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They arranged that our chairs should be against the wall, and not in the row that the chaperons were behind. Godmamma tried to make signs to me to come and sit by Victorine in front of her, but I pretended not to see, until all the chairs were filled up. The Marquise de Vermandoise was next me, with the Vicomte between; she was dancing with the Comte. We were gay!
Godmamma was waiting for us in the hall when we arrived. Château de Croixmare is a nice place, but I am glad I am not French. It was the hottest night of the year almost, and not a breath of air in the house, every shutter closed and the curtains drawn. Héloise had gone to bed with a migraine, Godmamma explained, but Victorine was there.
Héloise woke up presently and talked to me; she said if it was not for the Tournelles she could not stand the Château de Croixmare and Victorine. It appears too, that when in Paris, Godmamma always drives in the Bois at the wrong times, and will have her opera box on the nights no one is there, and that irritates Héloise. I can't think why papa and she were such friends.
They are queer-looking little monkeys, Yolande is like Jean, but Marie there are three years between them is as black as ink but where was I? Oh, yes! well, by this time I was so hungry I could have eaten them, German bonne and all! Fortunately Godmamma turned up, and we strolled back to déjeûner. Héloise was in the salon, and she is charming, such a contrast to the rest of the party.
The lady caught me to her bosom, and kissing me amidst her tears, said, "Ralph, I will be your mother, though you must only look upon me as your godmamma." "Oh, I'm so glad of that! and what shall I call you?" "Mamma, my dear child." "Well, mamma, won't you take me home? I don't mean now, but at the holidays, when all the others go to their mammas? I'll be so good. Won't you, mamma?"
Early this morning she had bad toothache, and said she must go to Paris to see her dentist Godmamma and Jean made as much fuss about it as if the poor thing had suggested something quite unheard of; and one could see how she was suffering, by the way she kept her handkerchief up to her face.
"You know," says he, "cousin Harry gave me my little horse; and I can't help liking you, because you are so like Harry, and because they're always saying things of you at home, and it's a shame; and I have brought my whistle and coral that my godmamma Lady Suckling gave me, for your little boy; and if you're so poor, cousin George, here's my gold moidore, and it's worth ever so much, and it's no use to me, because I mayn't spend it, you know."
At this moment no one could have suspected the anguish she suffered; to see her kneeling before the princess, an old, good, straightforward soul, of whom the Fuernberg was always saying, "Call that a princess that!" "I beg of you, godmamma, don't go away yet."
"This is the gentleman who tells stories, godmamma," said Vera. "And knows all about the Wallypug and the Dodo and Shin Shira, and all sorts of things," declared Dick. "And if you ask him " began Fidge, when the Duchess interrupted him. "Really, children, you mustn't rattle on so.
Presently Jean and the Marquis came out of the smoking-room and joined us. The Marquis at once began to pay compliments about the sun on my hair, and was really so clever in getting in little things, while he was talking to Godmamma, that I quite took to him. Victorine had to converse with her future belle-mère all the time, and finally the carriage came round, and they went.
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