Mrs. Le Maistre stood in the door-way, so as to fill it up, and
prevent Anne from passing.

"Miss Anne! Miss Anne! Mrs. Le Maistre!" cried another footman; "my
lady's in the carriage, and Miss Nugent."

"Miss Nugent!--is she?" cried Mrs. Le Maistre, running down stairs,
followed by Anne. "Now, for the world in pocket-pieces wouldn't I have
missed seeing him hand Miss Nugent in; for by that I could have judged
definitively."

"My lord, I beg pardon!--I'm _afeard_ I'm late," said Mrs. Le Maistre,
as she passed Lord Colambre, who was standing motionless in the hall.
"I beg a thousand pardons; but I was hunting, high and low, for my
lady's _numbrella_." Lord Colambre did not hear or heed her: his eyes
were fixed, and they never moved.

Lord Clonbrony was at the open carriage-door, kneeling on the step,
and receiving Lady Clonbrony's "more last words" for Mr. Soho. The two
waiting-maids stood together on the steps.

"Look at our young lord, how he stands," whispered Mrs. Le Maistre to
Anne, "the image of despair! And she, the picture of death!--I don't
know what to think."

"Nor I: but don't stare, if you can help it," said Anne. "Get in, get
in, Mrs. Le Maistre," added she, as Lord Clonbrony now rose from the
step, and made way for them.

"Ay, in with you--in with you, Mrs. Le Maistre," said Lord Clonbrony.