Produced by Jonathan Ingram Sheila Vogtmannand PG Distributed ProofreadersTALES AND NOVELS VOL IIIBELINDABYMARIA EDGEWORTHIN TEN VOLUMES WITH ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL1857CONTENTSI CharactersII MasksIII Lady Delacours HistoryIV The same continuedV Birthday DressesVI Ways and MeansVII The Serpentine RiverVIII A Family PartyIX AdviceX The Mysterious BoudoirXI DifficultiesXII The MacawXIII Sortes VirgilianaeXIV The ExhibitionXV JealousyXVI Domestic HappinessXVII Rights of WomanXVIII A DeclarationXIX A WeddingXX ReconciliationXXI HelenaXXII A SpectreXXIII The ChaplainXXIV Peu à peuXXV Love me love my dogXXVI VirginiaXXVII A DiscoveryXXVIII E OXXIX A JewXXX NewsXXXI The DènouementBELINDACHAPTER ICHARACTERSMrs Stanhope a wellbred woman accomplished in that branch of knowledgewhich is called the art of rising in the world had with but a smallfortune contrived to live in the highest company She prided herself uponhaving established half a dozen nieces most happily that is to say uponhaving married them to men of fortunes far superior to their own Oneniece still remained unmarriedBelinda Portman of whom she wasdetermined to get rid with all convenient expedition Belinda washandsome graceful sprightly and highly accomplished her aunt hadendeavoured to teach her that a young ladys chief business is to pleasein society that all her charms and accomplishments should be invariablysubservient to one grand objectthe establishing herself in the world    For this hands lips and eyes were put to school    And each instructed feature had its ruleMrs Stanhope did not find Belinda such a docile pupil as her othernieces for she had been educated chiefly in the country she had earlybeen inspired with a taste for domestic pleasures she was fond ofreading and disposed to conduct herself with prudence and integrity Hercharacter however was yet to be developed by circumstancesMrs Stanhope lived at Bath where she had opportunities of showing herniece off as she thought to advantage but as her health began todecline she could not go out with her as much as she wished Aftermanoeuvring with more than her usual art she succeeded in fasteningBelinda upon the fashionable Lady Delacour for the season Her ladyshipwas so much pleased by Miss Portmans accomplishments and vivacity as toinvite her to spend the winter with her in London Soon after her arrivalin town Belinda received the following letter from her aunt StanhopeCrescent BathAfter searching every place I could think of Anne found your bracelet inyour dressingtable amongst a heap of odd things which you left behindyou to be thrown away I have sent it to you by a young gentleman whocame to Bath unluckily the very day you left meMr Clarence Herveyanacquaintance and great admirer of my Lady Delacour He is really anuncommonly pleasant young man is highly connected and has a fineindependent fortune Besides he is a man of wit and gallantry quite aconnoisseur in female grace and beautyjust the man to bring a new faceinto fashion so my dear Belinda I make it a pointlook well when he isintroduced to you and remember what I have so often told you thatnobody _can_ look well without taking some pains to pleaseI seeor at least when I went out more than my health will at presentpermitI used to see multitudes of silly girls seemingly all cut outupon the same pattern who frequented public places day after day andyear after year without any idea farther than that of divertingthemselves or of obtaining transient admiration How I have pitied anddespised the giddy creatures whilst I have observed them playing offtheir unmeaning airs vying with one another in the most _obvious_ andconsequently the most ridiculous manner so as to expose themselves beforethe very men they would attract chattering tittering and flirting fullof the present moment never reflecting upon the future quite satisfiedif they got a partner at a hall without ever thinking of a partner forlife I have often asked myself what is to become of such girls when theygrow old or ugly or when the public eye grows tired of them If they havelarge fortunes it is all very well they can afford to divert themselvesfor a season or two without doubt they are sure to be sought after andfollowed not by mere danglers but by men of suitable views andpretensions but nothing to my mind can be more miserable than thesituation of a poor girl who after spending not only the interest butthe solid capital of her small fortune in dress and frivolousextravagance fails in her matrimonial expectations as many do merelyfrom not beginning to speculate in time She finds herself at five orsixandthirty a burden to her friends destitute of the means ofrendering herself independent for the girls I speak of never think of_learning_ to play cards _de trop_ in society yet obliged to hang uponall her acquaintance who wish her in heaven because she is unqualifiedto make the _expected_ return for civilities having no home I mean noestablishment no house c fit for the reception of company of a certainrankMy dearest Belinda may this never be your caseYou have everypossible advantage my love no pains have been spared in your educationand which is the essential point I have taken care that this should beknownso that you have _the name_ of being perfectly accomplished Youwill also have the name of being very fashionable if you go much intopublic as doubtless you will with Lady DelacourYour own good sensemust make you aware my dear that from her ladyships situation andknowledge of the world it will always be proper upon all subjects ofconversation for her to lead and you to follow it would be very unfitfor a young girl like you to suffer yourself to stand in competition withLady Delacour whose high pretensions to wit and beauty are_indisputable_ I need say no more to you upon this subject my dear Evenwith your limited experience you must have observed how foolish youngpeople offend those who are the most necessary to their interests by animprudent indulgence of their vanityLady Delacour has an incomparable taste in dress consult her my dearand do not by an illjudged economy counteract my viewsapropos I haveno objection to your being presented at court You will