Here, on one hand, is Mr. Francis
Barold, who must be invited; and on the other is Mr. Burmistone, whom we
cannot pass over; and here is Lady Theobald, who will turn to stone the
moment she sees him,--though, goodness knows, I am sure he seems a very
quiet, respectable man, and said some of the most complimentary things
about your playing. And here is that dreadful girl, who is enough to give
one cold chills, and who may do all sorts of dreadful things, and is
certainly a living example to all respectable, well-educated girls. And
the blindest of the blind could see that nothing would offend Lady
Theobald more fatally than to let her be thrown with Francis Barold;
and how one is to invite them into the same room, and keep them apart,
I'm sure I don't know how. Lady Theobald herself could not do it, and how
can we be expected to? And the refreshments on my mind too; and Forbes
failing on her tea-cakes, and bringing up Sally Lunns like lead."
That these misgivings were equally shared by each entertainer in
prospective, might be adduced from the fact that the same afternoon Mrs.
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