Lady Delacour kept the dowager in scandal, according to her engagement,
for a good quarter of an hour; then the dresses at the drawing-room took
up another quarter; and, at last, the dowager began to give an account of
sundry wonderful cures that had been performed, to her certain knowledge,
by her favourite concentrated extract or anima of quassia. She entered
into the history of the negro slave named Quassi, who discovered this
medical wood, which he kept a close secret till Mr. Daghlberg, a
magistrate of Surinam, wormed it out of him, brought a branch of the tree
to Europe, and communicated it to the great Linnaeus--when Clarence Hervey
was announced by the title of "The Countess de Pomenars."

"An emigree--a charming woman!" whispered Lady Delacour "she was to have
been at the drawing-room to-day but for a blunder of mine: ready dressed
she was, and I didn't call for her! Ah, Mad. de Pomenars, I am actually
ashamed to see you," continued her ladyship; and she went forward to meet
Clarence Hervey, who really made his entree with very composed assurance
and grace. He managed his hoop with such skill and dexterity, that he well
deserved the praise of being a universal genius. The Countess de Pomenars
spoke French and broken English incomparably well, and she made out that
she was descended from the Pomenars of the time of Mad. de Sevigne: she
said that she had in her possession several original letters of Mad. de
Sevigne, and a lock of Mad. de Grignan's fine hair.

"I have sometimes fancied, but I believe it is only my fancy," said Lady
Delacour, "that this young lady," turning to Belinda, "is not unlike your
Mad. de Grignan. I have seen a picture of her at Strawberry-hill."

Mad. de Pomenars acknowledged that there was a resemblance, but added,
that it was flattery in the extreme to Mad. de Grignan to say so.