"A handsome woman, that," he said, after one of these moments of inattention, "and a good picture."
"It is an ancestress of ours on the distaff side,--Lady Philippa Vane,--and is accounted a Lely.--Brother Gregory, if you will have the kindness to cut the cards we can proceed with our game.--The other is her husband and cousin, a man of rank and large property but incurably vicious propensities, to whom we are rather fond of attributing certain follies and weaknesses in his descendants, and who we could wish had laid to heart the maxim, '_Nobilitatis virtus non stemma character_.' They were of the Vanes of Huddlesford," said Mr. Aglonby.
"Ah," said Sir Robert, "you suppose yourself to have some connection with the Huddlesford Vanes?"
Mr. Aglonby's white tufted brows arched themselves in surprise above his dark eyes at the question, and there was a little more dignified reserve than before in his voice and manner as he said, "Descent and alliance are not matters of _supposition_ in Virginia, but of record.--Anne Buller, I beg your forgiveness for having inadvertently revoked. My memory is really growing too treacherous to permit of my long enjoying this diversion, however great the horrors of an old age without cards may be."
The deferential courtesy paid to Miss Aglonby by her brothers was the most remarkable feature of the game to Sir Robert, and, when it was over, the first thought of both was to place a chair for her in the corner she generally occupied. They were not in haste,--it was impossible to associate the idea of hurry or flurry with either of them,--but somehow there was a little collision between them in doing this, followed by formal bows and elaborate mutual apologies, which were broken in upon by Miss Aglonby's low voice, saying, "Brother Edmund, I feared that you had slipped again.--He sustained a grave injury in that way last winter" (this to Sir Robert), "and I am always afraid that the disastrous experience may be repeated.--Brother Gregory, I thank you. I am entirely comfortable, and I beg that you will be seated now. Perhaps our guest will do us the favor to resume the very instructive and entertaining discourse with which he was beguiling us earlier in the evening."