would have seemed to
appropriate him. She was ready to be talked to, but only as she gave the
attention due to any one, nay, showing, because she felt, less eagerness
than if it had been grandpapa, Queen Bee, or Fred, a talk with the last
of whom was a pleasure now longed for, but never enjoyed. To his
stories of adventures, or accounts of manners, she lent a willing and
a delighted ear; but all common-place jokes tending to flirtation fell
flat; she either did not catch them, or did not catch at them. She might
blush and look confused, but it was uncomfortable, and not gratified
embarrassment, and if she found an answer, it was one either to change
the subject, or honestly manifest that she was not pleased.

She did not mortify Roger, who liked her all the time; and if he thought
at all, only considered her as shy or grave, and still continued to
admire her, and seek her out, whenever his former favourite, Jessie,
was not in the way to rattle with in his usual style. Jessie was full of
enjoyment, Henrietta was glad to be left to her own devices, her
mamma was still more rejoiced to see her act so properly without
self-consciousness or the necessity of interference, and the Queen Bee
ought to have been duly grateful to the one faithful vassal who was
proof against all allurements from her side and service.

She ought, but the melancholy fact is that the devotion of womankind is
usually taken as a matter of course. Beatrice would have despised and
been very angry with Henrietta had she deserted to Roger, but she did
not feel in the least grateful for her adherence, and would have been
much more proud of retaining either of the boys. There was one point on
which their attention could still be commanded, namely, the charades;
for though the world may be of opinion that they had had quite a
sufficiency of amusement, they were but the more stimulated by their
success on Thursday, and the sudden termination in the very height of
their triumph.

They would, perhaps, have favoured the public with a repetition of
Shylock's trial the next evening, but that, to the great consternation,
and, perhaps, indignation of Beatrice, when she came down to breakfast
in the morning, she found their tiring-room, the study, completely
cleared of all their various goods and chattels, Portia's wig in its
box, the three caskets gone back to the dressing-room, the duke's throne
safe in its place in the hall, and even Shylock's yellow cap picked t