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210 It is scarcely necessary to add, that Lady Anne was so very obliging as to stay and partake the scalloped oysters and negus of her neighbours; but it is, so to say, that Mrs. Palmer, although the most artless of human beings, in the exercise of a sound understanding and a kind heart, so wound round the self-love of the offended mother, that she obtained Louisa's forgiveness, a promise of receiving herself and husband the following week, and a permission that they should consider the projected entertainment as the medium of presenting them to the world in a respectable point of view. It is true the pardon was granted with so many precautions and conclusions, especially as regarded the poor bridegroom, that, if delivered as it was received, verbatim et liberatim, Mrs. Palmer could not fail to be assured it would be rejected, not only by the gentleman, but the fond wife, who honoured not less than she loved him. She well knew the power of intonation, and thought that, in the absence of the curled lip, the contemptuous twitch of the nose, and the supercilious toss of the head, her message might be acceptable for Louisa's sake, and she set out the following morning, accompanied by Helen and Georgiana, actually as happy as either of them, which is something to say, for the power of young Joy, like that of young Love, does not travel far on the dusty road of life in general.

Louisa had completed her furnishing vocation, and so nearly arrived at the bottom of her purse, that