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In their march up the room, Camilla was fpoken to by a person from the tea table, who was diftinct from every other, by being particularly ill-dreffed; and who, though he did not know him, afked her, how the did? with a familiar look of intimacy. She flightly curtfied, and endeavoured to draw her party more nimbly on; when another perfon, equalJy confpicuous, though from being accoutred in the opposite extreme of fuil drefs, quitting his feat, formally made up to her, and drawing on a fliff pair of gloves, as he spoke, faid, "So, you are come at laft, ma'am! I began to think you would not come at all, begging that gentleman's pardon, who told me to the contrary laft night, when I thought, thinks I, here I have bought thefe new gloves, for no reafon but to oblige the young lady, and now I might as well not have bought 'em at all."

Camilla, ready to laugh, yet much provoked at this renewed claim from her old perfecutor, Mr Dubiter, locked vainly for redrefs at the mifchievous Lionel, who archly answered: "O, ay! true, fifter; I told the gentleman, laft night, you would be fure to make him amends this morning, for putting him to fo much expence,

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"I am fure, Sir," faid Mr Dubster, "I did not speak for that, expence being no great matter to me at this time; only nobody likes to fool away their money for nothing."

Edgar having now, at the end of one of the tables, fecured places for the ladies, Lionel again, in defiance of the frowns of Mifs Margland, invited Mr Dubfter to join them: even the appealing looks of Camilla ferved but to encrease her brother's ludicrous diverfion, in coupling her with fo ridiculous a companion; who, without feeming at all aware of the liberty he was taking, engroffed her wholly.

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So I fee, ma'am," he cried, pointing to Eugenia," you've brought that limping little body with you again? Tom Hicks had like to have taken me in finely about her! he thought she was the great fortune of thefe here parts; and if it had not been for the young gentleman, I might have known no better neither, for there's half the room in the fame scrape at this minute."

Obferving Camilla regard him with an unpleafant furprife, he more folemnly added: "I ask pardon, ma'am, for

mentioning the thing, which I only do in excufe for what I said last night, not knowing then you was the fortune yourfelf."

An eager fign of filence from Lionel, forbade her explaining this mistake; Mr Dubiter, therefore, proceeded:

"When Tom Hicks told me about it, I said at the time, faid I, the looks more like to fome fort of a humble young person, just brought out of a little good-nature to fee the company, and the like of that; for fhe's not a bit like a lady of fortunes, with that nudging look; and I said to Tom Hicks, by way of joke, fays I, if I was to think of her, which I don't think I fhall, at leaft flie would not be much in my way, for the could not follow a-body much about, because of that hitch in her gait, for I'm a pretty good walker."

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Here the ill-dreffed man, who had already fpoken to Camilla, quitting his feat, ftrolled up to her, and fastening his eyes upon her face, though without bow. ing, made fome speech about the weather, with the lounging freedom and manner of a confirmed old acquaintance. whole appearance had an air of even wilful flovenlinefs; his hair was uncombed; he was in boots, which were covered with mud; his coat seemed to be defignedly emerged in powder, and is universal negligence was not only fhabby but uncleanly. Aftonished and offended by his forwardnefs, Camilla turned entirely away from him.

Not difconcerted by this diftance, he procured a chair, upon which he caft himself perfectly at his cafe, immediately behind her.

Juft as the general breakfast was over, and the waiters were fummoned to clear away the tables, and prepare the room for dancing, the lady who had fo ftrikingly made her appearance the preceding evening, again entered. She was alone, as before, and walked up the room with the fame decided air of indifference to all opinion; fometimes knotting with as much diligence and earneftness as if her subsistence depended upon the rapidity of her work; and at other times ftopping fhort, the applied to her eye a near-fighted glafs, which hung to her finger, and intently examined some particular perfon or group ; then with a look of abfence, as if the had not feen a creature, the hummed an opera fong to herself, and proceeded.

