The pretended ladies, the more we talked, the fonder they seemed to be of me.  And the Lady Betty had Mrs. Moore called up; and asked her, If she had accommodations for her niece and self, her woman, and two men servants, for three or four days?

Mr. Lovelace answered for her that she had.

She would not ask her dear niece Lovelace, [Permit me, my dear, whispered she, this charming style before strangers!  I will keep your uncle’s secret,] whether she should be welcome or not to be so near her.  But for the time she should stay in these parts, she would come up every night—­ What say you, niece Charlotte?

The pretended Charlotte answered, she should like to do so, of all things.

The Lady Betty called her an obliging girl.  She liked the place, she said.  Her cousin Leeson would excuse her.  The air, and my company, would do her good.  She never chose to lie in the smoky town, if she could help it.  In short, my dear, said she to me, I will stay with you till you hear from Miss Howe; and till I have your consent to go with me to Glenham-hall.  Not one moment will I be out of your company, when I can have it.  Stedman, my solicitor, as the distance from town is so small, may attend me here for instructions.  Niece Charlotte, one word with you, child.

They retired to the further end of the room, and talked about their night-dresses.

The Miss Charlotte said, Morrison might be dispatched for them.

True, said the other—­but I have some letters in my private box, which I must have up.  And you know, Charlotte, that I trust nobody with the keys of that.

Could not Morrison bring up the box?

No.  She thought it safest where it was.  She had heard of a robbery committed but two days ago at the food of Hampstead-hill; and she should be ruined in she lost her box.

Well, then, it was but going to town to undress, and she would leave her jewels behind her, and return; and should be easier a great deal on all accounts.

For my part, I wondered they came up with them.  But that was to be taken as a respect paid to me.  And then they hinted at another visit of ceremony which they had thought to make, had they not found me so inexpressibly engaging.

They talked loud enough for me to hear them; on purpose, no doubt, though in affected whispers; and concluded with high praises of me.

I was not fool enough to believe, or to be puffed up with their encomiums; yet not suspecting them, I was not displeased at so favourable a beginning of acquaintance with Ladies (whether I were to be related to them or not) of whom I had always heard honourable mention.  And yet at the time, I thought, highly as they exalted me, that in some respects (though I hardly know in what) they fell short of what I expected them to be.

The grand deluder was at the farther end of the room, another way; probably to give me an opportunity to hear these preconcerted praises—­ looking into a book, which had there not been a preconcert, would not have taken his attention for one moment.  It was Taylor’s Holy Living and Dying.