more than two hours after
the leddies have laft ye: if ye want to get drunk, ye'll just dine at
the mass.' So ye see, Mestress Barry, what was Mac's allowance--haw,
haw! Mester Whey, I'll trouble ye for the o-lives."

But although we were in a clear majority, that indomitable woman, Mrs.
Berry, determined to make us all as uneasy as possible, and would take
the votes all round. Poor Jack, of course, sided with her, and Whey said
he loved a cup of tea and a little music better than all the wine of
Bordeaux. As for the Frenchman, when Mrs. Berry said, "And what do you
think, M. le Vicomte?"

"Vat you speak?" said M. de Blagueval, breaking silence for the first
time during two hours. "Yase--eh? to me you speak?"

"Apry deeny, aimy-voo ally avec les dam?"

"Comment avec les dames?"

"Ally avec les dam com a Parry, ou resty avec les Messew com on
Onglyterre?"

"Ah, madame! vous me le demandez?" cries the little wretch, starting up
in a theatrical way, and putting out his hand, which Mrs. Berry took,
and with this the ladies left the room. Old Lady Pash trotted after her
niece with her hand in Whey's, very much wondering at such practices,
which were not in the least in vogue in the reign of George III.

Mrs. Berry cast a glance of triumph at her husband, at the defection;
and Berry was evidently annoyed that three-eighths of his male forces
had left him.

But fancy our delight and astonishment, when in a minute they all three
came back again; the Frenchman looking entirely astonished, and the
parson and the painter both very queer. The fact is, old downright Lady
Pash, who had never been in Paris in her life before, and had no notion
of being deprived of her usual hour's respite and nap, said at once to
Mrs. Berry, "My dear Angelica, you're surely not going to keep these
three men here? Send them back to the dining-room, for I've a thousand
things to say to you." And Angelica, who expects to inherit her aunt's
property, of course did as she was bid; on which the old lady fell into
an easy chair, and fell asleep immediately,--so soon, that is, as
the shout caused by the reappearance of the three gentlemen in the
dining-room had subsided.

I had meanwhile had some private conversation with little Cutler
regarding the character of Mrs. Berry. "She's a regular screw,"
whispered he; "a regular Tartar. Berry shows fight, though, sometimes,
and I've known him have his own way for a week together. After dinner
he is his