AtthatmomentMarySeytonannouncedtothequeenthatLadyDouglaswasaskingpermissiontovisither。
Itwasthesecondtime，afterlonghatredonLadyDouglas’spartandcontemptuousindifferenceonthequeen’s，thatthetwowomenwerefacetoface；thereforethequeen，withthatinstinctiveimpulseofcoquetrywhichurgeswomen，inwhateversituationtheyfindthemselves，todesiretobebeautiful，aboveallforwomen，madeasigntoMarySeyton，and，goingtoalittlemirrorfastenedtothewallinaheavyGothicframe，shearrangedhercurls，andreadjustedthelaceofhercollar；then；havingseatedherselfintheposemostfavourabletoher，inagreatarm-chair，theonlyoneinhersitting-
room，shesaidsmilinglytoMarySeytonthatshemightadmitLadyDouglas，whowasimmediatelyintroduced。
Mary’sexpectationwasnotdisappointed：LadyDouglas，inspiteofherhatredforJamesVsdaughter，andmistressofherselfasshethoughtsheas，couldnotpreventherselffromshowingbyamovementofsurprisetheimpressionthatthismarvelousbeautywasmakingonher：shethoughtsheshouldfindMarycrushedbyherunhappiness，pallidfromherfatigues，humbledbycaptivity，andshesawherscalm，lovely，andhaughtyasusual。Maryperceivedtheeffectthatshewasproducing，andaddressingherselfwithanironicalsmilepartlytoMarySeyton，whowasleaningonthebackofherchair，andpartlytoherwhowaspayingherthisunforeseenvisit“Wearefortunateto-day，“saidshe，“forwearegoingasitseemstoenjoythesocietyofourgoodhostess，whomwethankbesidesforhavingkindlymaintainedwithustheemptyceremonyofannouncingherself——aceremonywithwhich，havingthekeysofourapartment，shecouldhavedispensed。“
“Ifmypresenceisinconvenienttoyourgrace，“repliedLadyLochleven，“Iamallthemoresorryforit，ascircumstanceswillobligemetoimposeittwicedaily，atleastduringtheabsenceofmyson，whoissummonedtoEdinburghbytheregent；thisisofwhatI