"Miss Portman," said Mr. Percival, "are not you afraid of making an enemy
of Mrs. Freke, by declining her invitation to Harrowgate?"

"I think her friendship more to be dreaded than her enmity," replied
Belinda.

"Then you are not to be terrified by an obeah-woman?" said Mr. Vincent.

"Not in the least, unless she were to come in the shape of a false
friend," said Belinda.

"Till lately," said Mr. Vincent, "I was deceived in the character of Mrs.
Freke. I thought her a dashing, free-spoken, free-hearted sort of
eccentric person, who would make a staunch friend and a jolly companion.
As a mistress, or a wife, no man of any taste could think of her. Compare
that woman now with one of our Creole ladies."

"But why with a creole?" said Mr. Percival.

"For the sake of contrast, in the first place: our creole women are all
softness, grace, delicacy----"

"And indolence," said Mr. Percival.

"Their indolence is but a slight, and, in my judgment, an amiable defect;
it keeps them out of mischief, and it attaches them to domestic life. The
activity of a Mrs. Freke would never excite their emulation; and so much
the better."

"So much the better, no doubt," said Mr. Percival. "But is there no other