The Light of Other Days (Volume 1)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1894. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 168 CHAPTER IX. Hilda accompanied Victoria to her room, and seemed disposed to stay. So Victoria dismissed her maid, and the two friends established themselves in cosy chairs, and extended their little feet to the fire. Lady Erlesmere wanted to know what effect her magnificence had produced on Victoria, and Victoria was quite ready to praise and admire ungrudgingly. 'Well, ' observed Hilda, 'I have not done so badly, have I?' 'My dear, ' replied Victoria, cordially, 'your house is beautiful; everything is-done perfectly, and you are an admirable hostess.' 'Ah!' remarked Hilda, complacently, when twelve months ago you and I were sitting in my shabby little bed-room whilst I brushed my hair over my faded little flannel dressing-gown, how surprised I should have been if I could have seen myself to-night! Oh!' with enthusiasm, i after having known the pinch of poverty, it is delightful to revel in luxury, and to have beautiful and costly things about one. Of course, everything has its drawbacks. Erlesmere can be extremely disagreeable; he was not in the sweetest of tempers to-night; but Roland Lynn generally puts his back up. I had rather a trouble to get him asked here. He is a dear, is he not?' ' 'He is charming, ' declared Victoria. 'I don't know when I have been so amused, and his quiet way of saying things and the flash of his eyes give such point to what he says. I daresay he can be very sarcastic if he likes.' 'Oh, he can be too horrid for words. I have seen him drive a woman nearly mad who tried to spar with him. She lost her temper and got rude, and he looked at her with that wicked smile of his, and cut her up into little pieces before everyone. But he has always been nice to me. Well, and what do you think of Mrs. Van?' Victoria hesitated. 'You don't like ...