"I had no desire for your Frenchwoman," replied the colonel, "and, as for you, if you would not fall in love with me some time ago, when I was your very humble servant, what chance had I after you had seen me making love to Sophia? Besides my poor brother Augustus is going mad for you, Harriette, and, apropos of him, you really treat him very ill." "I mean to have that young gentleman confined to a madhouse," said I, "if he conducts himself in such a strange way again as he did last Saturday; throwing himself on his knees in my box, and acting his Cheltenham-tragedies at the opera." "He is very handsome," Deerhurst observed. "A mere ruffian!" I retorted. "Do not be so severe on poor Augustus," said Colonel Berkeley, who was always the most affectionate brother I ever met with in my life. "He is a sailor, you know, and upon my honour he is very fond of you. I want you and Sophia to favour me with your company to dine at Richmond on Monday, and, if you will trust yourself to my care, I will drive my barouche." "Willingly," answered I. "But this is not all," continued the Colonel. "I am commissioned to intercede for Augustus." "I am off then," said I, "for your brother is much too rude for my present state of health, and would I know tease me into a fever." "Upon my word," said Berkeley, "I can make him do just what I please, and I have only interceded for him after receiving his promise not to say or do anything that can possibly offend." The engagement was concluded for Monday, and Deerhurst begged to be of our party. "No more of your rural fighting parties for me," I hastily observed, "and I neither like eggs and bacon nor pot-houses to eat my dinner in." "No!" said Berkeley, laughing heartily, "did he really give you eggs and bacon for dinner?" "And in the dog-days too!" continued I. We then took our leave, and Colonel Berkeley set me down at my own door in perfect safety. CHAPTER X The next day I dined with Julia, Fanny was of the party. Julia was raving about Sir Henry Mildmay, by whom she professed to be pregnant. The shy Julia gloried in this _faux pas_. "What mortal could have resisted such an angel!" exclaimed Julia. "And Cotton?" added I. "By your advice," replied Julia, "I have refused to receive him but as a friend." "Certainly," said I; "I do think it wicked to put ourselves in the way of increasing a large family of children, only to starve them. You are the mother of six already, which is five more than your slender fortune can support." "I shall have seven thousand a year at the death of my brother, who is in a decline," said Julia, whose eyes were very red as though she had been weeping. To my inquiry, "What was the matter?" Fanny answered, "That the foolish creature had done nothing but shed tears from morning till night." "If I could only once more have Mildmay in my arms," said Julia, "I should have lived long enough." "And who is to protect Mildmay's child?" I asked.