Her

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Her rouge was remarkably well put on, and her claim to being still a fine woman, though paft her prime, was as obvious as it was confcious: her drefs was more fantastic and studied than the night before, in the fame proportion as that of every other perfon prefent was more fimple and quiet; and the commanding air of her countenance, and the eafinefs of her carriage, fpoke a confirmed internal affurance, that her charms and her power were abfolute, wherever he thought her exertion worth her trouble. When the came to the head of the room, she turned about, and, with her glais, furveyed the whole company; then fmilingly advancing to the floven, whom Camilla was fhunning, the called out, "O! are you there? what rural deity could break your reft fo early?"

"None" anfwered he, rubbing his eyes; "I am invulnerably afleep at this very moment! In the very centre of the morphetic dominions. But how barbaroufly late you are! I should never have come to this vaftly horrid place before my ride, if I had imagined you would have been fo excruciating.'

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Struck with the jargon of which the could not fufpect two persons to be capable, Camilla turned round to her flighted neighbour, and with the greateft furprise recognised, upon examination, the most brilliant beau of the preceeding evening, in the worst dreffed man of the prefent morning.

The lady now, again holding her glafs to her eye, which the directed, without fcruple, towards Camilla and the party, Laid, "Who have you got there?"

Camilla looked hastily away, and her whole set abaihed, by so unfeasoned an inquiry, caft down their eyes.

“Hey!” cried he, calmly viewing them, as for the first time himself: "Why, I'll tell you!" Then making her bend to hear his whifper, which, nevertheless, was by no means intended for her own ear alone, he added: "Two little things as pretty as angels, and twoothers as ugly as-I fay no more!"

"O, I take in the full force of your metaphor!" cried the, laughing, "and acknowledge the truth of its contrast."

Camilla alone, as they meant, had heard them; and ashamed for herself, and provoked to find Eugenia coupled with Mifs Margland, the endeavoured to converfe with fome of her own fociety; but their attention was entirely

engaged by the whisperers; nor could fhe, for more than a minute, deny her own curiofity the pleasure of obferving them.

They now fpoke together for fome time in low voices, laughing immoderately at the occafional fallies of each other; Sir Sedley Clarendel fitting at his eafe, Mrs Arlbery flanding, and knotting by his fide.

The officers, and almost all the beaux, began to crowd to this fpot; but neither the gentleman nor the lady interrupted their difcourfe to return or receive any falutations. Lionel, who with much eagernefs had quitted an infide seat at a long table, to pay his court to Mrs Arlbery, could catch neither her eye nor her ear for his bow or his compliment.

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Sir Sedley, at laft, looking up in her face, and fmiling, faid, A'nt you fhockingly tired?"

"To death!" anfwered fhe, conly.

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Why then, I am afraid, I must pofitively do the thing that's old fashioned."

And rifing, and making her a very elegant bow, he prefented her his feat, adding: "There, ma'am, I have the honour to give you my chair,-at the risk of my reputation."

"I fhould have thought," cried Lionel, now getting forward," that omitting to give it would rather have risked your reputation."

"Is it poffible you could be born before all that was over? faid Mrs Arlbery, dropping carelessly upon the chair as the perceived Lionel, whom the honoured with a nod: "How do you do, Mr Tyrold! are you just come in?" But turning again to Sir Sedley, without waiting for his anfwer, “I swear, you barbarian," fhe cried, “ you have al moft killed me with fatigue."

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"Have I, indeed?" faid he, fmiling. Mr Dubfter now, leaning over the table, folemnly faid: "I am fure, I fhould have offered the lady my own place, if I had not been so tired myself; but Tom Hicks over-perfuaded me to dance a bit before you came in, ma'am,' addreffing Camilla," for you have loft a deal of dancing by coming fo late; for they all fell to as foon as they came; and, as I'm not over and above used to it, it foon makes one a little ftiffith, as one may fay; and, indeed, the lady's much better off in getting a chair, for one fits mighty little at one's cafe on

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these here benches, with nothing to lean one's back against." "And who's that?" cried Mrs Arlbery to Sir Sedley, looking Mr Dubfter full in the face.

