"Don't despair," she rejoined; "one star differeth from another star in
glory, but that is no reason why they should not be on visiting terms."
"My dear, you may laugh--you may laugh, but I am sixty-five, and I am not
laughing at the idea of what company I may be obliged to keep presently.
In any case I'm sure I shall not be comfortable. If I'm where she is, I
shall be dull; if I'm where her husband is, I'll have no reputation; and
if there is one thing I want, it is a spotless reputation--sometime."
Hylda laughed--the manner and the voice were so droll--but her face
saddened too, and her big eyes with the drooping lashes looked up
pensively at the portrait of her husband's mother.
"Was it ever a happy family, or a lucky family?" she asked.
"It's lucky now, and it ought to be happy now," was the meaning reply.
Hylda made no answer, but caught the strings of the 'cello lightly, and
shook her head reprovingly, with a smile meant to be playful. For a
moment she played, humming to herself, and then the Duchess touched the
hand that was drawing the bow softly across the strings.
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