lest he should suppose she could do without that which he had mentioned, and which she was determined to insure, although her reawakened ambition induced her to withdraw her consent to Georgiana's marriage, recently as it had been given. After holding the letter some minutes so closely to her face that no one could read the many thoughts busy in her mind, she all at once dashed the good news into the fire, exclaiming—
”Oh, Isabella, Isabella, how can you be so foolish! All young mothers make sad noodles of themselves, but you are the worst of all."
"Why did you burn the poor child's letter, Lady Anne?" said Lord Rotheles; "I have been waiting to hear what she says; I should like to hear her prattle of her boy."
As he spoke, he tried to catch the remnant of the paper, but was too late—Lady Anne's eye had been more accurate than to admit such an interposition; but, as he appeared hurt at its destruction, she began eagerly to repeat the contents, and, with one omission of moment, succeeded admirably, especially as she laid additional weight, or at least words, on the passage which invited them to Paris. In conclusion, she proposed setting out for Welbeck Street the following day, saying, "that she had a thousand things to do, and not being very strong, must do them by degrees, and very quietly, in order