Sir Sedley made fome answer in a whisper, which proved highly entertaining to them both. Mr Dubfter, with an air_much offended, said to Camilla: "People's laughing and whispering, when one don't know what it's about, is not one of the politeft things, I know, for polite people to do; and, in my mind, they ought to be above it."

This refentment excited Lionel to join in the laugh; and Mr Dubfter, with great gravity of manner, rose, and faid to Camilla," When you are ready to dance, ma'am, I am willing to be your partner, and I fhan't engage myself to nobody elfe; but I fhall go to t'other end of the room till you choose to ftand up; for I don't care to ftay here, only to be laughed at, when I don't know what it's for."

They now all left the table; and Lionel eagerly begged permiffion to introduce his fifters, and coufin to Mrs Arlbery, who readily confented to the propofal.

Indiana advanced with pleasure into a circle of beaux, whofe eyes were moft affiduous to welcome ho. Camilla, tho' a little alarmed in being presented to a lady of fo fingular a deportment, had yet a curiofity to see more of her, that willingly feconded her brother's motion. And Eugenia, to whose early reflecting mind every new character and new scene opened a fresh fund for thought, if not for knowledge, was charmed to take a nearer view of what promised such food for obfervation. But Mifs Margland began an angry remonftrance against the proceedings of Lionel, in thus taking, out of her hands the direction of, her charges. What she urged, however, was vain Lionel was only diverted by her wrath, and the three young ladies, as they had not requested the introduction, did not feel themselves refponfible for its taking effect.

Lionel led them on: Mrs Arlbery half rofe to return their curtfies; and gave them a reception fo full of vivacity and good humour, that they foon forgot the ill-will with which Mifs Margland had fuffered them to quit her; and even loft all recollection that it belonged to them to return to her. The fatisfaction of

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Indiana, indeed, flowed fimply from the glances of admiration which every where met her eye; but Eugenia attended to every word, and every motion of Mrs Arlbery, with that fort of earnestness which marks an intelligent child at a first play; and Camilla, ftill more ftruck by the novelty of this new acquaintance, scarce permitted herself to breathe, left he should lose any thing she said.

Mrs Arlbery perceived their youthful wonder, and felt a propenfity to increase it, which strengthened all her faculties. Wit fhe poffeffed at will; and, with exertions which rendered it uncommonly brilliant, the displayed, now to them, now to the gentlemen, with a gaiety fo fantastic, a raillery fo arch, a spirit of fatire so seasoned with a delight in coquetry, and a certain negligence of air fo enlivened by a whimsical pleasantry, that the could not have failed to strike with admiration even the most hackneyed feekers of character; much lefs the inexperienced young creatures now prefented to her; who, with open eyes and ears, regarded her as a phenomenon, upon finding that the splendour of her talents equalled the fingularity of her

manners.

When the room was prepared for dancing, Major Cerwood brought to Indiana Mr Macderfey, the young enfign, who had fo improperly addreffed her at the ball; and, after a formal apology, in his name, for what had paffed, begged the honour of her hand for him this morning. Indiana, flattered and fluttered together by this ceremony, almost forgot Edgar, who ftood quietly but watchfully aloof, and was actually giv ing her confent, when, meeting his eye, the recollected fhe was already engaged. Mr Macderfey hoped for more fuccefs another time, and Edgar advanced to lead his fair partner to her place.

Major Cerwood offered himself to Camilla; but Mr Dubfter coming forward, pulled him by the elbow, and making a stiff low bow, said, "Sir, I afk your pardon for taking the liberty of giving you fuch a jog, but the young lady's been engaged to me ever fo long.' The Major looked surprised; but, obferving that Camilla coloured, he bowed refpectfully, and retreated.

