"Ah, well, _carpe diem_! be happy while you may--that has been my principle in life. A fine assembly; and if I am not mistaken, I hear the shuffle of cards yonder in the side room." "Yes, sir." "Ah, you Virginians! I find your thirst for play even greater than my own." "I think your Excellency introduced the said thirst." "What! introduced it? I? Not at all. You Virginians are true descendants of the cavaliers--those long-haired gentlemen who drank, and diced, and swore, and got into the saddle, and fought without knowing very accurately what they were fighting about. See, I have drawn you to the life!" Sir Asinus smiled. "We shall some day have to fight, sir," he said, "and we shall then falsify our ancestral character." "How?" "We shall know what we fight about!" "Bah! my dear Tom! there you are beginning to talk politics, and soon you will be rattling the stamp act and navigation laws in my ears, like two pebbles shaken together in the hand. Enough! Be happy while you may, I say again, and forget your theories. Ah! there is my friend, Mrs. Wimple, and her charming niece. Good evening, madam." And his Excellency made a courtly bow to Aunt Wimple, who was resplendent in a head-dress which towered aloft like a helmet. And passing on, the Governor smiled upon Miss Belle-bouche, and saluted Jacques. On former occasions we have attempted to describe the costume of this latter gentleman; on the present occasion we shall not. It is enough to say that the large tulip bed at Shadynook seemed to have left that domain and entered the ball-room of the Raleigh, with the lady who attended to them. This was Belle-bouche, as we have said; and the tender languishing face of the little beauty was full of joy at the bright scene. As for poor Jacques, he was oceans deep in love, and scarcely looked at any other lady in the room. This caused much amusement among his friends who were looking at him; but what does a lover care for laughter? "Ah!" he says, "a truly Arcadian scene! Methinks the Muses and the Graces have become civilized, and assembled here to dance the minuet. You will have a delightful evening." "Oh, I'm sure I shall!" says Belle-bouche, smiling. "And I shall, because I am with you." With which words, Jacques smiles and sighs; and his watchful friends follow his eyes, and laugh more loudly than ever. They say to him afterwards: "Well, old fellow, the way you were sweet upon your lady-love on that occasion, was a sin! You almost ate her up with your eyes, and at one time you looked as if you were going to dissolve into a sigh, or melt into a smile. At any rate, you are gone--go on!" Belle-bouche receives the tender compliments of Jacques with a flitting blush, and says, in order to divert him from the subject of herself: "There is Mr. Mowbray, entering with his sister Lucy. She is very sweet----" "But not----"