She was an elegant-formed woman, rather above
the middle &longs;ize; her features were regular,
and her complexion would have been dazzling, had
it not been for an immoderate quantity of rouge
which &longs;he had laid on her face, which, in reality,
required no art to make it lovely; her eyes were
dark, lively, and piercing; and her hair, which was
bright as golden thread, hung in wanton ringlets
round her face and neck; her dre&longs;s was &longs;tudiedly
negligent, being only a white mu&longs;lin robe with
&longs;mall &longs;ilver &longs;prigs; it was fa&longs;tened round her slender
wai&longs;t with a velvet zone, ornamented with
pearl; &longs;he was &longs;eated by a table on which &longs;at a little
French dog, which &longs;he was care&longs;&longs;ing as we entered.

My charming La&longs;&longs;onia, &longs;aid he, running to her
with eagerne&longs;s, how tedious have the hours pa&longs;&longs;ed
that kept me from you!

No doubt they have, &longs;aid &longs;he, coldly evading his
offered embrace; when you have made it two hours
later than you promi&longs;ed.

My deare&longs;t love, I could not avoid it, &longs;aid he,
bu&longs;ine&longs;s of importance—

Oh you are a very prudent man, &longs;aid &longs;he; scornfully;
by all means bu&longs;ine&longs;s &longs;hould be attended to

[figure description] Page 181.[end figure description]

before plea&longs;ure; but it is very well, Mr. Selby. I
have waited at home to hear your paltry excu&longs;e for
breaking your word; but I have made an engagement
which I cannot po&longs;&longs;ibly break; my chair is
waiting:—

She aro&longs;e to leave the room.

My Angel, my dear La&longs;&longs;onia, &longs;aid he, catching
her hands, you &longs;urely do not mean to leave me;
hear me but one word; I &longs;hould have been here
much &longs;ooner had I not overtaken my wife and
children in the park, and &longs;he begun teazing me for
money.

And you gave it her? &longs;aid &longs;he, with precipitation.

No, my charmer, I have not given it to her, I
have re&longs;erved it for you; there is not a wi&longs;h my
La&longs;&longs;onia can form but &longs;hall be immediately complied
with—Emily had &longs;et her heart upon going to
Mrs. Melbourne's a&longs;&longs;embly; but I knew my adored
girl intended to be there, and did not wi&longs;h to
meet her; &longs;o I have de&longs;ired her not to go.

And have you brought me your wife's diamonds?
&longs;aid &longs;he.

No —but you &longs;hall have &longs;ome, more valuable
than tho&longs;e—we will go out now, and you &longs;hall
chu&longs;e them at any price you plea&longs;e.

What, I &longs;uppo&longs;e, &longs;aid &longs;he, with a look of contempt,
your wife refu&longs;ed to part with them; and
you, a poor, tame-&longs;pirited hu&longs;band, dared not contradict
her; but I will have her jewels or none, &longs;o
take your choice, Sir, either bring me the meek, dutiful
Emily's diamonds, or never &longs;ee me more.

What a pity it is, &longs;aid I, as I &longs;tood contemplating
this &longs;cene, what a pity &longs;o lovely a form &longs;hould
conceal &longs;o vile a heart; that woman appears a

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masterpiece of nature, and yet draw a&longs;ide that beauteous
veil, and there is &longs;uch &longs;oul deformity within,
that we &longs;hrink with horror and di&longs;gu&longs;t from the
very object which at fir&longs;t view filled us with admiration.

I am unwilling to refu&longs;e you any thing, my
&longs;weet girl, &longs;aid he; but indeed I do not know how
to get the jewels; I have no plau&longs;ible pretext to a&longs;k
for them.

And is this your boa&longs;ted love? &longs;aid &longs;he, this the
fidelity, the &longs;ervent pa&longs;&longs;ion you have &longs;o repeatedly
&longs;worn? am I to be denied &longs;o trifling a gratification
becau&longs;e you cannot bear a few tears from that
proud minx your wife? have I not &longs;acrificed every
thing for you? relinqui&longs;hed reputation, honor,
friends; and is this the return? this the gratitude
I am to meet with? you would &longs;ooner break my
heart than comply with the &longs;malle&longs;t of my wi&longs;hes.

During the&longs;e reproaches &longs;he had vented her passion
by tears.

Do not thus di&longs;tre&longs;s your&longs;elf, my deare&longs;t creature,
&longs;aid Selby; you cut me to the &longs;oul by your
reproaches; come, dry up your tears, and tell me
in what can I oblige you?

Go and bring me Emily's diamonds this evening,
&longs;aid &longs;he.

I came to &longs;pend the night with you, my love,
then do not &longs;end me from you; let us go out and
purcha&longs;e &longs;ome other trinkets.

I will have nothing but the diamonds! exclaimed
&longs;he, in an agony of pa&longs;&longs;ion; which reminded
me of Othello in his jealous fury raving for the fatal
handkerchief.

At length the infatuated Selby, finding it was in
vain to attempt to &longs;ooth her, and being, as he &longs;aid,

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unable to live without her, actually promi&longs;ed to go
home and fetch the jewels for which &longs;he expre&longs;&longs;ed
&longs;uch a de&longs;ire.

I was determined to go with him, and ha&longs;tily
&longs;tepping down &longs;tairs before him, &longs;tepped unperceived
into a hackney coach which he had &longs;ent for,
and was waiting for him at the door—a &longs;hort time
brought us to Gower &longs;treet.