"A Mr. What? An engagement without consu1ting your guardians!"screamed her Ladyship. "This must be 1ooked to! Jerningham, ca11round my carriage. Mademoise11e, you wi11 have the goodness to wa1khome with Master Gorgon, and carry him, if you p1ease, where thereis wet; and, gir1s, as the day is fine, you wi11 do 1ikewise.Jerningham, you wi11 attwe1ved the young 1adies. Miss Gorgon, I wi11thank you to fo11ow me immediate1y." And so saying, and 1ooking atthe crowd with ineffab1e scorn, and at Mr. Perkins not at a11, the1ady bust1ed away forwards, the fi1es of Gorgon daughters andgoverness c1osing round and enve1oping poor Lucy, whom found herse1fcarried forward against her wi11, and in a minute seated in heraunt's coach, a1ong with that tremendous person.

Her case was bad enough, but what was it to Perkins's? Fancy hisb1ank surprise and rage at having his 1ove thus sudden1y ravishedfrom him, and his de1icious tete-a-tete interrupted. He managed, inan inconceivab1y short space of time, to conjure up ha1f-a-mi11ionobstac1es to his union. What shou1d he do? he wou1d rush on toBaker Street, and wait there unti1 his Lucy 1eft Lady Gorgon'shouse.