Just then I came in, and paying my compliments to the company, and to Sir Jacob—­“Shall I,” said I, “supply Mrs. B.’s place in her absence?” And down I sat.  After breakfast, and the servants were withdrawn—­“Lady Jenny,” said Lady Davers, “you are a young lady, with all the advantages of birth and descent, and some of the best blood in the kingdom runs in your veins; and here Sir Jacob Swynford is your great admirer; cannot you, from whom it will come with a double grace, convince him that he acts unkindly at my brother’s house, to keep the person he has thought worthy of making the mistress of it, out of company?  And let us know your opinion, whether my brother himself does right, to comply with such an unreasonable distaste?”—­“Why, how now, Lady Davers!  This from you!  I did not expect it!”

“My uncle,” said Mr. B., “is the only person in the kingdom that I would have humoured thus:  and I made no doubt, when he saw how willing I was to oblige him in such a point, he would have acted a more generous part than he has yet done.—­But, Lady Jenny, what say you to my sister’s questions?”

“If I must speak my mind,” replied I, “I should take the liberty to be very serious with Sir Jacob, and to say, that when a thing is done, and cannot be helped, he should take care how he sows the seeds of indifference and animosity between man and wife, and makes a gentleman dissatisfied with his choice, and perhaps unhappy as long as he lives.”—­“Nay, Miss,” said he, “if all are against me, and you, whose good opinion I value most, you may e’en let the girl come, and sit down.—­If she is but half as pretty, and half as wise, and modest, as you, I shall, as it cannot be helped, as you say, be ready to think better of the matter.  For ’tis a little hard, I must needs say, if she has hitherto appeared before all the good company, to keep her out of the way on my account.”—­“Really, Sir Jacob,” said the countess, “I have blushed for you more than once on this occasion.  But the mistress of this house is more than half as wise, and modest, and lovely:  and in hopes you will return me back some of the blushes I have lent you, see there, in my daughter Jenny, whom you have been so justly admiring, the mistress of the house, and the lady with the Pagan name.”  Sir Jacob sat aghast, looking at us all in turn, and then cast his eyes on the floor.  At last, up he got, and swore a sad oath:  “And am I thus tricked and bamboozled,” that was his word; “am I?  There’s no bearing this house, nor her presence, now, that’s certain; and I’ll begone.”

Mr. B. looking at me, and nodding his head towards Sir Jacob, as he was in a flutter to begone, I rose from my chair, and went to him, and took his hand.  “I hope, Sir Jacob, you will be able to bear both, when you shall see no other difference but that of descent, between the supposed Lady Jenny you so kindly praised, and the girl your dear nephew has so much exalted.”—­“Let me