Mademoiselle," said Charlotte, seating herself when she entered her
apartment: "nay, I am sure it was not right; for I expected to be very
happy, but was sadly disappointed."

"It was your own fault, then," replied Mademoiselle: "for I am sure
my cousin omitted nothing that could serve to render the evening
agreeable."

"True," said Charlotte: "but I thought the gentlemen were very free in
their manner: I wonder you would suffer them to behave as they did."

"Prithee, don't be such a foolish little prude," said the artful woman,
affecting anger: "I invited you to go in hopes it would divert you, and
be an agreeable change of scene; however, if your delicacy was hurt by
the behaviour of the gentlemen, you need not go again; so there let it
rest."

"I do not intend to go again," said Charlotte, gravely taking off her
bonnet, and beginning to prepare for bed: "I am sure, if Madame Du Pont
knew we had been out to-night, she would be very angry; and it is ten to
one but she hears of it by some means or other."

"Nay, Miss," said La Rue, "perhaps your mighty sense of propriety may
lead you to tell her yourself: and in order to avoid the censure you
would incur, should she hear of it by accident, throw the blame on
me: but I confess I deserve it: it will be a very kind return for that
partiality which led me to prefer you before any of the rest of the
ladies; but perhaps it will give you pleasure," continued she, letting
fall some hypocritical tears, "to see me deprived of bread, and for an
action which by the most rigid could only be esteemed an inadvertency,