CHAPTER 8


It was a. great day for Apollonia; not only to have Lothair at her right
hand at dinner, but the prospect of receiving a cardinal in the evening.
But she was equal to it; though so engrossed, indeed, in the immediate
gratification of her hopes and wishes, that she could scarcely dwell
sufficiently on the coming scene of triumph and social excitement.

The repast was sumptuous; Lothair thought the dinner would never end,
there were so many dishes, and apparently all of the highest pretension.
But if his simple tastes had permitted him to take an interest in these
details, which, they did not, he would have been assisted by a gorgeous
menu of gold and white typography, that was by the side of each guest.
The table seemed literally to groan under vases and gigantic flagons,
and, in its midst, rose a mountain of silver, on which apparently all
the cardinal virtues, several of the pagan deities, and Britannia
herself, illustrated with many lights a glowing inscription, which
described the fervent feelings of a grateful client.

There were many guests -- the Dowager of Farringford, a lady of quality,
Apollonia's great lady, who exercised under this roof much social
tyranny; in short, was rather fine; but who, on this occasion, was
somewhat cowed by the undreamt-of presence of Lothair. She had not yet
met him, and probably never would have met him, had she not had the good
fortune of dining at his lawyer's. However, Lady Farringford was
placed a long way from Lothair, having been taken down to dinner by Mr.
Giles; and so, by the end of the first course, Lady Farringford had
nearly resumed her customary despotic vein, and was beginning to indulge