Harold
Smith required that his private secretary's notes should be so
terribly precise. But nevertheless, in spite of his drawbacks, Harold
Smith was happy in his new honours, and Mrs. Harold Smith enjoyed
them also. She certainly, among her acquaintance, did quiz the new
Cabinet minister not a little, and it may be a question whether
she was not as hard upon him as the writer in the _Jupiter_. She
whispered a great deal to Miss Dunstable about new blood, and talked
of going down to Westminster Bridge to see whether the Thames were
really on fire. But though she laughed, she triumphed, and though she
flattered herself that she bore her honours without any outward sign,
the world knew that she was triumphing, and ridiculed her elation.
About this time she also gave a party--not a pure-minded
conversazione like Mrs. Proudie, but a downright wicked worldly
dance, at which there were fiddles, ices, and champagne sufficient to
run away with the first quarter's salary accruing to Harold from the
Petty Bag Office. To us this ball is chiefly memorable from the fact
that Lady Lufton was among the guests. Immediately on her arrival in
town she received cards from Mrs. H. Smith for herself and Griselda,
and was about to send back a reply at once declining the honour.
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