“Upon my word, I should not like to stand in the count’s shoes.”
As a faithful echo of the gossip that was going on in society, this
conversation, carried on in broken sentences, under the porch of St.
Clothilda, made it quite clear that public opinion was decidedly in
favor of Miss Brandon. It would have been surprising if it should have
been otherwise. She triumphed; and the world is always on the side of
the victor. That Duke of Champdoce, an original, was the only one there
who was disposed to remember the past; the others had forgotten it. The
brilliancy of her success was even reflected on those who belonged to
her; and a young man who copied to exaggeration English fashions was
just singing the praises of M. Thomas Elgin and Mrs. Brian, when a great
commotion was noticed under the porch.