ghtest
star of attraction in the hemisphere of fashion. "I should like to see
Billingsgate, amazingly," said the marchioness to her eccentric
friend, while reading a humorous article on the subject in the Morning
Chronicle. "It must be entertaining to hear the peculiar phraseology and
observe the humorous vulgarities of these _naiades_, if one could do so
_incog_." "And why not, my dear?" said Lady C----; "you know there never
was a female Quixote in existence among the petticoat blue-stockings,
from Lady Wortley Montague to Lady Morgan, who was more deeply affected
with the Tom and Jerry _mania_ than I am: leave all to me, and I'll
answer for taking you there safely, enjoying the scene securely, and
escaping without chance of detection." With Lady ~302~~C---- a whim of
this description is by no means unusual, and the necessary attendance of
a confidential servant to protect, in case of danger, a very essential
personage. To this Mercury, Lady C---- confided her plan; giving
directions for the completion of it on the morning of the morrow, and
instructing him to obtain disguises from his wife, who is an upper
servant in the family, for the use of the ladies. John, although
perfectly free from any alarm on account of Lady C----, should the whim
become known, was not so easy in respect to the young and attractive
marchioness, whose consort, should any thing unpleasant occur, John
wisely calculated, might interfere to remove him from his situation.
With this resolve he prudently communicated the ladies' intention to a
confidential friend of the marquis, who, on receiving an intimation
of their intentions, laughed at the whim, and determined to humour the
joke, by attending the place, properly disguised, to watch at a distance
the frolic of the ladies. The next morning, at the appointed hour, the
footman brought a hackney-coach to the door, and the ladies were quickly
conveyed to the scene of action, followed (unknowingly) by the marquis
and his friend. Here they amused themselves for some time in walking
about and observing the bustle and variety of the, to them, very
novel scene; soon, however, fatigued with the mobbing, thrusting, and
filthiness, which is characteristic of the place, the marchioness was
for returning, remarking to her friend that she had as yet heard none
of that singular broad humour for which these nymphs of the fish-market
were so celebrated. "Then you shall have a specimen directly," said Lady
C----,