The hour of five
With what care did he dress himself the next day : -- what fears was he not possessed of , lest all about him should not be exact : -- never yet had he consulted the great glass with such assiduity ; -- never till now examined how far he had been indebted to nature for personal endowments . His impatience would have carried him to pay a morning visit , but he feared that would be too great a freedom , and therefore restrained himself till after dinner , though what he eat could scarce be called so ; the food his _ mind _ languished for , being wanting , the body was too complaisant to indulge itself . -- After rising from table , not a minute passed without looking on his watch , and at the same time cursing the tedious seconds , which seemed to him increased from sixty to six hundred . -- The hour of five at length put an end to his suspence , and he took his way to the dear , well-remembered mansion of his adorable . He found her at home , and in a careless , but most becoming dishabillee ; the other lady was still with her ; and told him she had tarried thus long with Miss Harriot , for so she called her , meerly to participate of the pleasure of his good company . Harriot , in a gay manner , accused her of envy , and both having a good share of wit , the conversation might have been pleasing enough to a man less prepossessed than Natura . The tea equipage was set , and the ceremony of that being over , cards were proposed ; as they were three , Ombre was the game , at which they played some hours , and Natura was asked to sup .