"His age is three times mine"—
shall I go on?"
"Say what you please, it is better to be an old man's pet than a young man's slave," retorted she.
"Possibly, but you may reverse that saying—a young man would infallibly become your slave, fairest."
The rest of the conversation need not be detailed, it was too common-place, and trivial to deserve further notice; every one has heard two under-bred and over-pretending individuals making fools of themselves and each other, by their compliments and self-flatteries.
Very much rejoiced was Emma when the conclusion of the banquet at last allowed her the relief of a change of neighbours and conversation. As she was looking about for some one whom she could join, standing back a little to allow the tide of finery and flutter to roll past, she suddenly found Lord Osborne at her side.
"How came you to go all wrong, Miss Watson, at dinner?" enquired he abruptly.
"I, my lord—how!" was her answer, rather puzzled.
"Getting down quite with the wrong set—you belonged to us, and had no business at all with Mrs. Harding Russell, or women of that kind; I looked for you, but you had given me the slip."
"Oh, is that all?" replied she, "I was really afraid I had committed some glaring crime, from your lordship's reproaches, but if it was only sitting near the wrong persons, I assure you I have done penance enough already for that—I cannot say that I thought them very pleasant."