the entrance, and there was not a soul in the way, either to let them out or in.

Charles having presented his lady to Sir Thomas, flew past them to the drawingroom, and the next moment he was in the arms of Lady Lennox. He had just saluted Ellinor and Catherine, when his father and his lady entered; but Mrs Lennox, far from imitating the conduct of her lord and master, contented herself with extending a finger to her new relatives, while her daughter Clara, a spoiled child of four years old, would neither look at, nor speak to any one, but kept holding by her mother's gown, in defiance of her repeated, "La, child, do let go, you are really very troublesome."

As it was drawing near the dinner hour, Charles proposed that his lady should retire to change her travelling-dress, and knowing his father's dislike to be kept waiting, and the unconscionable time his bride devoted to her toilette, he followed her to quicken her motions; and as her ladyship went to show them their apartment, and

124

Sir Thomas had quitted the room, the cousins were left alone to comment upon their new connexion.

- How do you like her?" said Ellinor, as soon as they were all fairly shut out; "for my part I hate her already-Did you ever see such a freezing manner? And did you observe how she drew back when mamma was going to embrace her? She was afraid, I suppose, that her rouge would be detected; I could swear that brilliant complexion is not her own; and then her ancles Did you notice them?-they are as thick as a post I thought there must be some weighty reason for her wearing such long petticoats; people are not so fond of hiding good ancles when they happen to have them. In short, Catherine, I am horribly disappointed in her; she is not like the woman I thought Charles would have chosen. I am convinced we shall fight; but we won't be singular in that, for I am told it is quite a phenomenon for sisters-in-law to agree."

"We must not be too rash in our judg ment," said Catherine, who was secretly as much disappointed as Ellinor, in the choice that Charles had made; "you know we are all strangers to her, and it is a formidable thing coming among new connexions, who are all on the watch to spy out every little fault. We must give Mrs Lennox a fair trial before we condemn her; perhaps she may improve on acquaintance. I hope so, for Charles's sake; he would be so mortified, were his wife not approved of by his family."

"There is great room for improvement, I must confess; but I suspect she is neither more nor less than a selfish Englishwoman, who will give herself very little concern as to what her husband's friends may think of her. She seems to me to be a heartless fine lady. I suspect we shan't be sorry when Charles gives her a house of her own; and did you ever see such a spoiled brat as the child is! I see we shall find it a very great torment. I wish she had left the little imp

126

behind, children are such horrid plagues in

a house."

"That would have been unnatural, I you must allow the child is very

think; and

pretty, and, if she is kept in good order, we may find her a great amusement."

"I don't know what you may find her, but I am sure I shan't think it any amusement to have her always at one's elbow; I assure you, if she is troublesome, I shan't scruple to assert the privilege of an aunt, and give her a good slap. But I see nothing but a world of vexation before us."

"You had better take care what you do; you know that is a tender point with mammas, they think that is a prerogative which belongs to them alone; so, Ellinor, I would advise you not to meddle with Miss Clara."

"If Miss Clara's mamma does not think proper to apply the rod when it is necessary, depend upon it, I shall show her her duty. I have no idea of allowing spoiled children to tease me unreproved."

Here the entrance of Charles put a stop to the conversation. He approached Ellinor and Catherine with his usual kindness, and seating himself by the latter, began to interrogate her what she had been doing since last they met; and Catherine, happy in the thought that he had forgot his former attachment, entered with great spirit into a detail of all that had occurred since his absence. At this moment, Sir Thomas entered the room with his watch in his hand. "Do you think," he said, addressing Charles, "we may order dinner? I suppose your lady has nearly completed her toilette, it wants only a quarter to six.”

Charles begged dinner might be ordered immediately, and rose to see what progress his wife had made in the important business of the toilette. He soon returned with the pleasing intelligence that Mrs Lennox would make her appearance in a few minutes; but her few minutes turned out full three quarters of an hour, and William had