AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE. 187 



Emily listened in silence to our lecture on Entomology, 

 which must have been delivered, we suppose, with peculiar 

 clearness, as she did not, according to her usual custom, fol- 

 low it up by any further inquiry or comment. We soon 

 afterwards bid adieu to the insect community, and wended 

 our way homewards. 



F returned from London the same evening ; but availing 

 ourselves of an old friend's freedom, we had retired to bed 

 before his arrival. 



Next morning ushered in the day, "the great, the im- 

 portant day," of the fancy-ball neither " heavily " nor " in 

 clouds ;" yet greatly did we fear that the pleasant sunshine 

 which greeted our opening eyes would be met with no an- 

 swering beams at the breakfast-table of our friends. 



How agreeably, therefore, were we surprised, when, on 

 entering the parlour, we at once perceived an expression of 

 more perfect serenity, on the countenances both of F 

 and his pretty wife, than had been worn by either since the 

 day of that confounded invitation. 



"Ah!" thought we, "it's pretty plain how the matter is 

 ended ; that wicked little fairy has wrought her charms for 

 something has carried her point and will carry HIM, her 

 willing captive, to the ball. What poor weak fools fond 



husbands are ! Thank heaven that Well ! perhaps better 



so than worse." 



Breakfast proceeded; chat in plenty; but not a syllable 



