“Nothing!” answered Lord Orville, with a smile and a shrug.

“By Jove!” said the man, “she is the most beautiful creature I ever saw in my life!”

Lord Orville laughed, but answered, “Yes, a pretty, modest-looking girl!”

“Oh, my lord,” cried the other, “she is an angel!”

“A silent one,” returned he.

“Why, my lord, she looks all intelligence and expression!”

“A poor, weak girl,” answered Lord Orville, shaking his head.  “Whether ignorant or mischievous, I will not pretend to determine; but she attended to all I said to her with the most immovable gravity.”

Here Maria was called to dance, and so heard no more.

Now, tell me, sir, did you ever know anything more provoking?  “A poor, weak girl!  Ignorant and mischievous!” What mortifying words!  I would not live here for the world.  I care not how soon I leave.

III.—­An Unlucky Meeting

EVELINA TO MR. VILLARS

How much will you be surprised, my dearest sir, at receiving so soon another letter from London in your Evelina’s writing.  An accident, equally unexpected and disagreeable, has postponed our journey to Lady Howard at Howard Grove.

We went last night to see the “Fantocini,” a little comedy in French and Italian, by puppets, and when it was over, and we waited for our coach, a tall, elderly, foreign-looking woman brushed quickly past us, calling out, “My God!  What shall I do?  I have lost my company, and in this place I don’t know anybody.”

“We shall but follow the golden rule,” said Mrs. Mirvan, “if we carry her to her lodgings.”

We therefore admitted her to her coach, to carry her to Oxford Road.  Let me draw a veil over a scene too cruel for a heart so compassionate as yours, and suffice it to know that, in the course of our ride, this foreigner proved to be Madame Duval—­the grandmother of your Evelina!

When we stopped at her lodgings she desired me to accompany her into the house, and said she could easily procure a room for me to sleep in.

I promised to wait upon her at what time she pleased the next day.

What an unfortunate adventure!  I could not close my eyes the whole night.

Mrs. Mirvan was so kind as to accompany me to Madame Duval’s house this morning.  She frowned most terribly on Mrs. Mirvan, but received me with as much tenderness as I believe she was capable of feeling.  She avowed that her intention in visiting England was to make me return with her to France.  As it would have been indecent for me to have quitted town the very instant I discovered that Madame Duval was in it, we have determined to remain in London for some days.  But I, my dear and most honoured sir, shall have no happiness till I am again with you.

MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA

Secure of my protection, let no apprehensions of Madame Duval disturb your peace.  Conduct yourself towards her with all respect and deference due to so near a relation, remembering always that the failure of duty on her part can by no means justify any neglect on yours.  Make known to her the independence I assure you of, and when she fixes the time for her leaving England, trust to me the task of refusing your attending her.