Mr. Disraeli has commemorated in one of his remarkable novels
Mrs. Guy Flouncey's great success at the first ball for which she secured those difficult things both a " a list " and " a day." Her particular friend, Lady Kingcastle, " was honoured by the friend- ship of a royal duchess. She put the friendship to the proof, and ,her Royal Highness was seen at Mrs. Guy Flouncey's ball. Imagine the reception, the canopy, the crimson cloth, the ' God Save the King' from the band of the First Guards bivouacked in the hall,— Mrs. Guy Flouncey herself performing her part as if she had received Princesses of the Blood all her life ; so reverent, and yet so -dignified, so very calm, and yet with a sort of winning, sunny innocence. Her Royal Highness was quite charmed with her, praised her very much to Lady King-castle, told her that she was glad that -she had come, and even stayed half-an-hour longer than Mrs. Guy Flouncey had dared to hope. As for the other guests, the Peerage was gutted. The dictator himself was there, and the moment her Royal Highness had retired, Mrs. Guy Flouncey devoted her- .self to the hero." This reads excessively like some of the minute said to his wife, as he makes Mrs. Guy Flouncey say after her ball, " We have done it at last, my love !" it must have been when the Queen sent for him, not when he achieved this great " reception."
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