She was possessed of a great power of sympathy, genial, very social, greatly given to the mirth of conversation,--though in talking she would listen much and say but little.

She was keenly alive to humour, and had at her command a great fund of laughter, which would illumine her whole face without producing a sound from her mouth.

She knew herself to be too good to be a governess for life;--and yet how could it be otherwise with her?
Lady Linlithgow's visit to her niece had been made on a Thursday, and on that same evening Frank Greystock had asked his question in the House of Commons,--or rather had made his speech about the Sawab of Mygawb.

We all know the meaning of such speeches.

Had not Frank belonged to the party that was out, and had not the resistance to the Sawab's claim come from the party that was in, Frank would not probably have cared much about the prince.