own fault, then," replied Mademoiselle: "for I am sure
my cousin omitted nothing that could serve to render the evening
agreeable."

"True," said Charlotte: "but I thought the gentlemen were very free in
their manner: I wonder you would suffer them to behave as they did."

"Prithee, don't be such a foolish little prude," said the artful woman,
affecting anger: "I invited you to go in hopes it would divert you, and
be an agreeable change of scene; however, if your delicacy was hurt by
the behaviour of the gentlemen, you need not go again; so there let it
rest."

"I do not intend to go again," said Charlotte, gravely taking off her
bonnet, and beginning to prepare for bed: "I am sure, if Madame Du Pont
knew we had been out to-night, she would be very angry; and it is ten to
one but she hears of it by some means or other."

"Nay, Miss," said La Rue, "perhaps your mighty sense of propriety may
lead you to tell her yourself: and in order to avoid the censure you
would incur, should she hear of it by accident, throw the blame on
me: but I confess I deserve it: it will be a very kind return for that
partiality which led me to prefer you before any of the rest of the
ladies; but perhaps it will give you pleasure," continued she, letting
fall some hypocritical tears, "to see me deprived of bread, and for an
action which by the most rigid could only be esteemed an inadvertency,
lose my place and character, and be driven again into the world, where I
have already suffered all the evils attendant on poverty."

This was touching Charlotte in the most vulnerable part: she rose from
her seat, and taking Mademoiselle's hand--"You know, my dear La Rue,"
said she, "I love you too well, to do anything that would injure you in
my governess's opinion: I am only sorry we went out this evening."

"I don't believe it, Charlotte," said she, assuming a little vivacity;
"for if you had not gone out, you would not have seen the gentleman who
met us crossing the field; and I rather think you were pleased with his
conversation."

"I had seen him once before," replied Charlotte, "and thought him an
agreeable man; and you know one is always pleased to see a person with
whom one has passed several cheerful hours. But," said she pausing,
and drawing the letter from her pocket, while a gentle suffusion of
vermillion tinged her neck and face, "he gave me this letter; what shall
I do with it?"

"Read it, to be sure," returned Mademoiselle.

"I