disapproved of her for daring to speak of Rome. And she revelled in doing so, casually and airily, thought it delicious to dazzle Adolphine with a list of her social triumphs, very naturally described:
"People we used to know in Rome: Comte and Comtesse d'Azigny. He was French ambassador in those days. They recognized me at once and were very kind; and through the introduction I went to a glorious ball at the Duchesse de Rivoli's. And, Mummy, here's a portrait of your daughter in her ball—dress."
She showed the photograph, enjoyed giving the almost too-well-executed portrait to Mamma, not to her sisters, while letting them see it. She described her dress, described the ball, bragging a little this time, saying that, after all, parties abroad were always much grander than that "seeing a few friends" in Holland, addressing all her remarks to Mamma and, in words just tinged with ostentation, displaying no small scorn for Bertha's dinners and Adolphine's "little evenings:"
"Everything here is on such a small scale," she continued. "There, the first thing you see is a suite of twelve rooms, all with electric light . . . or, better still, all lit up with wax—candles . . . Yes, our little social efforts at the Hague cut a very poor figure beside it."
She gave a contemptuous little laugh to annoy
