executing a sort of war-dance. Old she was not; but her peculiar graces
of person, her rotund form, her badly-made front of flaxen curls, which
was rarely in its place, made her appear so. A bold, scheming,
unscrupulous, vulgar-minded woman, who had never considered other
people's feelings in her life, whether equals or inferiors. In her day
she must have been rather tall--nearly as tall as that elegant Maude who
followed her; but her astounding width caused her now to appear short.
She went looking into the different rooms as shown to her by Mirrable,
and chose the best for herself and her daughter.

"Three en suite. Yes, that will be the thing, Mirrable. Lady Maude will
take the inner one, I will occupy this, and my maid the outer. Very good.
Now you may order the luggage up."

"But my lady," objected Mirrable, "these are the best rooms in the house;
and each has a separate entrance, as you perceive. With so many guests to
provide for, your maid cannot have one of these rooms."

"What?" cried the countess-dowager. "My maid not have one of these rooms?
You insolent woman! Do you know that I am come here with my nephew, Lord
Hartledon, to be mistress of this house, and of every one in it? You'd
better mind _your_ behaviour, for I can tell you that I shall look pretty
sharply after it."

"Then," said Mirrable, who never allowed herself to be put out by any
earthly thing, and rarely argued against the stream, "as your ladyship
has come here as sole mistress, perhaps you will yourself apportion the
rooms to the guests."

"Let them apportion them for themselves," cried the countess-dowager.