 Mr Koberts, who had very meekly listened to his 
 lady's long harangue, but who now certainly did 
 look very tired indeed ; " and if you could con- 
 trive to let me be put into the first set that goes, 
 I shall be very thankful, for, somehow or other, 
 I do feel so sleepy that I can hardly keep my 
 eyes open. Do manage, my dear, to let me be 
 one of the first."
 
 ox THEIR TRAVELS. 331 
 
 " First or last, my dear," replied his wife, " you 
 will be the most difficult person to manage of the 
 whole party, you may depend upon that." 
 
 "I am sure, Sarah, 1 am very sorry for it," 
 said the worthy man, in the most penitent tone 
 imaginable. " I would do anything in the world 
 that I could to help you out of your trouble, if I 
 did but know how ; but I really do not, any more 
 than if I was a child born but yesterday." 
 
 ^^ Of course you don't, sir," returned Mrs 
 Roberts, " we all know that, and what you cannot 
 do for yourself we must do for you. By the bye, 
 Edward, don't you think that your father could 
 put on your Greek cap ? — the red one, I mean, 
 with the blue tassel. You will never wear it here, 
 I'll answer for it, nor your father either, poor 
 man, for, to be sure, he will look queer enough in 
 it, won't he ? But if he was to put that on, and 
 just walk with an unlighted cigar in his mouth, 
 he might meet all the fine folks in the place, and 
 defy any one of them to know him afterwards — 
 he that never smokes, and never wore a Greek 
 cap in his life. Don't you think it would do, 
 Edward?" 
 
 " Why, yes, ma'am," replied her son, " I think
 
 332 THE ROBERTSES ON THEIR TRAVELS. 
 
 he would be perfectly safe. Only, if you please, 
 you must not insist upon my attending upon 
 him in person. He is perfectly welcome to my 
 cap, but I cannot promise for my gravity." 
 
 After a few minutes' further conversation, the 
 matter was settled by Mr Roberts adopting, with 
 the most scrupulous exactness, the costume above 
 mentioned, and in this guise following his still 
 muffled lady, at the distance of a few yards, till 
 he saw her safely concealed in the Balcony 
 House. He then boldly entered after her, and as 
 soon as she had deposited him in the hands of the 
 landlady, she returned with aU speed to the hotel, 
 and having seen the baggage of the party off 
 before her, she set about marshalling the young 
 ladies in the most prudent style her fertile imagi- 
 nation could suggest. 
 
 END OF TOL. I. 
 
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