This pleased her husband; he wanted to retrench, without appearing less magnificent; for his prudence (or rather his desire of saving at home to squander abroad) was still subordinate to his ostentation. But all these innocent stratagems were ineffectual; spending his whole time between women, racing, and gaming, one excess succeeded another, until his affairs were intirely involved. Previous to this, Mrs Lee had resigned her jewels to pay one of his game debts, which she afterwards saw adorning a girl he kept. The world saw he devoted himself only to objects of contempt, and pitied his neglect of a woman of her merit, and who was still handsome, having that style of beauty which is the image of a sensible heart, though sorrow and tears had deprived it of its freshness. This laid her open to the assiduity of men of gallantry, who are generally obliging enough, upon such occasions, to offer their assistance to dry up a _pretty woman's tears_. It is to be confessed a woman under these circumstances is in a very _dangerous situation_. None of Mr Lee's conduct was founded on propriety--he was witty, kind, cold, angry, easy, stiff, jealous, careless, cautious, confident, close, open, but all _in the wrong place_. She often retired into her closet, and wept the silent hours away for his hard-heartedness--yet without one unkind word or reproach. Her parents were dead, Lady Frances at a distance, her sorrows of a complicated kind, which required great delicacy to discover; she had no person to open her heart to, none to whom she could pour forth the sorrows of the soul! she had a susceptible heart, and no object she took any interest in, or who participated in her trials.--This situated, (the candid must acknowledge) she was perhaps more to be _pitied_ than _blamed_, in permitting another object to glide insensibly into her affections--more especially as he was introduced by Mr Lee, as one to whom she was indebted for his life and fortune.