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 they were married: but Bell's early prejudices upon this subject had been so strongly impressed, that she could not easily reconcile herself to this new doctrine. Her pride was mortified at being obliged to implore the forbearance of tradespeople, at whose expense her vanity had been fed; but the dread of exposing to her father the extent of her extravagance, compelled her to submit to the mortification. Her gay friend laughed at her scruples; and reminding her of the independent fortune of which she was to come into possession at her marriage, advised her by all means to hasten the period of her emancipation. The independent fortune to which Mrs Flinders alluded, and which, in the zeal of her friendship, she always represented as very considerable, is in fact no more than fifteen hundred pounds. I always considered the exaggerated reports which Mrs Flinders spread of it, as ill-judged kindness; but my sister viewed it in a different light,