as he denied your request?

No, madam.

Has he allowed you to go, my dear, if I comply, turning half round to her
with pleasure.

She paused, and seemed at a loss. I repeated my question.

Why, no, he has not consented neither--But he said such charming things,
so obliging, so kind, both of you, and of me, that I forgot my question,
though it was so near my heart: but I will ask him again.

And thus, Lucy, can he decline complying, and yet send away a requester
so much delighted with him, as to forget what her request was.

Miss Grandison--Lady G----, I would say--singled me out soon after--This
Beauchamp is really a very pretty fellow, Harriet.

He is an agreeable man, answered I.

So I think. She said no more of him at that time.

Between dinner and tea, at Lady L----'s motion, they made me play on the
harpsichord; and after one lesson, they besought Sir Charles to sing to
my playing. He would not, he said, deny any request that was made him on
that day.

He sung. He has a mellow manly voice, and great command of it.

This introduced a little concert. Mr. Beauchamp took the violin; Lord
L---- the bass-viol; Lord G---- the German flute; and most of the company
joined in the chorus. The song was from 'Alexander's Feast:' the words;

Happy, happy, happy pair!
None but the good deserves the fair:

Sir Charles, though himself equally brave and good, preferring the latter
word to the former.

Lady L---- had always insisted upon dancing at her sister's wedding. We
were not company enough for country dances: but music having been
ordered, and the performers come, it was insisted upon that we should
have a dance, though we were engaged in a conversation that I thought
infinitely more agreeable.

Lord G---- began by dancing a minuet with his bride: she danced
charmingly: but on my telling her so afterwards, she whispered me, that
she should have performed better, had she danced with her brother. Lord
G---- danced extremely well.

Lord L---- and Lady Gertrude, Mr. Beauchamp and Mrs. Reeves, Mr. Reeves
and Lady L---- danced all of them very agreeably.

The earl took me out: but we had hardly done, when, asking pardon for
disgracing me, as he too modestly expressed himself; he, and all but my
cousins and Emily, called out for Sir Charles to dance with me.

I was abashed at the general voice calling upon us both: but it was
obeyed.

He deserved all the praises that Miss Gran--Lady G----, I would