 making her tea. At the entrance of her father
thus unexpectedly, she changed colour; but soon assuming her usual
assured manner, said she was glad to see his Lordship well enough to
come out.

'Dismiss this young man,' said he sternly. 'I must speak to you alone.'

'_Va mon ami_,' cried Lady Frances, with the utmost ease, '_pour
quelques moments_.'

Bellozane left the room; and then Lord Montreville, with paternal
affection, tried to move her. But she had conquered her feelings; and
answered with great calmness--'That conscious of her own innocence, she
was quite indifferent to the opinion of the world. And that tho' she
certainly wished to be upon good terms with her own family, yet if any
part of it chose to think ill of her, they must do so entirely from
prejudice, which it was little worth her while to attempt removing.'

Lord Montreville, now provoked beyond all endurance, gave way to the
indignation with which he was inflamed, and denounced his malediction
against her, if she did not immediately dismiss Bellozane and regulate
her manner of life. She heard him with the most callous insensibility;
and let him depart without making any attempt to appease his anger or
calm his apprehensions. From her, he went down to Crofts; to whom he
forcibly represented the necessity there was for putting an immediate
stop to the scandal which the conduct of his wife occasioned.
Pusillanimous and mean-spirited, Crofts chose neither to risk his
personal safety with the Chevalier, nor the diminution of his fortune by
attempting to procure a divorce, which would compel him to return what
he loved much better than honour.

He saw many others do extremely well, and mightily respected, whose
wives were yet gayer than his own; and convinced that while he had money
he should always obtain as much regard as he desired, he rather excused
to Lord Montreville the conduct of Lady Frances than shewed any
disposition to resent it. The Marquis left him with contempt, and
ordered his chair to Lord Westhaven's. As he went, he could not forbear
reflecting on the contrast between his eldest and youngest daughter, and
between his eldest daughter and his niece. He grew extremely anxious for
Lord Delamere's marriage with Emmeline: sure of finding, in her, an
honour to his family, which might console him for his present
misfortunes: and he deeply regretted that infatuation which had blinded
him to her superior merit, and hazarded losing her for ever. Disgusted
already with the Crofts, he remembered that it had been
