Puslapio vaizdai
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"over the carriage of his voluptuous "mafter! How remote must that man "ftill be from the ultimate perfection of "his nature, who can enjoy the pleasures "of a crowded affembly, while his "coachman quakes in the warping "wind, or shrinks beneath the pelting "ftorm! It is the cruelty of a Mezen"tius: the living body is united to "putridity."

"There is fome juftice in your ob"fervations," faid the countefs: " and "it behoves us as idividuals to leffen "the evils of that inequality which

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public good requires." The carriages now stopped; and as Fitzofborne led her to the gay affemblage of beauty, fancy, and elegance, her reflections on his character concluded with an obfervation, that " his very failings leaned to the fide of virtue."

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The ball went on very much like other balls. Sir Richard Vernon and feveral gentlemen of his caft of character were present, and Geraldine complied punctually with her lord's injunction, either to fit down, or to dance with Fitzofborne. She had forgot to account for his appearing in a drefs fo correfpondent to her own; and when fome ladies, by pointing it out, alarmed her sense of propriety, her explanation was embarraffed, and confequently fufpicious. As at the opera, Fitzofborne's attentions were confined to her; and his elegant addrefs and políte vivacity added the fneer of envy to the whifper of detraction. Lady Arabella had indeed the honour to move down one dance with the duke; but his grace was fo fatigued by the exertion, that he was obliged to renounce dancing, and to

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have recourse to Caffino for the reft of the evening. Her fucceeding partners ranked no higher than commoners, without poffeffing any of the innate diftinctions which gave celebrity to the partner of Fitbofborne. He had only bowed to her in the moft diftant manner poffible. Her fmile of invitation was unanswered: and he began to think a fainting fit was the only chance of roufing the monster's attention. She performed it in the greatest perfection; but on opening her eyes fhe felt a little mortified to find, that neither he nor the countess appeared in the circle which had gathered round her. Another glance convinced her, that they were not in the room.

"The heat of this apartment," faid the lovely fufferer," is infupportable. "Do, my dearest Harriet, lend me your arm, and let me breathe a little

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66 pure air in the vestibule." The vifcountefs complied, and the mistress of the ceremony with feveral other ladies accompanied the fair invalid.

Lady Arabella caft a fcrutinizing glance upon the fuite of chambers through which fhe was led; but she defcended into the vestibule without making any discovery. It had been converted into an orangery for the occafion, and decorated with a variety of lamps tastefully fufpended. The manycoloured light trembling on the fragrant exotics, the freshness of the air, the stillness of the scene, and the extensive view which it admitted of the "ftars in all their fplendor" and " the moon walking in brightness," afforded a ftriking contraft to the glittering but artificial fcene which they had juft left. Lady Arabella and her friends were not the only admirers of its enchanting effect,

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for at the upper end ftood the countess and Fitzofborne.

"Pray let us go back," fhrieked lady Arabella, who however did not much doubt their identity. "I am "quite frightened. Somebody is here." The lady of the house declared, that it could be nobody whom she could object to, while the charitable viscountess whispered, "that it would be rude to interrupt a private party."

"Oh! not for the universe," exclaimed Arabella. "I would die a thou"fand deaths rather than be rude."

The countefs advanced with an air of eafy dignity, which the inquisitive looks of the other ladies foon difcompofed. "Bless me, fifter," said the candid Arabella, "I really did not think it was "you."—"And Edward too," continued the fignificant lady Fitzofborne; "how "do you do? There is no fuch thing

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