masquerade, however, dispelled these thoughts, and by the time she was
dressed, the idea of what Clarence Hervey would think of her appearance
was uppermost in her mind. She was anxious to know whether he would
discover her in the character of the comic muse. Lady Delacour was
discontented with her tragic attire, and she grew still more out of humour
with herself, when she saw Belinda.

"I protest Marriott has made a perfect fright of me," said her ladyship,
as she got into her carriage, "and I'm positive my dress would become you
a million of times better than your own."

Miss Portman regretted that it was too late to change.

"Not at all too late, my dear," said Lady Delacour; "never too late for
women to change their minds, their dress, or their lovers. Seriously, you
know, we are to call at my friend Lady Singleton's--she sees masks
to-night: I'm quite intimate there; I'll make her let me step up to her
own room, where no soul can interrupt us, and there we can change our
dresses, and Marriott will know nothing of the matter. Marriott's a
faithful creature, and very fond of me; fond of power too--but who is
not?--we must all have our faults: one would not quarrel with such a good
creature as Marriott for a trifle." Then suddenly changing her tone, she
said, "Not a human being will find us out at the masquerade; for no one
but Mrs. Freke knows that we are the two muses. Clarence Hervey swears he
should know me in any disguise--but I defy him--I shall take special
delight in puzzling him. Harriot Freke has told him, in confidence, that
I'm to be the widow Brady, in man's clothes: now that's to be Harriot's
own character; so Hervey will make fine confusion."

As soon as they got to Lady Singleton's, Lady Delacour and Miss Portman