Thomas Billings; who had at length received from his mother
the silver-hilted sword, and the wig, which that affectionate parent
had promised to him.
In the course of the month which had elapsed since the interview
that has been described in the former chapter, Mr. Billings had
several times had occasion to wait on his father; but though he had,
according to her wishes, frequently alluded to the existence of his
mother, the Count had never at any time expressed the slightest wish
to renew his acquaintance with that lady; who, if she had seen him,
had only seen him by stealth.
The fact is, that after Billings had related to her the particulars
of his first meeting with his Excellency; which ended, like many of
the latter visits, in nothing at all; Mrs. Hayes had found some
pressing business, which continually took her to Whitehall, and had
been prowling from day to day about Monsieur de Galgenstein's
lodgings. Four or five times in the week, as his Excellency stepped
into his coach, he might have remarked, had he chosen, a woman in a
black hood, who was looking most eagerly into his eyes: but those
eyes had long since left off the practice of observing; and Madam
Catherine's visits had so far gone for nothing.
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