True, as you are alive! and dressing himself in a great hurry, left the
house, without saying, By your leave, With your leave, or whether he
would return to dinner, or not. Very pretty doings, Harriet!
Lord and Lady L---- came to dinner, however. I thought they were very
kind, and, till they opened their lips, was going to thank them: for
then, it was all elder sister, and insolent brother-in-law, I do assure
you. Upon my word, Harriet, they took upon them. Lady L---- told me, I
might be the happiest creature in the world, if--and there was so good as
to stop.
One of the happiest only, Lady L----! Who can be happier than you?
But I, said she, should neither be so, nor deserve to be so, if--Good of
her again, to stop at if.
We cannot be all of one mind, replied I. I shall be wiser, in time.
Where was poor Lord G---- gone?
Poor Lord G---- is gone to seek his fortune, I believe.
What did I mean?
I told them the airs he had given himself; and that he was gone without
leave, or notice of return.
He had served me right, ab-solutely right, Lord L---- said.
I believed so myself. Lord G---- was a very good sort of man, and ought
not to bear with me so much as he had done: but it would be kind in them,
not to tell him what I had owned.
The earl lifted up one hand; the countess both. They had not come to
dine with me, they said, after the answer I had returned, but as they
were afraid something was wrong between us.
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