art has never
yet been able to imitate; and if I could do as I liked, which none of
us can, I should always be up and dressed by sunrise.

As we drove down Grosvenor Place I saw Captain Lovell walking home,
smoking a cigar. I think he caught a glimpse of my face at the
carriage-window, for I am almost sure he bowed, but I shrunk back into
the corner, and pretended to go to sleep; and when we arrived in
Lowndes Street I was not at all sorry to wish Aunt Deborah good-night,
and go upstairs to bed.

CHAPTER IV.

"Now then, Kate, late as usual; my phaeton's at the door, and we've
only an hour and five minutes to do the twelve miles," said Cousin
John's cheery voice as he accosted me on the following morning,
running upstairs to change my dress after my early ride. Yes,
notwithstanding the ball the night before, I was not going to
disappoint Brilliant of his gallop; besides, these things are all
habit; if you once get accustomed to early hours nothing is so easy as
to keep to them. Why, even Captain Lovell was in the park as usual
with his cigar--he seems regular enough about _that_, at all
events--and he took his hat off so gracefully when he spied me
cantering up the Ride that I hadn't the heart to pass without stopping
just to say, "How d'ye do?" but of course I didn't shake hands with
him.

"Come, Kate, bustle, bustle," exclaimed that fidget John; and in less
time than my lady-readers would believe, I had put on my pink bonnet
and my white dress, and was bowling down to Richmond by the side of my
cousin, behind a roan and a chestnut that stepped away in a style that
it did one good to see.

"What a clipper that off-horse is, John," said I as we cleared London,
and got to the level road by Kew Gardens; "let me take the reins for
five minutes--they're going so pleasantly." But John don't like me to
drive anything more sporting than a pony-carriage, and he refused
point blank, which, to say the least of it, was brutal on his part. If
I hadn't thought it would make me sick, I should have liked to smoke,
on purpose to provoke him. We did the distance with three minutes to
spare, and as we pulled up in front of the Castle Hotel, I was proud
to hear the admiration our _tout ensemble_ elicited from a knot of
idlers lounging round the door. "'Ere's a spicy set-out, Bill," said
one. "Crickey! vot a pretty gal!" said another. "Vouldn't I like to be
Vilikins with she for a Dinah!" exclaimed the dirtiest of the
concla