Do you wish me, sir, to stay in England till your return?

A question so home put, disturbed him.  Was it a prudent one in the lady?  It must either subject her to a repulse; or him, by a polite answer, to give her hope, that her stay in England might not be fruitless, as to the view she had in coming.  He reddened.  It is fit, answered he, that your own pleasure should determine you.  It did, pardon me, madam, in your journey hither.

She reddened to her very ears.  Your brother, ladies, has the reputation of being a polite man:  bear witness to this instance of it.  I am ashamed of myself!

If I am unpolite, madam, my sincerity will be my excuse; at least to my own heart.

O, that inflexible heart!  But, ladies, if the inhospitable Englishman refuse his protection in his own country, to a foreign woman, of no mean quality; do not you, his sisters, despise her.

They, madam, and their lords, will render you every cheerful service.  Let me request you, my sisters, to make England as agreeable as possible to this lady.  She is of the first consideration in her own country:  she will be of such wherever she goes.  My Lady Maffei deserves likewise your utmost respect.  Then addressing himself to them; Ladies, said he, encourage my sisters:  they will think themselves honoured by your commands.

The two sisters confirmed, in an obliging manner, what their brother had said; and both ladies acknowledged themselves indebted to them for their offered friendship:  but Lady Olivia seemed not at all satisfied with their brother:  and it was with some difficulty he prevailed on her to return to the company, and drink coffee.

I could not help reflecting, on occasion of this lady’s conduct, that fathers and mothers are great blessings, to daughters, in particular, even when women grown.  It is not every woman that will shine in a state of independency.  Great fortunes are snares.  If independent women escape the machinations of men, which they have often a difficulty to do, they will frequently be hurried by their own imaginations, which are said to be livelier than those of men, though their judgments are supposed less, into inconveniencies.  Had Lady Olivia’s parents or uncles lived, she hardly would have been permitted to make the tour of Europe:  and not having so great a fortune to support vagaries, would have shone, as she is well qualified to do, in a dependent state, in Italy, and made some worthy man and herself happy.

Had she a mind great enough to induce her to pity Clementina, I should have been apt to pity her; for I saw her soul was disturbed.  I saw that the man she loved was not able to return her love:  a pitiable case!—­I saw a starting tear now and then with difficulty dispersed.  Once she rubbed her eye, and, being conscious of observation, said something had got into it:  so it had.  The something was a tear.  Yet she looked with haughtiness, and her bosom swelled with indignation ill concealed.