Jennings is a sharp young snip and likes to pick up
things to repeat. He believes that his lordship's idea is that
there's a time coming when the high ones will lose their places
and thrones and kings will be done away with. I wouldn't like to
go that far myself," said Dowson, gravely, "but I must say that
there's not that serious respect paid to Royalty that there was
in my young days. My word! When Queen Victoria was in her prime,
with all her young family around her,--their little Royal Highnesses
that were princes in their Highland kilts and the princesses
in their crinolines and hats with drooping ostrich feathers and
broad satin streamers--the people just went wild when she went to
a place to unveil anything!"
"When the Empress Eugenie and the Prince Imperial appeared, it was
the same thing," said Mademoiselle, a trifle sadly. "One recalls
it now as a dream passed away--the Champs Elysees in the afternoon
sunlight--the imperial carriage and the glittering escort trotting
gaily--the beautiful woman with the always beautiful costumes--her
charming smile--the Emperor, with his waxed moustache and saturnine
face! It meant so much and it went so quickly. One moment," she made
a little gesture, "and it is gone--forever! An Empire and all the
splendour of it! Two centuries ago it could not have disappeared
so quickly. But now the world is older.
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