“From whom?--Amongst all my numerous acquaintance, have I one in the world who cares a gold fish about me?--Stay, don’t tell me, let me guess----Lady Newland?--No; you shake your heads. I guessed her ladyship, merely because I know she wants to bribe me some way or other to go to one of her stupid entertainments; she wants to pick out of me taste enough to spend a fortune. But you say it was not Lady Newland?--Mrs. Hunt then perhaps? for she has two daughters whom she wants me to ask to my concerts. It was not Mrs. Hunt?--Well, then, it was Mrs. Masterson; for she has a mind to go with me to Harrowgate, where, by-the-bye, I shall not go; so I won’t cheat her out of her gold fishes; it was Mrs. Masterson, hey?” “No. But these little gold fishes came from a person who would be very glad to go with you to Harrowgate!” said Clarence Hervey. “Or who would be very glad to stay with you in town,” said Belinda: “from a person who wants nothing from you but--your love.” “Male or female?” said Lady Delacour. “Female.” “Female? I have not a female friend in the world but yourself, my dear Belinda; nor do I know another female in the world, whose love I should think about for half an instant. But pray tell me the name of this unknown friend of mine, who wants nothing from me but love.” “Excuse me,” said Belinda; “I cannot tell her name, unless you will promise to see her.” “You have really made me impatient to see her,” said Lady Delacour: “but I am not able to go out, you know, yet; and with a new acquaintance, one must go through the ceremony of a morning visit. Now, _en conscience_, is it worth while?” “Very well worth while,” cried Belinda and Clarence Hervey, eagerly. “Ah, pardi! as M. le Comte exclaims continually, Ah, pardi! You are both wonderfully interested in this business. It is some sister, niece, or cousin of Lady Anne Percival’s; or--no, Belinda looks as if I were wrong. Then, perhaps, it is Lady Anne herself?--Well, take me where you please, my dear Belinda, and introduce me where you please: I depend on your taste and judgment in all things; but I really am not yet able to pay morning visits.” “The ceremony of a morning visit is quite unnecessary here,” said Belinda: “I will introduce the unknown friend to you to-morrow, if you will let me invite her to your reading-party.” “With pleasure. She is some charming émigrée of Clarence Hervey’s acquaintance. But where did you meet with her this morning? You have both of you conspired to puzzle me. Take it upon yourselves, then, if this new acquaintance should not, as Ninon de l’Enclos used to say, _quit cost_. If she be half as agreeable and _graceful_, Clarence, as Madame la Comtesse de Pomenars, I should not think her acquaintance too dearly purchased by a dozen morning visits.” Here the conversation was interrupted by a thundering knock at the door.