This, too, was caught from her Secretary, though she knew no more what it meant than if she had been a parrot.
The luncheon was very lively and very good.

When it was over, the gentlemen were allowed to smoke, and conversation fell into a sober strain, which at last threatened to become serious.
"You want half-tones!" said Madeleine to Lord Skye: "are there not half-tones enough to suit you on the walls of this house ?" Lord Skye suggested that this was probably owing to the fact that Washington, belonging, as he did, to the universe, was in his taste an exception to local rules.
"Is not the sense of rest here captivating ?" she continued.

"Look at that quaint garden, and this ragged lawn, and the great river in front, and the superannuated fort beyond the river! Everything is peaceful, even down to the poor old General's little bed-room.

One would like to lie down in it and sleep a century or two.

And yet that dreadful Capitol and its office-seekers are only ten miles off." "No! that is more than I can bear!" broke in Miss Victoria in a stage whisper, "that dreadful Capitol! Why, not one of us would be here without that dreadful Capitol! except, perhaps, myself." "You would appear very well as Mrs.Washington, Victoria." "Miss Dare has been so very obliging as to give us her views of General Washington's character this morning," said Dunbeg, "but I have not yet had time to ask Mr.Carrington for his." "Whatever Miss Dare says is valuable," replied Carrington, "but her strong point is facts." "Never flatter! Mr.Carrington," drawled Miss Dare; "I do not need it, and it does not become your style.