"Why, my dear," said her ladyship, after having listened to all Miss
Portman could say about her love of independence, and the necessity of
economy to preserve that independence, "all this is prodigiously fine--but
shall I translate it into plain English? You were mortally wounded the
other night by some random reflections of a set of foolish young
men--Clarence Hervey amongst the number; and instead of punishing them,
you sagely and generously determined to punish yourself. Then, to convince
this youth that you have not a thought of those odious nets and cages,
that you have no design whatever upon his heart, and that he has no manner
of influence on yours, you very judiciously determine, at the first hint
from him, to change your dress, your manners, and your character, and thus
to say to him, in as plain terms as possible--'You see, sir, a word to the
wise is enough; I understand you disapprove of showy dress and coquetry,
and therefore, as I dressed and coquetted only to please you, now I shall
lay aside dress and coquetry, since I find that they are not to your
taste--and I hope, sir, you like my simplicity!' Depend upon it, my dear,
Clarence Hervey understands simplicity as well as you or I do. All this
would be vastly well, if he did not know that you overheard that
conversation; but as he does know it, trust me, he will attribute any
sudden change in your manners and appearance, right or wrong, to the
motives I have mentioned. So don't, novice as you are! set about to
manoeuvre for yourself. Leave all that to your aunt Stanhope, or to me,
and then you know your conscience will be all the time as white as your
hands,--which, by-the-bye, Clarence Hervey, the other day, said were the
whitest hands he had ever seen. Perhaps all this time you have taken it
into your head that full dress will not become you; but I assure you that
it will--you look well in any thing--

'But from the hoop's bewitching round,
The very shoe has power to wound.'