her of artifice in every word, look, and motion; and even when he felt
himself most charmed by her powers of pleasing, he was most inclined to
despise her, for what he thought such premature proficiency in scientific
coquetry. He had not sufficient resolution to keep beyond the sphere of
her attraction; but, frequently, when he found himself within it, he
cursed his folly, and drew back with sudden terror. His manner towards her
was so variable and inconsistent, that she knew not how to interpret its
language. Sometimes she fancied, that with all the eloquence of eyes he
said, "_I adore you_, Belinda;" at other times she imagined that his
guarded silence meant to warn her that he was so entangled by Lady
Delacour, that he could not extricate himself from her snares. Whenever
this last idea struck her, it excited, in the most edifying manner, her
indignation against coquetry in general, and against her ladyship's in
particular: she became wonderfully clear-sighted to all the improprieties
of her ladyship's conduct. Belinda's newly acquired moral sense was so
much shocked, that she actually wrote a full statement of her observations
and her scruples to her aunt Stanhope; concluding by a request, that she
might not remain under the protection of a lady, of whose character she
could not approve, and whose intimacy might perhaps be injurious to her
reputation, if not to her principles.

Mrs. Stanhope answered Belinda's letter in a very guarded style; she
rebuked her niece severely for her imprudence in mentioning _names_ in
such a manner, in a letter sent by the common post; assured her that her
reputation was in no danger; that she hoped no niece of hers would set up
for a prude--a character more suspected by men of the world than even that
of a coquette; that the person alluded to was a perfectly fit chaperon for
any young lady to appear with in public, as long as she was visited by the
first people in town; that as to any thing in the _private_ conduct of
that person, and as to any _private brouillieries_ between her and her