see, Jackie. But there she is, stepping out of a hansom, the
darling! What a sweet gown! She's infinitely more interesting
than the sweating system."


We thought we were a merry party before Egeria joined us, but she
certainly introduced a new element of interest. I could not help
thinking of it as we were flying about the Bristol station, just
before entering the first-class carriage engaged by our host.
Tommy had bought us rosebuds at a penny each; Atlas had a bundle of
illustrated papers under his arm--The Sketch, Black and White, The
Queen, The Lady's Pictorial, and half a dozen others. The guard
was pasting an "engaged" placard on the carriage window and piling
up six luncheon-baskets in the corner on the cushions, and speedily
we were off.

It is a sincere tribute to the intrinsic charm of Egeria's
character that Mrs. Jack and I admire her so unreservedly, for she
is for ever being hurled at us as an example in cases where men are
too stupid to see that there is no fault in us, nor any special
virtue in her. For instance, Jack tells Kitty that she could walk
with less fatigue if she wore sensible shoes like Egeria's. Now,
Egeria's foot is very nearly as lovely as Trilby's in the story,
and much prettier than Trilby's in the pictures; consequently, she
wears a hideous, broad-toed, low-heeled boot, and looks trim and
neat in it. Her hair is another contested point: she dresses it
in five minutes in the morning, walks or drives in the rain and
wind for a few hours, rides in the afternoon, bathes in the surf,
lies in a hammock, and, if circumstances demand, the creature can
smooth it with her hands and walk in to dinner! Kitty and I, on