At these words Elinor seemed to shake herself, and presently, though in a hollow tone, pronounced, 'Are you then going?' Ellis plaintively answered Yes! 'And ... with whom?' cried Elinor, raising her eyes with a glance of fire. 'With no one, Madam. I go alone.' This answer was uttered with a firmness that annulled all suspicion of deceit. Elinor appeared again to breathe. 'And whither?' she demanded, 'whither is it you go?' 'I know not, alas!--but I mean to make an attempt at Howel Place.' The countenance of Elinor now lost its rigidity, and with a cry almost of extacy, she exclaimed, 'Upon Lord Melbury?--your new admirer? O go to him!--hasten to him!--dear, charming Ellis, away to him at once!--' Ellis, half smiling, answered, 'No, Madam; I go to Lady Aurora Granville.' Elinor, without replying, left the room; but, quick in action as in idea, returned, almost instantly, loaded with a packet of clothes. 'Here, most beautiful Ophelia!' she cried, 'look over this trumpery. You know how skilfully you can arrange it. You must not appear to disadvantage before dear little Lord Melbury.' Ellis now, nearly offended, drew back. 'O, I know I ought to be excommunicated for giving such a hint,' cried Elinor, whose spirits were rather exalted than recovered; 'though every body sees how the poor boy is bewitched with you: but you delicate sentimentalists are never yourselves to suspect any danger, till the men are so crazy 'twould be murder to resist them; and then, you know, acceptance is an act of mere charity.' Ellis laughed at her raillery, yet declined her wardrobe, saying that she had resolved upon frankly stating to Lady Aurora, all that she was able to make known of her situation. 'Well, that's more romantic,' returned Elinor, 'and so 'twill be more touching; especially to the little peer; for as you won't say who you are, he can do no less than, like Selina, conclude you to be a princess in disguise; and that, as you know, will bring the match so properly forward, that parents, and uncles, and guardians, and all those supernumeraries of the creation, will learn the business only just in time to drown themselves.' Ellis heard this with a calmness that shewed her superior to offering any vindication of her conduct; and Elinor more gently added, 'Now don't construe all this into either a sneer or a reprimand. If you imagine me an enemy to what the old court call unequal connexions, you do me egregious injustice. I detest all aristocracy: I care for nothing upon earth but nature; and I hold no one thing in the world worth living for but liberty! and liberty, you know, has but two occupations,--plucking up and pulling down. To me, therefore, 'tis equally diverting, to see a beggar swell into a duchess, or a duchess dwindle into a beggar.' Ellis tried to smile, but felt shocked many ways; and Elinor, gay, now, as a lark, left her to get ready for Howel Place.