tures--Let me tell you, madam--I won't let you, my lord; and I
laughed.

Well, madam, I hope here is something coming up that you will not disdain
to accept of yourself.

Up came groaning under the weight, or rather under the care, two servants
with baskets: a fine set of old Japan china with brown edges, believe me.
They sat down their baskets, and withdrew.

Would you not have been delighted, Harriet, to see my lord busying
himself with taking out, and putting in the windows, one at a time, the
cups, plates, jars, and saucers, rejoicing and parading over them, and
shewing his connoisseurship to his motionless admiring wife, in
commending this and the other piece as a beauty? And, when he had done,
taking the liberty, as he phrased it, half fearful, half resolute, to
salute his bride for his reward; and then pacing backwards several steps,
with such a strut and a crow--I see him yet!--Indulge me, Harriet!--I
burst into a hearty laugh; I could not help it: and he, reddening, looked
round himself, and round himself, to see if anything was amiss in his
garb. The man, the man! honest friend, I could have said, (but had too
much reverence for my husband,) is the oddity! Nothing amiss in the
garb. I quickly recollected myself, however, and put him in a good
humour, by proper marks of my gracious acceptance. On reflection, I
could not bear myself for vexing the honest man when he had meant to
oblige me.

How soon I may relapse again, I know not.--O Harriet! Why did you
beseech me to be good? I think in my heart I have the stronger
inclination to be bad for it! You call me perverse: if you think me so,
bid me be saucy, bid me be bad; and I may then, like other good wives,
take the contrary course for the sake of dear contradiction.

Shew not, however, (I in turn beseech you) to your grandmamma and aunt,
such parts of this letter as would make them despise me. You say, you
stand up for me; I have need of your advocateship: never let me want it.
And do I not, after all, do a greater credit to my good man, when I can
so heartily laugh in the wedded state, than if I were to sit down with my
finger in my eye?

I have taken your advice, and presented my sister with my half of the
jewels. I desired her to accept them, as they were my mother's, and for
her sake. This gave them a value with her, more than equal with their
worth: but Lord L---- is uneasy, and declares he will not suffer Lady
L---- long to lie under the obligation