He found her at home, and in a careless, but most becoming
dishabillee; the other lady was still with her; and told him she had
tarried thus long with Miss Harriot, for so she called her, meerly to
participate of the pleasure of his good company. Harriot, in a gay
manner, accused her of envy, and both having a good share of wit, the
conversation might have been pleasing enough to a man less
prepossessed than Natura.

The tea equipage was set, and the ceremony of that being over, cards
were proposed; as they were three, Ombre was the game, at which they
played some hours, and Natura was asked to sup.--After what I have
said, I believe the reader has no occasion to be told that he complied
with a pleasure which was but too visible in his eyes.--The time
passed insensibly on, or at least seemed to do so to the friend of
Harriot, till the watchman reminding her it was past eleven, she
started up, and pretending a surprize, that the night was so far
advanced, told Natura that she must exact a second proof of that
gallantry he had shewn the night before, for she had not courage to go
either in a chair or a coach alone at that late hour:--this doubtless
was what he would have offered, had she been silent on the occasion;
and a coach being ordered to the door, he took leave of miss Harriot,
though not till he had obtained leave to testify his respects in some
future visits.

Had Natura appeared to have more experience of the town, the lady he
gallanted home would certainly not have entertained him with the
discourse she did; but his extreme youth, and the modest manner of his
behaviour on the first sight of him, convinced them he was a person
such as they wished to have in their power, and to that end had