mer, and her furbelowed daughters-in-law, who will probably carry enough of the scarlet fever about them, to remind you unpleasantly of the officiousness which preserved the lives of three daughters, when two might have been parted with advantageously enough."
"You never were a mother, my dear friend, or"
"Or I should have been glad to part with the whole garland of roses wherewith Fate had crowned me. No, thank Heaven! like the fat king, once so enchanting and afterwards so abdominal, I have no predilections save for the distinguishing few who love to bask in mes beaux yeux. However, depend upon it, any persons I may bring, or cause to come, will be the very exquisites de la societé, and will sweeten your city connexions, my own poor Charles among the rest—him for whom my affections had often ambitioned a far different fate."
"Allow me to say, that if your ladyship could contrive to bear his company one whole evening, it might have the happiest effects. Count Beniowskoff would be reduced to despair, and withdraw his attentions. Strangers would give you the credit of attracting a fine young man, even in his honeymoon, with a very charming woman; and friends would praise you for showing that family affection often exhibited by royalty itself, and always to be admired and approved in the daughter of a mere country gentleman."
Poor Lady Anne! the three last words lost her all the benefit of her previous harangue. Lady Penrhyn,
