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282 you when you passed me this morning in going to the gardens, that Cupid looked in those arch looks of yours; pretty doings, indeed, to set the men beside themselves. But here comes your papa; what will he say to all this?"

The General entered, and ere he could be seated, Mrs. Herbert, with the utmost volubility of speech, began relating the story she had heard, but which, as she could but explain in part, Mrs. De Brooke was called upon for a more minute detail; when, ever liking to promote good humour, the General joined Mrs. Herbert in her raillery of Rosilia.

"If we do not soon escape to the Bower," exclaimed he, "I shall lose my dear girl; she will be run away with by some of these smart London bucks."

"You may depend upon it," added Mrs. Herbert, "the affair will not end here; this Mr. Harcourt is too deeply smitten to allow the affair to drop; he will make further efforts, take my word for it."

"To preserve my pre-eminence over him," said Rosilia gaily, "it would be better never to become further known to him; he is, perhaps, of a bold and sanguine character, and fond of novelty, which has, doubtless, deluded him to act as he has done: