"I hear such wonders of your improvements, Mrs. Carleton, that if Colville Lodge were my own, I must entreat you to superintend some alterations. I understand a person who had known Mansford in former days, could hardly recognize it now."

The cloud passed from the lady's brow, and she was all condescension. After listening to her for some time with the most flattering attention, the gentleman left her, having won favour from mother and son.

"Mr. Carleton," he said, "will you permit me to accompany you to the next justice meeting? I may not again have such an opportunity of learning the duties of a magistrate. You know a seat on the bench does not always confer wisdom."

"No, indeed!" replied his gratified host, "as I find to my cost, when all my schemes are thwarted by ignorant coadjutors. I shall be delighted to take you, and will give you a few hints, which will enable you to understand the business,' and he proceeded to favour his guest with something much more diffusive than hints.

With some difficulty, but great politeness, he at length extricated himself from the never-wearying talker, and bent for a moment over the still-reclining Mrs. Mahon.

"Do you still retain your kind interest in my wounded arm? It is only a scratch, but I have an aversion to surgeons, and feel all the delight of woman's sympathy, and the magic power of woman's nursing."

"I cannot tell you how you delight me: come early tomorrow; I pique myself on being sincere, and never saying any thing I do not mean."

"I shall not fail; but you will keep my secret, for I have a thorough English horror of becoming an object of attention." The lady smiled her sweetest smile, and placed her finger on her lip, whilst the gentleman turned to Mr. Daniell.

"I have been thinking over what you said about the legality of that ejectment; but I doubt if I quite understood your last argument."

Mr. Daniell repeated it, with explanations and amplifications. Mr. De Roos was silent for a moment, and looked in deep thought, then said abruptly, in the manner of one suddenly convinced, "I understand now! This comes of having things clearly explained. I see I must yield some of the headstrong judgments of youth to the wisdom of others;" and he turned to Lord Marston, who had just joined them.

"What do you think, my lord, of the coalition talked of between the R. and the M. parties? I know such things are often nothing but reports of the ignorant; but I am so well aware of your lordship's quick perception of character and intimate acquaintance with all the political combinations of the day, that your opinion would be decisive."

"There are some things which should not be spoken of lightly, even to the most discreet, particularly by those who may be supposed to understand a little about these matters; but with the slight knowledge I possess, I should suppose and imagine-nay, I should think, there was every probability of such a thing being possible."

"I understand you my lord, and of course doubt no longer; whilst his lordship looked half terrified at having been flattered into any thing so decisive; but it was too late to retract.

“Mrs. Daniell, I hear your abode is the very home of comfort; no ungravelled walks; no bustle; no litter; flowers allowed time to grow, and guests to be quiet. I must persuade you to pity my forlorn condition, and help me to arrange my household at Colville. Mr. Mahon, you will remember your kind promise about the coachmaker?" and before he could receive an answer he had joined the group at the piano. "I am sure you sing, Mr. De Roos!" exclaimed Miss Carleton.

Mr. De Roos did sing-sing well too-and without any of the farce of denial, or the trouble of pressing. He sang an Italian duet with Miss Carleton; and then, at her command, an Irish melody. It was impossible not to be pleased with his singing, and more than a silent admiration was bestowed on his performance. Even Lady Catherine showed him favour, allowed him to join Helen and herself in the Gipsies' Chorus, and afterwards sang a duet with him, as the reward he playfully claimed for having been her protector. Helen alone said nothing in praise of his voice; but, passionately fond as she was of music, her silence said more than the words of others. She had for some time stood rather apart from the rest, and Mr. De Roos had the vanity or the penetration to fancy he had obtained a great share of her observation. Totally free from all wish for display, and perfectly aware that neither Catherine or Miss Carleton would regret her refusal, she had declined singing unless absolutely wanted; yet was her voice superior to any there, and the stranger doubted it not, from the part she had taken in the trio.

There were, who thought Lady Catherine had been taught VOL. I.

S

too much; whilst Miss Carleton was not always particular as to time or tune; and Miss Mahon wanted power, though she was a sweet and pleasing singer. Song succeeded song, generally duets, in which the stranger bore a part, and still Helen sat with her face half hid, revelling in the luxury of sweet sounds.

"Will not Miss St. Maur sing?" at length asked Mr. De Roos, in a rather earnest, but most respectful tone.

"Not to-night," she said, looking up with a smile, though the tears still glistened in her eyes, for he had just been singing that most affecting of all affecting things, the "Captive Knight;" and so feelingly had he sung it, that she had felt all the blighted hope, the desolation and despair of the poor prisoner; and had none else been nigh, would have sobbed outright.

"Oh! but you must," said Alford, who always interfered if he thought her slighted; "we must have a duet. No one ever admires my voice but when I sing with you."

To oppose him, without some good reason, she knew of old to be hopeless, and rose to comply.

"Do pray sing that funny thing about teaching a foreigner to read it just suits your voice," said Miss Carleton, placing the song before her. "Poor thing! she has had the best masters, but her voice is nothing in Italian music."

