s
disappearing and the white ones coming instead. Grandmamma's two
footmen, Morris and Dobson, have orders to take the black cockade out of
their hats and clap on a white one, the minute they hear that the royal
army enters Middlesex.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 22nd.
The Prince has taken Carlisle! It is said that he is marching on Derby
as fast as his troops can come. Everybody is in a flutter. I can guess
where Father is, and how excited he will be. I know he would go to wait
on his Royal Highness directly, and I should not wonder if a number of
the officers are quartered at Brocklebank--were, I should say. I almost
wish we were there! But when I said so to Ephraim, who comes every
Tuesday, such a strange look of pain came into his eyes, and he said,
"Don't, Cary!" so sadly. I wonder what the next thing will be!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

After I had written this, came one of Grandmamma's extra assemblies--Oh,
I should have altered my date! it is so troublesome--on Thursday
evening, and I looked round, and could not see one red ribbon that was
not mixed with white. A great many wore plain white, and among them
Miss Newton. I sat down by her.

"How do you this evening, Miss Newton?" I mischievously asked. "I am
so delighted to see you become a Tory since I saw you last Tuesday."

"How do you know I was not one before?" asked she, laughing.

"Your ribbons were not," said I. "They were red on Tuesday."

"Well, you ought to compliment me on the suddenness of my conversion,"
said she: "for I never was a trimmer. Oh, how absurd it is to make
ribbons and patches mean things! Why should one not wear red and white
just as one does green and blue?"

"It would be a boon to some people, I am sure," said I.

"Perhaps we shall, some day, when the world has become sensible," said
Miss Newton.

"Can you give me the date, Madam?"

It was a strange voice which asked this question. I looked up over my
shoulder, and saw a man of no particular age, dressed in gown and
cassock. [Note 1.] Miss Newton looked up too, laughing.

"Indeed I cannot, Mr Raymond," said she. "Can you?"

"Only by events," he answered. "I should expect it to be after the King
has entered His capital."

I felt, rather than saw, what he meant.

"I am a poor hand at riddles