FullReads

“They are admirable lines, indeed!” exclaimed Mrs. Harcourt.

“I knew, mamma, you would like them,” said Isabella; “and I’m sure I wish I had seen the ballet too.”

“You were never at an opera,” said Mrs. Harcourt, after Isabella had finished reading; “should you, either of you, or both, like to go with me to-night to the opera?”

“To-night, ma’am!” cried Isabella, in a voice of joy.

“To-night, mamma!” cried Matilda, timidly; “but you were not well this morning.”

“But I am very well, now, my love; at least quite well enough to go out with you–let me give you some pleasure. Ring for Grace, my dear Matilda,” added Mrs. Harcourt, looking at her watch, “and do not let us be sentimental, for we have not a moment to lose–we must prevail upon Grace to be as quick as lightning in her operations.”

Grace was well disposed to be quick–she was delighted with what she called the change of measures;–she repeated continually, in the midst of their hurried toilette–

“Well, I am so glad, young ladies, you’re going out with your mamma, at last–I never saw my mistress look so well as she does to-night.”

Triumphant, and feeling herself to be a person of consequence, Grace was indefatigably busy, and Mrs. Harcourt thought that her talkative zeal was the overflowing of an honest heart.

After Mrs. Harcourt, with Isabella and Matilda, were gone to the opera, Favoretta, who had been sent to bed by her mother, because she was in the way when they were dressing, called to Grace to beg that she would close the shutters in her room, for the moon shone upon her bed, and she could not go to sleep.

“I wish mamma would have let me sit up a little longer,” said Favoretta, “for I am not at all sleepy.”

“You always go to bed a great deal earlier, you know, miss,” said Grace, “when your governess is at home; I would let you get up, and come down to tea with me, for I’m just going to take my late dish of tea, to rest myself, only I dare not let you, because–“

“Because what?”

“Because, miss, you remember how you served me about the queen-cake.”

“But I do not want you to give me any queen-cake; I only want to get up for a little while,” said Favoretta.

“Then get up,” said Grace: “but don’t make a noise, to waken Master Herbert.”

“Do you think,” said Favoretta, “that Herbert would think it wrong?”

“Indeed, I don’t think at all about what he thinks,” said Mrs. Grace, tossing back her head, as she adjusted her dress at the glass; “and, if you think so much about it, you’d better lie down again.”

“Oh! I can’t lie down again,” said Favoretta; “I have got my shoes on–stay for me, Grace–I’m just ready.”

Grace, who was pleased with an opportunity of indulging this little girl, and who flattered herself that she should regain her former power over Favoretta’s undistinguishing affections, waited for her most willingly. Grace drank her late dish of tea in her mistress’s dressing-room, and did every thing in her power to humour “her sweet Favoretta.”

Mrs. Rebecca, Mrs. Fanshaw’s maid, was summoned; she lived in the next street. She was quite overjoyed, she said, at entering the room, to see Miss Favoretta–it was an age since she had a sight or a glimpse of her.

We pass over the edifying conversation of those two ladies–Miss Favoretta was kept awake, and in such high spirits by flattery, that she did not perceive how late it was–she begged to stay up a little longer, and a little longer.

Mrs. Rebecca joined in these entreaties, and Mrs. Grace could not refuse them; especially as she knew that the coach would not go for Mad. de Rosier till after her mistress’s return from the opera.

The coachman had made this arrangement for his own convenience, and had placed it entirely to the account of his horses.