combining with every grace and every accomplishment a rare and dazzling
order of beauty--we may readily imagine the sensation she created, and the
sudden and novel zest which so splendid an Armida must have given to the
tameness of society.

The whole of the next week, the party at Erpingham House was the theme of
every conversation. Each person who had been there had met the lion he
had been most anxious to see. The beauty had conversed with the poet, who
had charmed her; the young debutant in science had paid homage to the
great professor of its loftiest mysteries; the statesman had thanked the
author who had defended his measures; the author had been delighted with
the compliment of the statesman. Every one then agreed that, while the
highest rank in the kingdom had been there, rank had been the least
attraction; and those who before had found Constance repellent, were the
very persons who now expatiated with the greatest rapture on the sweetness
of her manners. Then, too, every one who had been admitted to the coterie
dwelt on the rarity of the admission; and thus, all the world were dying
for an introduction to Erpingham House--partly, because it was
agreeable--principally, because it was difficult.

It soon became a compliment to the understanding to say of a person, "He
goes to Lady Erpingham's!" They who valued themselves on their
understandings moved heaven and earth to become popular with the beautiful
countess. Lady Delville was not asked; Lady Delville was furious: she
affected disdain, but no one gave her credit for it. Lord Erpingham
teazed Constance on this point.

"You see I was right; for you have affronted Lady Delville. She has made
Delville look coolly on me; in a few weeks he will be a Tory; think of
that, Lady Erpingham!"