"No, of course not," continued her step-mother; "I hope I know myself and the mode too well. Now, as to walking, what do you think the Consul said to me last night when you left the room?" Celia confessed her inability to guess it. "He said, 'What a pity that young lady cannot walk!'" Celia's eyes opened rather widely. "It is quite true, you absolutely cannot walk. You have no idea of walking but to go backwards or forwards. A walk should be a graceful, gliding motion, only just not dancing. There--that will do for this morning. As to walking, you shall have dancing lessons; but remember the other things I tell you. You must not blush, nor weep, nor eat more than you can help--in public, of course, I mean; you can eat an ox in your own chamber, if you please--and above everything else, you must give over feeling. You can go now if you wish it." "Madam, you order impossibilities!" said Celia, with tears in her eyes. "I will eat as little as you please, if it keep me alive; and I will do my best to walk in any manner you wish me. I will try to give over blushing, if I can, though really I do not know how to set about it; but to give over feeling--Madam, I cannot do it. I do not think I ought to do it, even at your command. I must weep when I am sorrowful--I must laugh when I am diverted. I will not do it more than I can help, but I cannot make any promise beyond that." "Ah! there you are!" said Lady Ingram, laughing. "You island English, with your hearts and your consciences, every man of you a Pope to himself! Well, I will not be too hard upon you at first, _ma belle_. That will do for the present. By and by I shall exact more." Celia had a request to prefer before she went. "Madam," she asked, trembling very much, "if it pleased you, and you had no desire that I should do otherwise, would you give me leave to hear Dr. Sacheverell preach on Sunday?" "_Ma chère!_" said Lady Ingram, "how can I, a Catholic, choose between your Protestant teachers? You shall go where you like. The Consul has been so good as to place one of his carriages at my disposal, and as I shall remain here all the day, I place it at yours. I will bid William ask where your great Doctor preaches."