“That is quite impossible; I will not suppose any thing so disgraceful to the taste and judgment of all the smart young gentlemen I see here,” added he, carelessly, and then returned to his affectedly interesting conversation with Emmeline, who listened apparently quite unworthy of the honour conferred on her. Selina saw with mortification that nothing was to be hoped from Mr. Moore. But just then, a foppishly dressed young man, coming up and speaking to Emmeline, Selina’s spirits revived: she touched her arm, whispering, “Who is that? could you introduce me to him?” At first Emmeline paid no attention, but Selina’s pinches became so urgent, that she at last was obliged to say: “Lord William Vernon, will you allow me to introduce my friend, Miss Danvers, to you?” For a minute, an expression of displeasure animated Lord William’s unmeaning countenance: he made Selina a slight bow with his head, as he took a hasty survey of her person; and after saying something very uninteresting about the heat of the room, to Emmeline, and enlarging on the merits of a newly purchased cabriolet-horse, to Moore, he walked away. Poor Selina bit her lip in vexation, and finding she did not thrive at all in her present situation, jumped up to see what could be done with her cross _chaperon_, whom she had spied in conversation with a gentleman at the opposite side of the room. “How in the name of wonder came Miss Danvers here?” exclaimed Moore, as soon as she had left them—”what could possess the lady patronesses to give her a ticket?” “I applied for one for her,” answered Emmeline. “I think that was rather a work of supererogation on your part,” continued Moore. “You surely are not going to hamper yourself with that girl: you soon frightened away Vernon, trembling for his newly acquired dignity in the hierarchy of fashion; and I must give you notice, if you take to introducing Miss Selina Danvers about, even you, even Lady Fitzhenry, charming as she is, will be voted a bore. What business has that sort of girl here? and how can she be so unreasonable as to expect to be asked to dance? it is perfect nonsense—she had much better stick to her Hampshire county ball; there she may play _un grand rôle_. Misses are really sad nuisances in society, unless they sit quiet, and don’t trouble one; so take my advice Lady Fitzhenry. Good-nature is quite _mauvais ton_ in London—it is a bad style to take up, and will never do. But it is impossible to sit still and moralize when Collinet is playing that waltz so delightfully; will you take a turn or two with me?” “I will resign the honour to Miss Danvers,” said Emmeline, laughing—”and luckily she is just coming this way; so do the thing handsomely, and ask the poor girl, for she knows nobody here, and is dying to dance.” “Oh, if you are really serious, I am off,” said Moore, and hastily seizing his hat, which he had hid under the seat in preparation for his waltz with Lady Fitzhenry, he hurried away.