Greatly to his surprise, the young Earl was no where visible, and the place which he had occupied by the side of Lady Binks had been quietly appropriated by Winterblossom, as the best and softest chair in the room, and nearest to the head of the table, where the choicest of the entertainment is usually arranged.

This honest gentleman, after a few insipid compliments to her ladyship upon her performance as Queen of the Amazons, had betaken himself to the much more interesting occupation of ogling the dishes, through the glass which hung suspended at his neck by a gold chain of Maltese workmanship.

After looking and wondering for a few seconds, Mowbray addressed himself to the old beau-garcon, and asked him what had become of Etherington.
"Retreated," said Winterblossom, "and left but his compliments to you behind him--a complaint, I think, in his wounded arm .-- Upon my word, that soup has a most appetizing flavour!--Lady Penelope, shall I have the honour to help you ?--no!--nor you, Lady Binks ?--you are too cruel!--I must comfort myself, like a heathen priest of old, by eating the sacrifice which the deities have scorned to accept of." Here he helped himself to the plate of soup which he had in vain offered to the ladies, and transferred the further duty of dispensing it to Mr.
Chatterly; "it is your profession, sir, to propitiate the divinities--ahem!" "I did not think Lord Etherington would have left us so soon," said Mowbray; "but we must do the best we can without his countenance." So saying, he assumed his place at the bottom of the table, and did his best to support the character of a hospitable and joyous landlord, while on her part, with much natural grace, and delicacy of attention calculated to set every body at their ease, his sister presided at the upper end of the board.

But the vanishing of Lord Etherington in a manner so sudden and unaccountable--the obvious ill-humour of Lady Penelope--and the steady, though passive, sullenness of Lady Binks, spread among the company a gloom like that produced by an autumnal mist upon a pleasing landscape.

The women were low-spirited, dull, nay, peevish, they did not well know why; and the men could not be joyous, though the ready resource of old hock and champagne made some of them talkative .-- Lady Penelope broke up the party by well-feigned apprehension of the difficulties, nay, dangers, of returning by so rough a road.