"Are they perfumed? Ay; so every thing is that I keep in that cabinet of curiosities. Thank you, my dear Miss Portman," said her ladyship, as Belinda rose to take the letters from her hand. "Will you have the goodness to put them back into their cabinet, if you can endure to touch them, if the perfume has not overcome you as well as my lord? After all, it is only ottar of roses, to which few people's olfactory nerves have an antipathy."
"I have the honour to be one of the few," said his lordship, rising from his seat with so sudden a motion as to displace Lady Delacour's arm which leaned upon him. "For my part," continued he, taking down one of the Argand lamps from the chimney-piece, and trimming it, "I would rather a hundred to one snuff up the oil of this cursed lamp."
Whilst his lordship applied himself to trimming the lamp with great earnestness, Lady Delacour negligently walked away to the farthest end of the room, where stood the cabinet, which Belinda was trying to unlock.
"Stay, my love; it has a secret lock, which I alone can manage."
"Oh, my dear Lady Delacour!" whispered Belinda, holding her hand as she gave her the key, "I never can love or esteem you if you use Lord Delacour ill now."
"Ill now? ill now? This lock is spoilt, I do believe," said she aloud.
"Nay, you understand me, Lady Delacour! You see what is passing in his mind."
"To be sure: I am not a fool, though he is. I see he is jealous, though he has had such _damning proof_ that all's right--the man's a fool, that's all. Are you sure this is the key I gave you, my dear?"
"And can you think him a fool," pursued Belinda, in a still more earnest whisper, "for being more jealous of your mind than of your person? Fools have seldom so much penetration, or so much delicacy."
"But, Lord! what would you have me do? what would you have me say? That Lord Delacour writes better letters than these?"
"Oh, no! but show him these letters, and you will do justice to him, to yourself, to Cla----, to every body."
"I am sure I should be happy to do justice to _every body_."
"Then pray do this very instant, my dearest Lady Delacour! and I shall love you for it all my life."
"Done!--for who can withstand that offer?--Done!" said her ladyship. Then turning to Lord Delacour, "My lord, will you come here and tell us what can be the matter with this lock?"
