"When I speak of such matters, I assure you, Miss Gulphin, I never address myself to the public ear." Then, advancing to our ladies briskly, she made her bow and retired. She was followed by the other visiters, who, in varied methods, all of which were graceful, showed this had been a matter of method; for there was much in what was said which had been memorized, and made fluent by repetition, "welcoming our ladies to the city; hoping it would be sufficiently attractive to induce them to make a long stay; that nothing should be wanting on their part to make it so." And, when all was said and all were gone, Gertrude sat down, with a look of amazement.

"What do you think of these fine people, and of our new-found friends?" asked Annie.

Gertrude replied: "I declare I never heard so much to distress me, in so short a time, before. What are we to believe, and with whom may we be safe?”

"I think, cousin, we can trust each other; and my plan is to trust none else. Your husband wants to see the society of Vanity Fair; mine wants to see some of its science; and we, like good wives, must wait upon their movements. One thing we must do, keep this gossip to ourselves; and, as Lord and Lady Dielincœur have been our good friends, we will believe them to be so until we make discoveries of our own to their disadvantage."

"Certainly," said Gertrude; "and yet, I hate to hear anything to the disadvantage of any one around me, for I never feel afterwards precisely as I did before. It takes time to wear out these ink-spots on the memory."

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CHAPTER XLI.

THE HARD-SHELLS IN VANITY FAIR.

OUR pilgrims naturally sought out those religionists in Vanity Fair with whom they symbolized. They found the Tremont, Oxford, d'Italia, represented by large communities. The Lower House, Old Nassau Hall, and the New School, and other Interpreter's Houses, were not popular at Vanity Fair; in one word, they were not fashionable. It was some time before they found out the chapel of their own communion. It was out of the way, in a suburb called Joppa; and the few who assembled seemed well content with things as they were. They held the most stringent and exclusive of all systems. The fewness of the number likely to be saved, and the certainty that they were of the elect, seemed to be a matter of congratulation. They gloried in the name of HARD-SHELLS, given to them in derision, at first, by their opponents, and now worn by them with pride. It arose from their manner of eating oysters, the meat of which they threw away, and then carefully pounded the shells fine, which, being mixed with meal, they baked, and ate for food. It need not be told that these people were of a very costive habit. They were equally ultra in other matters. Everything which bore marks of finish and refinement was a matter of church discipline and censure. One of the "sisters," coming up to Annie, who wore a lace veil over her face, asked her "If she was a pilgrim?" Annie said "She hoped so." "You 'hope so!"" said the sister; "you ought to know so! And let me tell you, young woman, if you were a

pilgrim indeed, the veil would long since have been taken from off your face." Annie could say nothing, and looked very meek under the reproof. As for Sister Hard-Shell, she went away with the air of proud, conscious power; for she had something to tell of, to remember and repeat, to the day of her death. So soon did our friends find that there must be some other bonds of sympathy and fellowship than unity of opinion as to the right way of commencing a pilgrimage to the Celestial City.

CHAPTER XLII.

MRS. PROUDFIT'S OPENING PARTY. THE ARRIVAL OF THE NIGHT

INGALE.

THE winter opened at Vanity Fair as is usual in other great cities. The theatres blazoned their attractions along the great thoroughfares. The equipages of the gay and great world were in motion, day and night. The States-General were in session, which brought an influx of strangers, so that with the opening of a new year "the gay season was at its height.

Our pilgrims, though residents of Vanity Fair, in accordance with their carefully-considered determinations, had declined all invitations to balls and grand parties. Nor would they be persuaded to change their purpose to go to Mrs. Proudfit's party, with which the season up-town opened. . It was to be a ball; and the rumor that it would be attended by some very distinguished

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persons from abroad, to whom the party would be given, made everybody on the qui vive to go; and then, too, as it was to be very select," this anxiety was greatly enhanced. After a most vexatious delay, the cards were sent out. Then began all those little arts which are so commonly practised for the procuring of invitations by those who are uninvited. Mrs. Proudfit perfectly understood the society around her. She had purposely left out those who had been most free with their speeches. She meant to punish them, "to make them toady" (her own phrase), before she sent the wished-for card. And as our ladies and gentlemen were known to stand high with Colonel and Mrs. Proudfit, they were inducted into some secrets, and had a little insight behind the scenes; when Mrs. Bates, the T'nipnoses, Miss Gulphin, and Miss Little, at different times, called upon them, and, with infinite skill, sought to enlist their good offices to get tickets for them to the party. With great amiability, our ladies were entreated to undertake to secure them tickets. Calling on Mrs. Proudfit, they said to her: "Have you omitted these persons from design, or not? If you have a purpose in it, we have nothing more to say; but if it is among the accidents of getting up your party, then permit us to say, they would be gratified to receive your cards."

My kind friends," said Mrs. Proudfit, "you are very new to Vanity Fair. These ladies have stood first among those who availed themselves of an unfortunate acquaintance made by my husband, most innocently, at the Club-House, and have done what they could, for the last three months, to unsettle my position in society. I have waited my time, and it is come. These persons have already come to me with their solicitations, in various ways; and I had purposed to pillory them, as I can do, and dare do, if there

were an army of them. They are the midges in society, with little stings which annoy, but never hurt. Miserable women, ugly, and finically fine, I positively could crush them with as little mercy as I would so many spiders!

Our ladies said they had been persuaded to make this call with some reluctance, and they would not wish any change made in her plans at their persuasion.

No, my dear ladies, nor shall I make the slightest change. I mean these women shall come; for it is my purpose to punish them yet further, and I can best do this in the presence of all my guests, in a way which they will feel-perhaps. I say perhaps, for they are neither very bright nor very sensitive. I shall try best. Say to these ladies so much as this: that I will take this matter into consideration, that they have neither been overlooked nor forgotten."

my

On the Monday of the week on which her party came off, Mrs. Proudfit sent the desired cards to our ladies, requesting them to present them, thereby intimating to those invited that they owed the success of all their efforts to the intervention of Mrs. Outright and Mrs. Trueman.

On the next evening after the party was given, Mrs. Bates and Miss Gulphin and the T'nipnoses called, with some gentlemen, as they said, to "tell our ladies and gentlemen of the party, and how greatly they were indebted to them for their kindness."

"I think it was the most delightful party I ever attended. Such a supper! and, then, the music! O, it was indeed beautiful throughout!" said Mrs. Bates.

"And how did Mrs. Proudfit sustain herself?" asked Annie.

"Just as spiteful as she could be and live," replied Mrs.