r as thou. Why then all
this emotion?"

Polly Barlow came up instantly from Mr. B.

I hastened down; tremble, tremble, tremble, went my feet, in spite
of all the resolution I had been endeavouring so long to collect
together.

Mr. B. presented the countess to me, both of us covered with blushes;
but from very different motives, as I imagine.

"The Countess of---, my dear."

She saluted me, and looked, as I thought, half with envy, half with
shame: but one is apt to form people's countenances by what one judges
of their hearts.

"O too lovely, too charming rival!" thought I--"Would to heaven I saw
less attraction in you!"--For indeed she is a charming lady; yet she
could not help calling me Mrs. B., that was some pride to me: every
little distinction is a pride to me now--and said, she hoped I would
excuse the liberty she had taken: but the character given of me by Mr.
B. made her desirous of paying her respects to me.

"O these villainous masquerades," thought I!--"You would never have
wanted to see me, but for them, poor naughty Nun, that was!"

Mr. B. presented also the Viscountess to me; I saluted her ladyship;
her _sister_ saluted _me_.

She is a graceful lady; better, as I hope, in heart, but not equal in
person to her sister.

"You have a charming boy, I am told, Madam; but no wonder from such a
pair!"

"O dear heart," thought I, "i'n't it so!" Your ladyship may guess what
I thought farther.

"Will your ladyship see him now?" said Mr. B.

He did not look down; no, not one bit!--though the Countess played
with her fan, and looked at him, and at me, and then down by turns,
a little consciously: while I wrapped up myself in my innocence, my
first flutters being over, and thought I was superior, by reason of
that, even to a Countess.

With all her heart, she said.

I rang. "Polly, bid nurse bring _my_ Billy down."--_My_, said I, with
an emphasis.

I met the nurse at the stairs' foot, and brought in my dear baby in my
arms: "Such a child, and such a mamma!" said the Viscountess.

"Will you give Master to my arms, one moment, Madam?" said the
Countess.

"Yes," thought I, "much rather than my dear naughty gentleman should
any other."

I _yielded_, it to her: I thought she would have stifled it with her
warm kisses. "Sweet boy I charming creature," and pressed it to her
too lovely bosom, with such emotion, looking on the child, and on Mr.
B., that I liked it not by any means.

"Go, you naught