drinks champagne while
talking, and excites herself.]

MISS P.--Don't take that, mamma.

MRS. P.--Don't take it? why, it costs nothing; Milliken can afford it.
Do you suppose I get champagne every day? I might have had it as a girl
when I first married your father, and we kep' our gig and horse, and
lived at Clapham, and had the best of everything. But the coal-trade is
not what it was, Julia. We met with misfortunes, Julia, and we went
into poverty: and your poor father went into the Bench for twenty-three
months--two year all but a month he did--and my poor girl was obliged to
dance at the "Coburg Theatre"--yes you were, at ten shillings a week,
in the Oriental ballet of "The Bulbul and the Rose:" you were, my poor
darling child.

MISS P.--Hush, hush, mamma!

MRS. P.--And we kep' a lodging-house in Bury Street, St. James's,
which your father's brother furnished for us, who was an extensive
oil-merchant. He brought you up; and afterwards he quarrelled with my
poor James, Robert Prior did, and he died, not leaving us a shilling.
And my dear eldest boy went into a wine-merchant's office: and my poor
darling Julia became a governess, when you had had the best of education
at Clapham; you had, Julia. And to think that you were obliged, my
blessed thing, to go on in the Oriental ballet of "The Rose and the
Bul--"

MISS P.--Mamma, hush, hush! forget that story.

Enter Page from dining-room.

PAGE.--Miss Prior! please, the ladies are coming from the dining-room.
Mrs. B. have had her two glasses of port, and her ladyship is now
a-telling the story about the Prince of Wales when she danced with him
at Canton House. [Exit Page.]

MISS P.--Quick, quick! There, take your basket! Put on your bonnet, and
good-night, mamma. Here, here is a half sovereign and three shillings;
it is all the money I have in the world; take it, and buy the shoes for
Adolphus.

MRS. P.--And the underclothing, my love--little Amelia's underclothing?

MISS P.--We will see about it. Good-night [kisses her]. Don't be seen
here,--Lady K. doesn't like it.

Enter Gentlemen and Ladies from dining-room.

LADY K.--We follow the Continental fashion. We don't sit after dinner,
Captain Touchit.

CAPTAIN T.--Confound the Continental fashion! I like to sit a little
while after dinner [aside].

MRS. B.--So does my dear Mr. Bonnington, Captain Touchit. He likes a
little port-wine after dinner.

TOUCHIT.--I'm not surprised at it, ma am.

MRS. B.--Wh