"why should I not go, if I please, to Sir Robert's ball?"
"Only," answered Henrietta, "that you have not an invitation!"
"It will be very easy," persisted his lordship, "to obtain one."
"Not so very easy," replied she: "why, the invitations are as much canvassed for, as a seat in parliament!"
"The greater the difficulty, the greater the triumph in procuring one: that triumph I reserve for you," said her husband, bowing with an excess of conjugal gallantry.
"For me!" cried Henrietta, with unqualified surprise.
"You will readily suppose," replied Lord Marchmont, resuming all his solemnity, "that I never propose a plan, without having duly considered the most eligible method of carrying it into execution. I have designed, it remains for you to execute!"
Henrietta gave a silent bow of inquiry.
"I am aware," continued her husband,
