me to remind you of a ball last year, where you and I met both Sir John
Hunter and Captain Walsingham; as I remember, you gave all your
attention that evening to Sir John."

"Oh, mother, I am ashamed of that evening--I regret it more than any
evening of my life. I did wrong, very wrong; and bitterly have I
suffered for it, as people always do, sooner or later, by deceit. I
was afraid that you should see my real feelings; and, to conceal
them, I, for the first and last time of my life, acted like a
coquette. But if you recollect, dear mother, the very next day I
confessed the truth to you. My friend, Miss Walsingham, urged me to
have the courage to be sincere."

"Miss Walsingham! On every occasion I find the secret influence of these
Walsinghams operating in my family," cried Mrs. Beaumont, from a sudden
impulse of anger, which threw her off her guard.

"Surely their influence has always been beneficial to us all. To me,
Miss Walsingham's friendship has been of the greatest service."

"Yes; by secretly encouraging you, against your mother's approbation, in
a ridiculous passion for a man who neither can nor will marry you."

"Far from encouraging me, madam, in any thing contrary to your
wishes--and far from wishing to do any thing secretly, Miss Walsingham
never spoke to me on this subject but once; and that was to advise me
strongly not to conceal the truth from you, and not to make use of any
artifices or manoeuvres."

"Possibly, very possibly; but I presume you could conduct yourself