THE DILEMMA. 299 



to dress ; but Constance, taking Malcolm aside, began speaking 

 to him in a low, earnest tone, stating her determination, after 

 what had occurred, of not going to the ball. 



" Pooh ! nonsense, my dear," exclaimed Malcolm ; " you 

 must not adopt your brother's foolish crotchets ; surely my 

 wishes ought to be consulted now, as well as his, although I 

 certainly shall ask Danby some explanation why he was not 

 invited." 



u On my account," said Beauchamp, who overheard these 

 words, " I must beg, Lord Malcolm, you will not even hint at 

 an explanation, as I neither require, nor will I accept any. 

 Lord Danby and I understand each other quite well enough 

 already ; and now, my dear Constance, you must do violence 

 to your own proper feelings, in taking your brother's part, by 

 complying with my desire to accompany Lady Malcolm to the 

 ball." 



" Indeed, William, I had much rather not go," pleaded 

 Constance ; " and Lady Malcolm has been kind enough to 

 excuse me." 



" My dear girl," replied Beauchamp, " for Lady Malcolm's 

 sake, who has, no doubt, accepted the invitation on your 

 account and Blanche's, I must desire you will go ; so not another 

 word on the subject ; " saying which, he turned away and 

 resumed his seat, and was immediately joined by Blanche. 



" You cannot be offended with me, I hope, dear William, 

 because I could not venture to ask Lady Malcolm to excuse my 

 attending her to-night, as Constance did. She, as your sister, 

 had a fair pretext to decline going." 



"But you, of course, had none" added Beauchamp, "not 

 even to express one word in my favour, and left my friend 

 Conyers to fight my battle alone." 



" Now you are unjust, William ; for although fearing to be 

 thought forward in giving utterance to my sentiments, I have 

 felt the slight offered you more deeply than Constance, and 

 shall resent it as firmly as yourself after this night, when I 

 cannot possibly be rude to Lord Danby in his mother's house." 



"Of course not," replied Beauchamp; "and no doubt his 

 arguments, like Lord Malcolm's, will weigh heaviest in the 

 balance against mine, as your cousin, I see, is resolved to 

 maintain his position by obtaining some excuse from Danby for 

 not inviting me, which I am equally resolved not to accept. 

 Extorted apologies of this sort make the matter ten times 

 worse, and knowing this slight was purposely intended, Lord 



