One thing I could notice--for the press was so great, little could
be seen--it was, that the old ladies wore rouge. The white satin
sleeve of my dress was entirely ruined by coming in contact with a
little round, dumpling duchess's cheek--as vulgar a body as could
well be. She seemed to me to have spent all her days behind a
counter, smirking thankfulness to bawbee customers.
When we had been shown in the drawing-rooms to the men for some
time, we then adjourned to the lower apartments, where the
refreshments were set out. This, I suppose, is arranged to afford
an opportunity to the beaux to be civil to the belles, and thereby
to scrape acquaintance with those whom they approve, by assisting
them to the delicacies. Altogether, it was a very dull well-dressed
affair, and yet I ought to have been in good spirits, for Sir
Marmaduke Towler, a great Yorkshire baronet, was most particular in
his attentions to me; indeed so much so, that I saw it made poor
Sabre very uneasy. I do not know why it should, for I have given
him no positive encouragement to hope for anything; not that I have
the least idea that the baronet's attentions were more than
commonplace politeness, but he has since called.
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