'NOW, Miss Grey,' exclaimed Miss Murray, immediately I entered theschoolroom, after having taken off my outdoor garments, uponreturning from my four weeks' recreation, 'Now - shut the door, andsit down, and I'll tell you all about the ball.'

'No - damn it, no!' shouted Miss Matilda. 'Hold your tongue, can'tye? and let me tell her about my new mare - SUCH a splendour, MissGrey! a fine blood mare - '

'Do be quiet, Matilda; and let me tell my news first.'

'No, no, Rosalie; you'll be such a damned long time over it - sheshall hear me first - I'll be hanged if she doesn't!'

'I'm sorry to hear, Miss Matilda, that you've not got rid of thatshocking habit yet.'

'Well, I can't help it: but I'll never say a wicked word again, ifyou'll only listen to me, and tell Rosalie to hold her confoundedtongue.'

Rosalie remonstrated, and I thought I should have been torn inpieces between them; but Miss Matilda having the loudest voice, hersister at length gave in, and suffered her to tell her story first:so I was doomed to hear a long account of her splendid mare, itsbreeding and pedigree, its paces, its action, its spirit, &c., andof her own amazing skill and courage in riding it; concluding withan assertion that she could clear a five-barred gate 'likewinking,' that papa said she might hunt the next time the houndsmet, and mamma had ordered a bright scarlet hunting-habit for her.

'Oh, Matilda! what stories you are telling!' exclaimed her sister.

'Well,' answered she, no whit abashed, 'I know I COULD clear afive-barred gate, if I tried, and papa WILL say I may hunt, andmamma WILL order the habit when I ask it.'

'Well, now get along,' replied Miss Murray; 'and do, dear Matilda,try to be a little more lady-like. Miss Grey, I wish you wouldtell her not to use such shocking words; she will call her horse amare: it is so inconceivably shocking! and then she uses suchdreadful expressions in describing it: she must have learned itfrom the grooms. It nearly puts me into fits when she begins.'

'I learned it from papa, you ass! and his jolly friends,' said theyoung lady, vigorously cracking a hunting-whip, which shehabitually carried in her hand. 'I'm as good judge of horsefleshas the best of 'm.'

'Well, now get along, you shocking girl! I really shall take a fitif you go on in such a way. And now, Miss Grey, attend to me; I'mgoing to tell you about the ball. You must be dying to hear aboutit, I know. Oh, SUCH a ball! You never saw or heard, or read, ordreamt of anything like it in all your life. The decorations, theentertainment, the supper, the music were indescribable! and thenthe guests! There were two noblemen, three baronets, and fivetitled ladies, and other ladies and gentlemen innumerable. Theladies, of course, were of no consequence to me, except to put mein a good humour with myself, by showing how ugly and awkward mostof them were; and the best, mamma told me, - the most transcendentbeauties among them, were nothing to me. As for me, Miss Grey -I'm so SORRY you didn't see me! I was CHARMING - wasn't I,Matilda?'

'Middling.'

'No, but I really was - at least so mamma said - and Brown andWilliamson. Brown said she was sure no gentleman could set eyes onme without falling in love that minute; and so I may be allowed tobe a little vain. I know you think me a shocking, conceited,frivolous girl; but then, you know, I don't attribute it ALL to mypersonal attractions: I give some praise to the hairdresser, andsome to my exquisitely lovely dress - you must see it to-morrow -white gauze over pink satin - and so SWEETLY made! and a necklaceand bracelet of beautiful, large pearls!'

'I have no doubt you looked very charming: but should that delightyou so very much?'

'Oh, no! - not that alone: but, then, I was so much admired; and Imade so MANY conquests in that one night - you'd be astonished tohear - '

'But what good will they do you?'

'What good! Think of any woman asking that!'

'Well, I should think one conquest would be enough; and too much,unless the subjugation were mutual.'

'Oh, but you know I never agree with you on those points. Now,wait a bit, and I'll tell you my principal admirers - those whomade themselves very conspicuous that night and after: for I'vebeen to two parties since. Unfortunately the two noblemen, Lord G-and Lord F-, were married, or I might have condescended to beparticularly gracious to THEM; as it was, I did not: though LordF-, who hates his wife, was evidently much struck with me. Heasked me to dance with him twice - he is a charming dancer, by-the-by, and so am I: you can't think how well I did - I was astonishedat myself. My lord was very complimentary too - rather too much soin fact - and I thought proper to be a little haughty andrepellent; but I had the pleasure of seeing his nasty, cross wifeready to perish with spite and vexation - '

'Oh, Miss Murray! you don't mean to say that such a thing couldreally give you pleasure? However cross or - '

'Well, I know it's very wrong; - but never mind! I mean to be goodsome time - only don't preach now, there's a good creature. Ihaven't told you half yet. Let me see. Oh! I was going to tellyou how many unmistakeable admirers I had:- Sir Thomas Ashby wasone, - Sir Hugh Meltham and Sir Broadley Wilson are old codgers,only fit companions for papa and mamma. Sir Thomas is young, rich,and gay; but an ugly beast, nevertheless: however, mamma says Ishould not mind that after a few months' acquaintance. Then, therewas Henry Meltham, Sir Hugh's younger son; rather good-looking, anda pleasant fellow to flirt with: but BEING a younger son, that isall he is good for; then there was young Mr. Green, rich enough,but of no family, and a great stupid fellow, a mere country booby!and then, our good rector, Mr. Hatfield: an HUMBLE admirer heought to consider himself; but I fear he has forgotten to numberhumility among his stock of Christian virtues.'

'Was Mr. Hatfield at the ball?'

'Yes, to he sure. Did you think he was too good to go?'

'I thought be might consider it unclerical.'

'By no means. He did not profane his cloth by dancing; but it waswith difficulty he could refrain, poor man: he looked as if hewere dying to ask my hand just for ONE set; and - oh! by-the-by -he's got a new curate: that seedy old fellow Mr. Bligh has got hislong-wished-for living at last, and is gone.'

'And what is the new one like?'

'Oh, SUCH a beast! Weston his name is. I can give you hisdescription in three words - an insensate, ugly, stupid blockhead.That's four, but no matter - enough of HIM now.'

Then she returned to the ball, and gave me a further account of herdeportment there, and at the several parties she had sinceattended; and further particulars respecting Sir Thomas Ashby andMessrs. Meltham, Green, and Hatfield, and the ineffaceableimpression she had wrought upon each of them.

'Well, which of the four do you like best?' said I, suppressing mythird or fourth yawn.

'I detest them all!' replied she, shaking her bright ringlets invivacious scorn.

'That means, I suppose, "I like them all" - but which most?'

'No, I really detest them all; but Harry Meltham is the handsomestand most amusing, and Mr. Hatfield the cleverest, Sir Thomas thewickedest, and Mr. Green the most stupid. But the one I'm to have,I suppose, if I'm doomed to have any of them, is Sir Thomas Ashby.'

'Surely not, if he's so wicked, and if you dislike him?'

'Oh, I don't mind his being wicked: he's all the better for that;and as for disliking him - I shouldn't greatly object to being LadyAshby of Ashby Park, if I must marry. But if I could be alwaysyoung, I would be always single. I should like to enjoy myselfthoroughly, and coquet with all the world, till I am on the vergeof being called an old maid; and then, to escape the infamy ofthat, after having made ten thousand conquests, to break all theirhearts save one, by marrying some high-born, rich, indulgenthusband, whom, on the other hand, fifty ladies were dying to have.'

'Well, as long as you entertain these views, keep single by allmeans, and never marry at all: not even to escape the infamy ofold-maidenhood.'