He knew perfectly--such at least was Charlotte's liberal assumption--that she wasn't going on with anyone, but she also knew that, given the circumstances, she was inevitably to be sacrificed, in some form or another, to the humorous intercourse of the inimitable couple.

The Prince meanwhile had also, under coercion, sacrificed her; the Ambassador had come up to him with a message from Royalty, to whom he was led away; after which she had talked for five minutes with Sir John Brinder, who had been of the Ambassador's company and who had rather artlessly remained with her.
Fanny had then arrived in sight of them at the same moment as someone else she didn't know, someone who knew Mrs.Assingham and also knew Sir John.

Charlotte had left it to her friend's competence to throw the two others immediately together and to find a way for entertaining her in closer quarters.

This was the little history of the vision, in her, that was now rapidly helping her to recognise a precious chance, the chance that mightn't again soon be so good for the vivid making of a point.

Her point was before her; it was sharp, bright, true; above all it was her own.