Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

CLOTHO, LACHESIS, AND ATROPOS. 133
wedding. She wore her own splendid golden hair, which hung
round her lovely face like a glory. None who saw the two could
say which was the most beautiful of these two celebrated blondes,
— Adelaide, the imperial, or Lady Emily, the gentle and the
winning.
But when Lady Ascot heard that Adelaide had appeared at
the wedding with the emeralds, she was furious. " -She has gone,"
said that deeply injured lady, -" she, a penniless girl, has actually gone, and, without my consent or knowledge, borrowed the
Ravenshoe emeralds, and flaunted in them at a wedding. That
girl would dance over my grave, Brooks."
" Miss Adelaide," said Brooks, " must have looked very well
in them, my lady! " for Brooks was good-natured, and wished to
turn away her ladyship's wrath.
Lady Ascot turned upon her and withered her. She only said,
"Emeralds upon pink! Heugh!" But Brooks was withered
nevertheless.
I cannot give you any idea as to how Lady Ascot said
"Heugh!" as I have written it above. We don't know how,
the Greeks pronounced the amazing interjections in the Greek
plays. We can only write them down.
" Perhaps the jewels were not remarked, my lady," said the
maid, making a second and worse shot.
" Not remarked, you foolish woman! " said the angry old lady.
"Not remark a thousand pounds' worth of emeralds upon a girl
who is very well known to be a pensioner of mine. And I
dare n't speak to her, or we shall have a scene with Charles.
I am glad of one thing, though; it shows that Charles is thoroughly in earnest. Now let me get to bed, that's a good soul;
and don't be angry with me if I am short tempered, for heaven
knows I have enough to try me! Send one of the footmen
across to the stable to know if Mahratta has had her nitre. Say
that I insist on a categorical answer. Has Lord Ascot come
home?"
"Yes, my lady."
"lHe might have come and given me some news about the
horse. But there, poor boy, I can forgive him."