Tales and Novels, vol 3

Book Excerptthat you may depend upon," cried her ladyship, with a look of indignant contempt. His lordship whistled, rang for his horses, and looked at his nails with a smile. Belinda, shocked and in a great confusion, rose to leave the room, dreading the gross continuance of this matrimonial dialogue."Mr. Hervey, my lady," said a footman, opening the door; and he was scarcely announced, when her ladyship went forward to receive him with an air of easy familiarity.--"Where have you buried yourself, Hervey, this age past?" cried she, shaking hands with him: "there's absolutely no living in this most stupid of all worlds without you.--Mr. Hervey--Miss Portman--but don't look as if you were half asleep, man--What are you dreaming of, Clarence? Why looks your grace so heavily to-day?""Oh! I have passed a miserable night," replied Clarence, throwing himself into an actor's attitude, and speaking in a fine tone of stage declamation."What was your dream, my lord? I pray you, tell me,"said