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"Oh, I know what she must be," replied Lady Delacour: "a soft, sighing, dying damsel, who puts bullfinches into her bosom. Smile, smile, my dear; you cannot help it; in spite of all your generosity, I know you must think as I do, and wish as I do, that she were at the bottom of the Black Sea this instant."
She has had concerts and balls since her illness. You will hear a play read to-night," said Belinda, "by that French gentleman whom Lady Anne Percival mentioned to me yesterday." "But there is a great deal of company, then, with mamma?" "Nobody is with her now: so come into the library with me," said Belinda. "Lady Delacour, here is the young lady who sent you the gold fishes."
He knew that influence to be considerable: not that he was either coxcomb or dupe enough to imagine that Lady Delacour was in love with him; he was perfectly sensible that her only wish was to obtain his admiration, and he resolved to show her that it could no longer be secured without deserving his esteem.
"You see," continued Belinda, "that I am in earnest: when I am gone, you will have no friend left; when I am gone, your secret will inevitably be discovered; for without me, Marriott will not have sufficient strength of mind to keep it." "Do you think we might trust Dr. X ?" said Lady Delacour. "I am sure you may trust him," said Belinda, with energy; "I will pledge my life upon his honour."
"She is hurt I am sure she is hurt, though she will not acknowledge it," cried Clarence Hervey. "My ankle is sprained, that's all," said Lady Delacour "lay me on this sofa, and leave me to Belinda."
Your own good sense must make you aware, my dear, that from her ladyship's situation and knowledge of the world, it will always be proper, upon all subjects of conversation, for her to lead and you to follow: it would be very unfit for a young girl like you to suffer yourself to stand in competition with Lady Delacour, whose high pretensions to wit and beauty are indisputable.
Belinda's fears of Lady Delacour, as a dangerous rival, were much quieted by the artful insinuations of Mrs. Stanhope, with respect to her age, &c.; and in proportion as her fears subsided, she blamed herself for having written too harshly of her ladyship's conduct.
Luttridge to the life!" cried Lady Delacour: "I know where you have been now, and I pity you but sit down," said she, making room for him between Belinda and herself upon the sofa, "sit down here, and tell me what could take you to that odious Mrs. Luttridge's." Mr. Hervey threw himself on the sofa; Lord Delacour whistled as before, and left the room without uttering a syllable.
The noise, however, did not waken Lady Delacour, who was in that dead sleep which is sometimes the effect of opium. The noise was louder than what could have been made by the fall of a book alone, and the girl descried a key that had fallen along with the book. It occurred to her that this might possibly be the key of the boudoir.
But in proportion as his manners became more familiar, hers grew more reserved. Lady Delacour rallied her upon her prudery, but in vain. Clarence Hervey seemed to think that her ladyship had not fulfilled her part of the bargain. "Is not smiling," said he, "the epithet always applied to peace? yet I have not been able to obtain one smile from Miss Portman since I have been promised peace."
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