My sister left my aunt musing at the window, with her back towards us,
and took that opportunity to insult me still more barbarously; for,
stepping to my closet, she took up the patterns which my mother had
sent me up, and bringing them to me, she spread them upon the chair by
me; and offering one, and then another, upon her sleeve and shoulder,
thus she ran on, with great seeming tranquility, but whisperingly, that
my aunt might not hear her. This, Clary, is a pretty pattern enough: but
this is quite charming! I would advise you to make your appearance in
it. And this, were I you, should be my wedding night-gown--And this my
second dressed suit! Won't you give orders, love, to have your
grandmother's jewels new set?--Or will you thing to shew away in the new
ones Mr. Solmes intends to present to you? He talks of laying out two or
three thousand pounds in presents, child! Dear heart!--How gorgeously
will you be array'd! What! silent still?--But, Clary, won't you have a
velvet suit? It would cut a great figure in a country church, you know:
and the weather may bear it for a month yet to come. Crimson velvet,
suppose! Such a fine complexion as yours, how it would be set off by it!
What an agreeable blush would it give you!--Heigh-ho! (mocking me, for I
sighed to be thus fooled with,) and do you sigh, love?--Well then, as it
will be a solemn wedding, what think you of black velvet, child?--Silent
still, Clary?--Black velvet, so fair as you are, with those charming
eyes, gleaming through a wintry cloud, like an April sun!--Does not
Lovelace tell you they are charming eyes?--How lovely will you appear to
every one!--What! silent still, love?--But about your laces, Clary?--

She would have gone on still further, had not my aunt advance towards
me, wiping her eyes--What! whispering ladies! You seem so easy and so
pleased, Miss Harlowe, with your private conference, that I hope I
shall carry down good news.