Mrs. Gould herself brought the little girl, trying to impress on Mrs.
Brownlow that if she was indocile it was not her fault, but her
grandfather could not bear to have her crossed.
The elders did not wonder at his weakness, for the creature was
wonderfully lovely and winning, with a fearless imperiousness that
subdued everyone to her service. So brilliant was she, that Essie
and Ellie, though very pretty little girls, looked faded and effaced
beside this small empress, whose air seemed to give her a right to
bestow her favours.
"I am glad to be here!" she observed, graciously, to her hostess,
"for you are my cousin and a lady."
"And pray what are you?" asked Janet.
"I am la Senora Dona Elvira Maria de Guadalupe de Menella," replied
the damsel, with a liquid sonorousness so annihilating, that Janet
made a mocking courtesy; and her mother said it was like asking the
head of the house of Hapsburg if she were a lady!
With some disappointment at Allen's absence, the little Donna
motioned Bobus to sit by her side at dinner-time, and when her
grandfather looked in somewhat later to wish her good-bye, in mingled
hope and fear of her insisting on going home with him, she cared for
nothing but his admiration of her playing at kings and queens with
Armine and Barbara, in the cotton velvet train of the dressing up
wardrobe.
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