“My cousin’s extremely amusing, of course, but utterly mad and very mal entouree.  Most of the people she has about her ought to be in prison or Bedlam:  especially that unspeakable Madame Adelschein, who’s a candidate for both.  My aunt’s an angel, but she’s been weak enough to let Lili turn the Hotel de Dordogne into an annex of Montmartre.  Of course you’ll have to show yourself there now and then:  in these days families like ours must hold together.  But go to the reunions de famille rather than to Lili’s intimate parties; go with me, or with my mother; don’t let yourself be seen there alone.  You’re too young and good-looking to be mixed up with that crew.  A woman’s classed—­or rather unclassed—­by being known as one of Lili’s set.”

Agreeable as it was to Undine that an appeal to her discretion should be based on the ground of her youth and good-looks, she was dismayed to find herself cut off from the very circle she had meant them to establish her in.  Before she had become Raymond’s wife there had been a moment of sharp tension in her relations with the Princess Estradina and the old Duchess.  They had done their best to prevent her marrying their cousin, and had gone so far as openly to accuse her of being the cause of a breach between themselves and his parents.  But Ralph Marvell’s death had brought about a sudden change in her situation.  She was now no longer a divorced woman struggling to obtain ecclesiastical sanction for her remarriage, but a widow whose conspicuous beauty and independent situation made her the object of lawful aspirations.  The first person to seize on this distinction and make the most of it was her old enemy the Marquise de Trezac.  The latter, who had been loudly charged by the house of Chelles with furthering her beautiful compatriot’s designs, had instantly seen a chance of vindicating herself by taking the widowed Mrs. Marvell under her wing and favouring the attentions of other suitors.  These were not lacking, and the expected result had followed.  Raymond de Chelles, more than ever infatuated as attainment became less certain, had claimed a definite promise from Undine, and his family, discouraged by his persistent bachelorhood, and their failure to fix his attention on any of the amiable maidens obviously designed to continue the race, had ended by withdrawing their opposition and discovering in Mrs. Marvell the moral and financial merits necessary to justify their change of front.

“A good match?  If she isn’t, I should like to know what the Chelles call one!” Madame de Trezac went about indefatigably proclaiming.  “Related to the best people in New York—­well, by marriage, that is; and her husband left much more money than was expected.  It goes to the boy, of course; but as the boy is with his mother she naturally enjoys the income.  And her father’s a rich man—­much richer than is generally known; I mean what we call rich in America, you understand!”