But Rowley hastened to reassure me. On the first word of my
coming, the Count had put the matter of my wardrobe in the hands of
his own and my cousin's tailors; and on the rumour of our
resemblance, my clothes had been made to Alain's measure.
'But they were all made for you express, Mr. Anne. You may be
certain the Count would never do nothing by 'alf: fires kep'
burning; the finest of clothes ordered, I'm sure, and a body-
servant being trained a-purpose.'
'Well,' said I, 'it's a good fire, and a good set-out of clothes;
and what a valet, Mr. Rowley! And there's one thing to be said for
my cousin--I mean for Mr. Powl's Viscount--he has a very fair
figure.'
'Oh, don't you be took in, Mr. Anne,' quoth the faithless Rowley:
'he has to be hyked into a pair of stays to get them things on!'
'Come, come, Mr. Rowley,' said I, 'this is telling tales out of
school! Do not you be deceived. The greatest men of antiquity,
including Caesar and Hannibal and Pope Joan, may have been very
glad, at my time of life or Alain's, to follow his example. 'Tis a
misfortune common to all; and really,' said I, bowing to myself
before the mirror like one who should dance the minuet, 'when the
result is so successful as this, who would do anything but
applaud?'
My toilet concluded, I marched on to fresh surprises.
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