After all, she could get more out of her life with such associates as them, than she could with any of these people at Matching.

She felt quite sure of that;--though Jeffrey Palliser did take great trouble to teach her the game, and once or twice made her laugh heartily by quizzing the Duchess's attitude as she stood up to make her stroke.
"I wish I could play billiards," said Mrs Sparkes, on one of these occasions; "I do indeed." "I thought you said you were coming to play," said the Duchess, almost majestically, and with a tone of triumph evidently produced by her own successes.
"Only to see your Grace," said Mrs Sparkes.
"I don't know that there is anything more to see in me than in anybody else," said the Duchess.

"Mr Palliser, that was a cannon.
Will you mark that for our side ?" "Oh no, Duchess, you hit the same ball twice." "Very well;--then I suppose Miss Vavasor plays now.

That was a miss.
Will you mark that, if you please ?" This latter demand was made with great stress, as though she had been defrauded in the matter of the cannon, and was obeyed.

Before long, the Duchess, with her partner, Lady Glencora, won the game,--which fact, however, was, I think, owing rather to Alice's ignorance than to her Grace's skill.