'Her own mother would not know her!' thought Howel.

'Poor mother, she would scarcely care for all this grandeur, though one can't help envying it a little.

I will be off to California, and come home and buy a place, and see whether Gladys would not be as good a fine lady as Netta.' The dinner was grand; the servants were grand; all was grand to Owen's bewildered imagination.

Madame Duvet made such very decided attempts to talk to him, however, that he was obliged to cease wondering, and to bring his usually versatile genius into play, in the light of all the grandeur.

He got on so well with the lady, that Howel wondered in his turn, and after dinner told Owen that he verily believed if he played his cards well, he might make an impression on the pretty widow.
'One can do that, I should say, without any cards at all,' said Owen, showing his white teeth from amidst his big black beard.
When the ladies had left the dinner-table, Owen began to gain some insight into the characters and pursuits of Howel's guests.