Camilla, afhamed of her beau, determined not to dance at all; though the faw, with much vexation, upon the general difperfion, Miss Margland approach

to

to claim her. Educated in all the har- speaking of; though I've buried them mony of contentment and benevolence, both. Why it was all along of my wives, she had a horror of a temper.fo irafcible, what with the money I had with one, that made it a penance to remain a mo- and what with the money I had with the ment in its vicinity. Mr Dubfter, how- other, that I got out of business so foon." ever, left her not alone to it; when she "You were very much obliged to pofitively refufed his hand, he faid, it them then." was equally agreeable to him to have only a little dish of chat with her; and compofedly ftationed himself before her. Eugenia had already been taken out by the handfome ftranger, with whom the had danced the evening before; and Lionel, bewitched with Mrs Arlbery, enlifted himself entirely in her train; and with Sir Sedley Clarendel, and almoft every man of any confequence in the room, declined all dancing for the pleafure of attending her.

Mr Dubfter, unacquainted with the natural high spirits of Camilia, inferred nothing to his own disadvantage from her filence, but talked inceffantly himfelf with perfect complacency. "Do you know, ma'am," cried he, "juft as that elderly lady, that, I suppose, is your mamma, took you all away in that hur. ту laft night, up comes the boy with my new pair of gloves! but, though I run down directly to tell of it, there was no making the old lady ftop; which I was fool to try at; for as to women, I know their obftinacy of old. But what I grudged the moft was, as foon as I come up again, as ill luck would have it, Tom Hicks finds me my own t'other glove! So there I had two pair, when I might as well have had never a one !"

Obferving that Eugenia was dancing, "Lack-a-day!" he exclaimed, "I'll lay a wager that poor gentleman has been took in, juft as I was yesterday! He thinks that young lady that's had the fmall-pox fo bad, is you, ma'am! 'Twould be a fine joke if fuch a mistake as that should get the little dame duck, as I call her, a husband! He'd be in a fine hobble when he found he'd got nothing but her ugly face for his bargain. Though, provided fhe'd had the rhino, it would not much have fignified; for, as to being pretty or not, it's no great matter in a wife. A man foon tires of feeing nothing but the same face, if it's one of the bet."

Camilla here, in the midft of her chagrin, could not forbear afking him, if he was married?" Yes, ma'am," anfwered he, calmly, "I've had two wives to my fhare already; fo I know what I'm VOL. LVII.

"Why, yes, ma'am, as to that, I can't say to the contrary, now that they're gone; but I can't fay I had much comfort with 'em while they lived. They was always a-thinking they had a right to what they had a mind, because of what they brought me; fo that I had enough to do to fcrape a little matter together, in cafe of outliving them. One of 'em has not been dead above a twelvemonth, or thereabout; thefe are the firft clothes I've bought fince I left off my blacks."

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When Indiana paffed them, he expreffed his admiration of her beauy. That young lady, ma'am," he said, cuts you all up, fure enough. She's as fine a piece of red and white as ever I fee. I could think of fuch a young lady as that myfelf, if I did not remember that I thought no more of my wife that was pretty, than of my wife that was ugly, after the first month or fo. Beauty goes for a mere nothing in matrimony, when once one's used to it. Besides, I've no great thoughts at prefent of entering into the ftate again of one while, at any rate, being but just got to be a little comfortable."

The fecond dance was now called, when Mrs Arlbery, coming fuddenly behind Camilla, faid, in a low voice, “Do you know who you are talking with?" No, ma'am!"

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"A young tinker, my dear! that's all!" And, with a provoking nod, she retreated.

