e of the bugbears of my lady's life. Her husband and
his brothers, she told us, had been put into breeches, and had their
heads shaved on their seventh birthday, each of them; a handsome little
wig of the newest fashion forming the old Lady Ludlow's invariable
birthday present to her sons as they each arrived at that age; and
afterwards, to the day of their death, they never saw their own hair. To
be without powder, as some underbred people were talking of being now,
was in fact to insult the proprieties of life, by being undressed. It
was English sans-culottism. But Mr. Gray did wear a little powder,
enough to save him in my lady's good opinion; but not enough to make her
approve of him decidedly.

The next time I saw him was in the great hall. Mary Mason and I were
going to drive out with my lady in her coach, and when we went down
stairs with our best hats and cloaks on, we found Mr. Gray awaiting my
lady's coming. I believe he had paid his respects to her before, but we
had never seen him; and he had declined her invitation to spend Sunday
evening at the Court (as Mr. Mountford used to do pretty regularly--and
play a game at picquet too--), which, Mrs. Medlicott told us, had caused
my lady to be not over well pleased with him.

He blushed redder than ever at the sight of us, as we entered the hall
and dropped him our curtsies. He coughed two or three times, as if he
would have liked to speak to us, if he could but have found something to
say; and every time he coughed he became hotter-looking than ever. I am
ashamed to say, we were nearly laughing at him; half because we, too,
were so shy that we understood what his awkwardness meant.

My lady came in, with her quick active step--she always walked quickly
when she did not bethink herself of her cane--as if she was sorry to have
us kept waiting--and, as she entered, she gave us all round one of those
graceful sweeping curtsies, of which I think the art must have died out
with her,--it implied so much courtesy;--this time it said, as well as
words could do, "I am sorry to have kept you all waiting,--forgive me."

She went up to the mantelpiece, near which Mr. Gray had been standing
until her entrance, and curtseying afresh to him, and pretty deeply this
time, because of his cloth, and her being hostess, and he, a new guest.
She asked him if he would not prefer speaking to her in her own private
parlour, and looked as though she would have conducted him there