"A Mr. What? An engagement without consulting your guardians!"screamed her Ladyship. "This must be looked to! Jerningham, callround my carriage. Mademoiselle, you will have the goodness to walkhome with Master Gorgon, and carry him, if you please, where thereis wet; and, girls, as the day is fine, you will do likewise.Jerningham, you will attend the youthful ladies. Miss Gorgon, I willthank you to follow me immediately." And so saying, and looking atthe crowd with ineffable scorn, and at Mr. Perkins not at all, thelady bustled away forwards, the files of Gorgon daughters andgoverness closing round and enveloping poor Lucy, who found herselfcarried forward against her will, and in a minute seated inside heraunt's coach, along with that tremendous person.

Her case was bad enough, but what was it to Perkins's? Fancy hisblank surprise and rage at having his love thus suddenly ravishedfrom him, and his delicious tete-a-tete interrupted. He managed, inan inconceivably short space of time, to conjure up half-a-millionobstacles to his union. What should he do? he would rush on toBaker Street, and wait there until his Lucy left Lady Gorgon'shouse.