Mrs. Greville and Gertrude now became all bustle and expectation; but forbore doing any thing to attract the notice of his lordship, or his party, though they frequently passed their house, until the night of Woodville's ball, for which cards were issued the very day after his arrival; deeming it better, since prevented from paying a ceremonious visit to the castle, by the obstinacy and queer notions of Greville, not to make their appearance to its fashionable inhabitants, till they should be dressed, as they hoped and believed, to the utmost advantage. Time had neither effected a change in the disposition nor person of lord Gwytherin. He still retained all the profligacy of the one, and all the captivating graces of the other....graces which rendered but too successful his artifices and designs. So persuasive was his eloquence, so polished his manners, so brilliant his understanding, so uni-versal his knowledge, so general his accomplishments, that it was utterly impossible to converse with him without being amused and instructed, and gradually losing that prejudice which his character inspired against him, or, rather, being led to believe it was a character he had not deserved. Thus formed to allure and to deceive; thus uniting to all those mental advantages, a most attractive appearance; for, to use the words of Milton, "His large fair front, and eye sublime, declar'd it could excite no surprise that lord Gwytherin found few unable to resist his wiles....wiles, which he was seldom without some temptation to practise. For, as he mastered others, so his passions mastered him; nor could any tie, however holy, 98280 any confidence, however sacred, induce him to give up, if possible to obtain it, any thing which he thought could contribute to their gratification. In the course of time, his fortune became materially injured by his dissipation and extravagance; and he at length determined upon a matrimonial connection, as the easiest method of retrieving it, notwithstanding the abhorrence he felt to part with even the shadow of his liberty: but desperate disorders must have desperate remedies, he considered. In consequence of this determination he returned to England, from whence he had been absent many years. The gay and voluptuous manners of the continent being more consonant to his inclination, than the more sober and decorous customs of his own country. In hopes of accelerating his scheme by such conduct, introducing himself again to the notice of the public with some degree of eclat, and completely deceiving it as to his real situation, he resolved on being more expensive than ever in his entertainments; and conceiving he could no where Commence the career he meant to pursue, so well as at his own mansion, he accordingly repaired to it, bringing with him a chosen party, in whose society it was impossible to find the moments heavy ; "In his train "Came mirth, that wrinkled care derides; Amongst his lordship's guests were three or four young men, whom Egbert had known very intimately in London. Upon meeting at Wyefield, this intimacy was renewed with much pleasure on both sides; and an introduction taking place between him and lord Gwytherin, he became a pretty constant visiter at the castle; the society the re being too agreeable to permit him often to decline the invitations he received to it. 1 2 CHAP. VII. "As pirates all false colours wear, HUDIBRAS. ON the day of Woodville's ball, Egbert dined at the castle; from whence he went to it, accompanied by a large party, leaving lord Gwytherin, who made it a rule seldom to go to any amusement until a very late hour, behind, with several gay companions. To describe the bustle and flutter of Mrs. Greville and Gertrude throughout this day, would be utterly impossible. On this important occasion, the former took from her chest a blue tabby, which had not been exhibited to public view for many years before. Her head, like Mrs Hardcastle's was dressed after one in an old memorandum-book, by the village barber; and upon it she wore a small gauze cap, ornamented with red ribbon, which vied in brightness with the full-blown roses in her bosom. This cap, together with a fine furbelowed apron, treble ruffles, and laced handkerchief, she procured, as also Gertrude's dress, from a milliner at Chester, who assured her every thing was made up in the most fashionable style, and after the newest patterns from London. Gertrude's dress consisted of a deep yellow, or rather Aurora coloured muslin, vandyked with purple, and confined to her waist by a sash of the same colour, which, like the gown itself, trailed to an immense length upon the ground. Her hair was loaded with a profusion of feathers and flowers; and in her bosom she wore a very large bouquet of hot-house plants, obtained from the gardener at the park. Jacintha, who had neither the power nor inclination to make herself as ridiculous as her mother and sister, and who felt greatly hurt at the idea of the remarks she was confident they would excite, was simply habited in a white muslin robe; her bright and redundant hair merely ornamented with a light wreath of artificial flowers, and her fair neck adorned with a chain of pearls, the gift of Egbert. But lovely as she looked, Mrs. Greville did not entertain many fears of her eclipsing Gertrude this evening: so greatly did she think the charms of the latter heightened by the style in which she was dressed. Both she and Gertrude wisely forbore giving a complete finishing to their dress, till Mr. Greville went out to take his customary evening's walk; certain it would not have met his approbation, and scarcely less certain that he would either have insisted upon their changing it, or continuing at home. By this manœuvre they were detained till a late hour, so that most of the company were assembled before they reached Woodville's. On entering the house, to which they went in his |