The Countess walked straight up to him. 'Dear Andrew! this sun is too powerful for you. I beg you, withdraw into the shade of the house.' She was about to help him with all her gentleness. 'Yes, yes. All right, Louisa rejoined Andrew. 'Come, go and pack. The fly 'll be here, you know--too late for the coach, if you don't mind, my lass. Ain't you packed yet?' The horrible fascination of vulgarity impelled the wretched lady to answer: 'Are we herrings?' And then she laughed, but without any accompaniment. 'I am now going to dear Mrs. Bonner,' she said, with a tender glance at Lady Jocelyn. 'My mother is sleeping,' her ladyship remarked. 'Come, Carry, my darling!' cried Andrew. Caroline looked at her sister. The Countess divined Andrew's shameful trap. 'I was under an engagement to go and canvass this afternoon,' she said. 'Why, my dear Louisa, we've settled that in here this morning,' said Andrew. 'Old Tom only stuck up a puppet to play with. We've knocked him over, and march in victorious--eh, my lady?' 'Oh!' exclaimed the Countess, 'if Mr. Raikes shall indeed have listened to my inducements!' 'Deuce a bit of inducements!' returned Andrew. 'The fellow's ashamed of himself-ha! ha! Now then, Louisa.' While they talked, Juliana had loosed Dorothy and Alec, and these imps were seen rehearsing a remarkable play, in which the damsel held forth a hand and the cavalier advanced and kissed it with a loud smack, being at the same time reproached for his lack of grace. 'You are so English!' cried Dorothy, with perfect languor, and a malicious twitter passed between two or three. Mr. George spluttered indiscreetly. The Countess observed the performance. Not to convert the retreat into a total rout, she, with that dark flush which was her manner of blushing, took formal leave of Lady Jocelyn, who, in return, simply said: 'Good- bye, Countess.' Mrs. Strike's hand she kindly shook. The few digs and slaps and thrusts at gloomy Harry and prim Miss Carrington and boorish Mr. George, wherewith the Countess, torn with wrath, thought it necessary to cover her retreat, need not be told. She struck the weak alone: Juliana she respected. Masterly tactics, for they showed her power, gratified her vengeance, and left her unassailed. On the road she had Andrew to tear to pieces. O delicious operation! And O shameful brother to reduce her to such joys! And, O Providence! may a poor desperate soul, betrayed through her devotion, unremunerated for her humiliation and absolute hard work, accuse thee? The Countess would have liked to. She felt it to be the instigation of the devil, and decided to remain on the safe side still.