Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman
dance later on. I want to know whether I may ask an extraordinary favour. It will give immense gratification if you will allow Lady Ann to present the officers to you before the dance begins. I know it’s a very big thing to ask, because there are a great many of them; but, if you knew the pleasure you would confer, I could almost hope that you would forgive my presumption.”
The princess is really and truly the sweetest woman I know. Was there a moment’s hesitation? Colonel Butler brought them in, one after another, announced the names, herded them out again, brought in more. Arthur hunted them upstairs to his bedroom as they came out, so that there should be a little room on the stairs. . . And, when she came out—this presentation was really a very clever stroke on Colonel Butler’s part to give her an excuse for leaving—, there was a word and a smile for every one—praising the girls’ dresses, saying she hoped that all the young people would have a very pleasant time. Graciousness like that cannot be learned, but perhaps a certain dignity can. To do these girls justice, they behaved quite admirably; no familiarity, no nervousness—to the outward eye. I hope for their sakes that, when they compared their own “shoes and shoulder-straps” with what was thought
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