The Hampstead Ball Trap — Evelina, Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World

Evelina writes from Holborn on June 27th, thanking Villars for money and praise while admitting Macartney still looks guiltless to her and that forbidding Willoughby is easier ordered than done. Mirvan reports Willoughby thriving at Howard Grove. Quiet days follow: Duval's cold and rain keep Branghtons home, yet young Branghton visits oddly, grinning, stopping as if to speak, then laughing in her face. She longs for Mrs. Clinton.

On the 29th Smith announces the Hampstead assembly, presents tickets, and treats her prior refusal as flirtation. Duval insists Evelina attend; resistance only angers her. Smith returns showily dressed, inelegant and self-conscious. Miss Branghton arrives sullen seeing Smith's attention to Evelina; young Tom mocks aunt Duval's ball plans and predicts she will find no partner.

Smith claims he meant to dance with Evelina while Duval plays cards; Evelina declares she will not dance at all. Tom exposes Biddy's crush and Smith's vow never to marry; Smith whispers that Evelina outshines her cousins, then boasts he would marry the cousin if he married anyone. Contempt sends Evelina across the room.

At the long room Hampstead, Duval dances the first two with Smith, then a minuet that draws stares for age, rouge, and style while Smith openly ridicules her. Evelina rejoices in strangers, refuses partner after partner with haughtiness she hopes reads as unavailability, then suffers Smith's renewed pleas. She cites refusing others during his minuet, which enrages him. Alone among low-bred men, she fears looking inviting by refusing.

Contrasting this ball with former ones sharpens her misery. Smith's open admiration forces plain displeasure; he claims her resentment shows doubt of his honor and lectures that marriage is the devil for men while ladies crave it. She answers that his views cannot concern her. He offers his hand boasting she is most likely to catch him; she calls the conversation humiliating and shelters behind Duval's chair.

Duval pities her ignorance yet stops insisting she dance. Vanity awakens a spirit Evelina did not know she had. Smith falls silent until leaving, when he piques that next time he will bargain before buying tickets another woman might hand to her grandmother. They return safe from a long projected, most disagreeable affair.