At length Lady Glenmore could restrain her inquietude no longer; and turning suddenly round, she said, "I wonder what can detain Lord Glenmore! he promised to join me here." The different persons looked at each other and smiled significantly; some in pity, some in derision, all in contempt.
"Oh you know, my dear," replied Lady Tenderden, "dese conjugal appointments are sensé to be broken; dey are de pie-crusts of life." Every body laughed, and poor Lady Glenmore coloured, as she felt a sort of indignation rise in her heart against the whole scene and the actors therein.
"But make yourself quite easy," Lady Tenderden added in a sort of childish voice, "dere is no danger for Lord Glenmore; I will be answerable for his safety."
Mr. Leslie Winyard affected to feel for Lady Glenmore, and to disapprove of this joke; and turning to her, he said in his most doucereux tone, "You may depend upon it, a very long debate has taken place, and engages Lord Glenmore's absence from hence necessarily. It was always expected that the House would sit very late to-night: what else could keep him away from you?" he whispered, with an expression that was intended should soothe her; and it did soothe her, and she felt grateful, and rewarded him by one of her sweetest smiles, saying,
"I conclude you are right." It was not long, however, before Lord Boileau came into the box.
"Boileau, are you come from the House?" said Mr. Leslie Winyard.
"No," he replied; "the House was adjourned very early on account of the ex-minister's illness, whose explanation was looked for."
Lady Glenmore heard this circumstance with a beating heart; and looking reproachfully at Mr. Leslie Winyard, she said, "You see you were mistaken; why did you deceive me?"
He affected, for a moment, to be overcome with disappointment and chagrin, and then said in a low voice, "Oh, be not uneasy; there are so many things may have detained a man in his station. Why do you suffer yourself to be thus wretched? Would to Heaven he knew! If he did but know, surely, surely he would be here. But how people mistake their own happiness! Were I in his place—"