Thus they amused themselves, recalling the little incidents
of the evening; Lady Mabel turning satirist, at the cost of all her
friends, not sparing even Mrs. Shortridge, in her attempts to play the
Rome hostess, and ridiculing, without mercy, the commissary's awkward
efforts at Portuguese eloquence and politeness. Then recalling and
laughing at the extravagant compliments paid her after each song, she
sung snatches of several of her favorite pieces, but had the grace not
to allude to 'Constant my Heart;' while L'Isle longed for an occasion,
yet hesitated to tell her how much better he liked it than all the
others. In the midst of her extravagantly high spirits, checking
herself suddenly, she said: "I see that you are surprised at me, but
not more than I am at myself. Have you ever heard of our Scottish
superstition of being _fie_--that is, possessed by a preternatural
excess of vivacity? No? It is deemed the sure forerunner of evil at
hand,--a sudden and violent death; some dire misfortune; perhaps a sad
and final parting of--of the dearest friends. I own," she added, with
a deep sigh, "I cannot free myself from this superstition of the
country.
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