Camilla, half ready to laugh, half to cry, restrained herself with difficulty from running after her; and Mr Dubster, observing that the abruptly turned away, and would liften no more, again claimed her for his partner; and, upon her abfolute refufal, furprised and affronted, walked off in filence. She was then fi. nally condemned to the morofe fociety of Mifs Margland; and invectives against Sir Hugh for mismanagement, and Lionel, with whom now that lady was at open war, for impertinence, filled up the rest of her time, till the company was informed that refreshments were ferved in the card-room. 5 E

Thither

Thither, immediately, every body pences of the day, with a heart panting flocked, with as much speed and avidi- from hope of the prize, did the fame; ty, as if they had learnt to appreciate but Camilla hung back, totally unused the bleffing of plenty, by the experience to hazard, upon what was unneceffary, of want. Such is the vacancy of diffi- the little allowance fhe had been taught pated pleasure, that, never satisfied with to spend sparingly upon herself, that what it poffeffes, an opening always re- fomething might be always in her power mains for fomething yet to be tried, and, to beftow upon others. The character on that fomething still to come, all en- of this raffle was not of that interefting joyment feems to depend. nature, which calls forth from the affluent and easy respect as well as aid: the prize belonged to no one whom adverfity compelled to change what once was an innocent luxury, into the means of fubfiftence; it was the mere common mode of getting rid of a mere common bauble, which no one had thought worth the full price affixed to it by its toyman. She knew not, however, till now, how hard it was to refift the contagion of example, and felt a ftruggle in her felf-denial, that made her, when fhe put the locket down, withdraw from the crowd, and refolve not to look at it again.

The day beginning now to clear, the fafhes of a large bow window were thrown up. Sir Sedley Clarendel fauntered thither, and instantly every body followed, as if there were no breathing any where elfe; declaring, while they preffed upon one another almoft to fuffocation, that nothing was fo reviving as the fresh air; and, in a minute, not a creature was to be seen in any other part of the room.

Here, in full view, ftood fundry hap lefs relations of the poorer part of the prisoners to be tried the next morning, who, with fupplicating hands and eyes, implored the compaffion of the company, whom their very calamities affembled for amusement.

Nobody took any notice of them; nobody appeared even to fee them; but, one by one, all glided gently away, and the bow-window was prefently the only empty space in the apartment.

Camilla, contented with having already prefented her mite, and Eugenia with having given her's in commiffion, retired unaffectedly with the reft, while Mifs Margland, fhrugging up her fhoulders, and declaring, there was no end of beggars, pompously added, "However, we gave before we came in."

Prefently, a paper was handed about, to collect half guineas for a raffle. A beautiful locket, fet round with pearls, ornamented at the top with a little knot of fmall brilliants, and very elegantly fhaped, with a space left for a braid of hair, or a cypher, was produced; and, as if by magnetic power, attracted into almoft every hand the capricious coin, which diftrefs but the moment before had repelled.

Mifs Margland lamented she had only guineas or filver, but suffered Edgar to be her paymafter; privately refolving, that, if the won the locket, fhe would remember the debt: Eugenia, amused in feeing the humour of all that was going forward, readily put in; Indiana, fatisfied her uncle would repay the ex

Edgar, who had obferved her, read her fecret conflict with an emotion which impelled him to follow her, that he might exprefs his admiration; but he was ftopt by Mrs Arlbery, who just then haftily attacked her with, "What have you done with your friend, the tinker, my dear?"

Camilla, laughing, though extremely afhamed, faid, fhe knew nothing at all about him.

"You talked with him, then, by way of experiment, to see how you might like him?"

"No, indeed! I merely anfwered him when I could not help it; but ftill I thought, at a ball, gentlemen only would prefent themfelves."

"And how many couple," faid Mrs Arlbery, fmiling, "do you calculate would, in that cafe, ftand up?"

She then ordered one of the beaux who attended her, to bring her a chair, and told another to fetch her the locket. Edgar was again advancing to Camilla, when Lionel, whofe defire to obtain the good graces of Mrs Arlbery, had fuggefted to him an anticipation of her commands, pufhed forward with the locket.

"Well," really, it is not ugly," cried fhe, taking it in her hand; "Have you put in yet, Mifs Tyrold?"

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No, ma'am."

"O, I am vaftly glad of that; for now we will try our fortune together." : Camilla, though fecretly blufhing at

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