Mary took advantage of the deep sigh that followed to make her escape; and as she crossed the vestibule she descried the Doctor’s man, hurrying along with a coffee pot, which she had no doubt would pour consolation into his master’s soul.

As Mary was aware of her mother’s dislike to introduce her into company, she flattered herself she had for once done something to merit her approbation by having absented herself on this occasion.  But Mary was a novice in the ways of temper, and had yet to learn that to study to please, and to succeed, are very different things.  Lady Juliana had been decidedly averse to her appearing at the ball, but she was equally disposed to take offence at her having stayed away; besides, she had not been pleased herself, and her glass told her she looked jaded and ill.  She was therefore, as her maid expressed it, in a most particular bad temper; and Mary had to endure reproaches, of which she could only make out that although she ought not to have been present she was much to blame in having been absent.  Lady Emily’s indignation was in a different style.  There was a heat and energy in her anger that never failed to overwhelm her victim at once.  But it was more tolerable than the tedious, fretful ill humour of the other; and after she had fairly exhausted herself in invectives, and ridicule, and insolence, and drawn tears from her cousin’s eyes by the bitterness of her language, she heartily embraced her, vowed she liked her better than anybody in the world, and that she was a fool for minding anything she said to her.

“I assure you,” said she, “I was only tormenting you a little, and you must own you deserve that; but you can’t suppose I meant half what I said; that is a betise I can’t conceive you guilty of.  You see I am much more charitable in my conclusions than you.  You have no scruple in thinking me a wretch, though I am too good-natured to set you down for a fool.  Come, brighten up, and I’ll tell you all about the ball.  How I hate it, were it only for having made your nose red!  But really the thing in itself was detestable.  Job himself must have gone mad at the provocations I met with.  In the first place, I had set my heart upon introducing you with eclat, and instead of which you preferred psalm-singing with Mrs. Lennox, or sentiment with her son—­I don’t know which.  In the next place there was a dinner in Bath, that kept away some of the best men; then, after waiting an hour and a half for Frederick to begin the ball with Lady Charlotte M—–­, I went myself to his room, and found him lounging by the fire with a volume of Rousseau in his hand, not dressed, and quite surprised that I should think his presence at all necessary; and when he did make his entre, conceive my feelings at seeing him single out Lady Placid as his partner!  I certainly would rather have seen him waltzing with a hyena!  I don’t believe he knew or cared whom he danced with—­unless, perhaps, it had been Adelaide,