"So, my dear," said Lady Ellersby, "you are really what they call in love? he, he, he!" "I am fondly attached to Lord Glenmore, and feel proud now in declaring it;--it has become my happy duty," replied Miss Melcomb. "Duty!" replied Lady Ellersby, opening her mouth, and _ouvrant des grands yeux_, "he, he, he!--surely you are not serious? Whoever heard a young person going to be married, that is, going to be her own mistress, talk of duty! Tell me, really are you not delighted at the idea of having horses and equipages, and doing exactly what you like, and going out every where you please? That was what I liked and thought of, when I was going to be married, and----but then I was not in love--he, he, he!" "No?" replied Miss Melcomb, somewhat astonished. "Certainly not--he, he, he!" "I have no wish," rejoined Miss Melcomb, "to be more my own mistress than I am at present. I shall, on the contrary, feel myself less at liberty, for of course a married woman has a thousand things to think of which a girl has not." "La, my dear, you talk in a way which it is very right to teach children, but when people act for themselves they think very differently. Every body, you know, marries to avoid being governed." "I never could have married for that reason, for I have been the happiest of creatures at home." "Well really, la! you don't say so! But now you will have an opera box, jewels, equipages, and all sorts of delightful things." "I don't know--perhaps if Lord Glenmore intends I should--" "La, how droll you are; you don't really mean to set out by asking his leave, or consulting him on such trifling subjects as these, my dear child, he, he, he! you are enough to spoil any husband.--Well, good morning--you must correct yourself of such _enfantillage_--remember what I say. Six months will not have elapsed before you recant all this, and change your present mode of thinking and feeling." Miss Melcomb smiled, and shook her head in token of dissent. "Good morning," Lady Ellersby repeated, "I have already intruded too much upon your time; I shall be delighted to cultivate your society when you come back a gay bride; and pray tell Lady Melcomb I will not torment her any more just now.--Once again accept my congratulations, and my best compliments to Lord Melcomb, he, he, he!"