. 'Oh, could I think that the
parting from me has brought tears to those lovely eyes! Indeed, I fear,
I should be almost happy! Let them look upon your----'

"'Oh, sir!' cries my charmer. 'Oh, Mr. Warrington! consider who I am,
sir, and who you are! Remember the difference between us! Release my
hand, sir! What would Madam Esmond say if--if----'

"If what, I don't know, for here our mother was in the room.

"'What would Madam Esmond say?' she cries out. 'She would say that you
are an ungrateful, artful, false, little----'

"'Madam!' says I.

"'Yes, an ungrateful, artful, false, little wretch!' cries out my
mother. 'For shame, miss! What would Mr. Lintot say if he saw you making
eyes at the Captain? And for you, Harry, I will have you bring none of
your garrison manners hither. This is a Christian family, sir, and you
will please to know that my house is not intended for captains and their
misses!'

"'Misses, mother!' says I. 'Gracious powers, do you ever venture for
to call Miss Mountain by such a name? Miss Mountain, the purest of her
sex!'

"'The purest of her sex! Can I trust my own ears?' asks Madam, turning
very pale.

"'I mean that if a man would question her honour, I would fling him out
of window,' says I.

"'You mean that you--your mother's son--are actually paying honourable
attention to this young person?'

"'He would never dare to offer any other,' cries my Fanny; 'nor any
woman but you, madam, to think so!'

"'Oh, I didn't know, miss!' says mother, dropping her a fine curtsey, 'I
didn't know the honour you were doing our family! You propose to marry
with us, do you? Do I understand Captain Warrington aright, that he
intends to offer me Miss Mountain as a daughter-in-law?'

"''Tis to be seen, madam, that I have no protector, or you would not
insult me so!' cries my poor victim.

"'I should think the apothecary protection sufficient!' says our mother.

"'I don't, mother!' I bawl out, for I was very angry; 'and if Lintot
offers her any liberty, I'll brain him with his own pestle!'

"'Oh! if Lintot has withdrawn, sir, I suppose I must be silent. But I
did not know of the circumstance. He came hither, as I supposed, to pay
court to Miss: and we all thought the match equal, and I encouraged it.'

"'He came because I had the toothache!' cries my darling (and indeed she
had a dreadful bad tooth. And he took it out for her, and there is no
end to the suspicions and calumnies of women).

"'What