Helen heard the whispered remark, and an arch smile, as she looked up and met Mr. De Roos's glance, showed that she did so. He would have proposed some other song, but before he could speak she had begun, and none could fail to admire the playfulness and point with which it was sung. She would have risen at its conclusion, but Alford insisted on her singing "The harp that once through Tara's halls."

"There are some things one dares not praise!" said Mr. De Roos, in a low voice, as he stepped aside to allow her to pass.

Helen took no notice, but immediately asked Miss Carleton for a song admirably calculated to show off her voice to the best advantage. Whilst the song was singing, Mr. De Roos conversed with Alford. "I cannot tell you how I regret not having known your family before; for in my childish days, ere I lost a beloved mother, I used often to hear Lady Marston quoted as all that woman should be, and it has long been my wish to be thought worthy of her son's friendship. Moralists say no sentiment in the human heart is quite pure, and to-night I have learnt to envy you your influence over Miss

St. Maur, who appears to be one of those beings one pictures to oneself in boyhood, and wastes manhood in seeking in vain. I dare scarcely, on the introduction of a Mrs. Carleton, presume to consider myself as even a common acquaintance.

"You do but justice to my mother and Helen," replied the warm-hearted Alford, completely won by this praise of the two persons he loved most on earth. "I must introduce you to both. Helen, Mr. De Roos is so fearful that the introduction of the pompous Mrs. Carleton might make him odious in your sight, that I have consented to play Mr. C., and make him known to you as an admirer of excellence."

Helen blushed slightly as she returned the respectful bow of the introduced; a blush of which Mr. De Roos formed his own opinion.

"Being a stranger, Miss St. Maur, I took the liberty of riding through a part of Hurlestone a day or two since, and now tell of my presumption, lest you should hear of it from less friendly lips. I was assured, by more than one, that its mistress was too liberal to bar its beauties from a stranger; and as I rode through your superb woods, I could not but call to mind the heroes the noble race of St. Maur had produced. As I passed through the village, with its neat school and comfortable cottages, and listened to the prayers and blessings that hallowed your name, I understood all the luxury of doing good, and why you mingle not with the great world. Surely one may be forgiven envying you!"

Helen absolutely started. She had watched him adapt himself to the foibles of others; but, with the weakness of human nature, she thought not her own would be propitiated, and that so boldly. She turned on him a penetrating look, yet nothing was to be seen but the open expression of warm, yet respectful admiration. She paused for a moment, and then her part was taken.

There is no

"You are a fearful personage, Mr. De Roos. weakness, no secret, but you can lay it bare at a touch." She fancied there was a slight, a very slight change of countenance, but the next instant thought herself mistaken, and continued: "It would be wiser in all who wish hidden things to be unrevealed, to keep beyond the power of your spells; and yet, I suppose, I must yield to the charm to which others have yielded, and as a reward for reading me this lesson on the heart's hidden vanity, or for your admiration of my ancestors and flattery of myself, invite you to Hurlestone on Thursday next."

Miss Carleton called him away at the moment, and he could only bow his thanks and look his pleasure.

"On? Miss St. Maur," said Mr. Carleton, “I am come to you for a little quiet. What it is to be a talker? I am tired to death. Let Mr. Daniell once begin, and there is no hope of a conclusion, or putting in a word. His school-fellows gave him the name of Jaw-me-dead;' but one would have thought as he advanced in years he would have seen the propriety of being more silent; but some people are quite blind to their own faults!" And on moralized Mr. Carleton for full five minutes, without a stop, on the impropriety committed by his brother magistrate in talking so much, till fortunately, as Helen thought, a summons from his wife released her from the torrent of words. There is a common saying, "Out of the frying-pan into the fire ;" and our heroine was doomed to exemplify its truth, for before she could rise Mr. Daniell had taken the vacant seat beside her. "I congratulate you on the summons that called Mr. Carleton away, and saved you from a deluge of speech. A full spring-tide is nothing to the overwhelming force of his words. A French school-fellow gave him the scubriquet of Parle ton.' It really is quite melancholy to see a man of his age and sense, so blind to his foible! I cannot understand how a person can talk so incessantly without being weary." And on moralized Mr. Daniell, as Mr. Carleton had done before.

"What makes you look so grave, ma belle ?" said Alford, approaching her soon after.

"I am moralizing, as two have done before me, on what a strange being man is; a mole to his own foibles, a hawk to the foibles of others."

"A truce to moralizing," said Catherine, " and tell us what you think of this malade intéressant.

"Malade imaginaire, you mean," replied Helen archly. "I think he deals in magic, and that we owe him much for having thrown his glamour over you, and caused you to be civil for one hour out of the five you have spent at Mansford. To secure the performance of your six month's civility, I have engaged him to meet you on Thursday."

"Indeed! you amaze me. I should not have suspected you of such an unadvised act, after so short an acquaintance; but of course it was solely on my account.

"Of course.

"What do you think of this stranger, Alford?" asked Helen, as his sister left them.