Constantine to be our beau. He has just promised; so dear Lady
Tinemouth, don't be inflexible!"
Thaddeus was confounded at the dilemma into which his ready
acquiescence had involved his prudence. The countess shook her head.
"Now I declare, Lady Tinemouth," exclaimed Miss Egerton, "this is an
absolute stingy fit! You are afraid of your purse! You know this
private box precludes all awkward meetings, and you can have no
excuse."
"But it cannot preclude all awkward sights," answered her ladyship.
"You know, Sophia, I never go into public, for fear of being met by
the angry looks of my lord or my son."
"Disagreeable people!" cried Miss Egerton, pettishly; "I wish some
friendly whirlwind would take your lord and son out of the world
together."
"Sophia!" retorted her ladyship, with a grave air.
"Rebuke me, Lady Tinemouth, if you like; I confess I am no Serena,
and these trials of temper don't agree with my constitution. There,"
cried she, throwing a silver medal on the table, and laughing in
spite of herself: "there is our passport; but I will send it back,
and so break poor Coleman's heart."
"Fie! Sophia," answered her ladyship, patting her half-angry cheeks;
"would you owe to your petulance what was denied to your good humor?"
"Then your ladyship will go!" exclaimed she, exultingly. "You have
yielded; these sullens were a part of my stratagem, and I won't let
you secede.
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