their drapery, reminded me mightily of Adam and Eve before the fall,-came mooning unto the house-thanks to Miss Kate Falwasser for the phrase-I ventured to take the dear original aside and ask him where he had been during the early part of the day?

"Why," said Nubley-" we have been-eh -been-to Chittagong-over the grounds-into the house-brute of a man that Thompsoneh ?"

“Yes,” said I, "but you need not have told him so, my dear Sir."

"Me!" said Nubley, stubbling his chin"I tell him so! La, bless you-not I-no-we were the greatest possible friends—odd girls the nieces and cousin!-he! he! he !"—and then in an under-tone, "what makes him look so glum, I wonder?"

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"Why, my dear Sir," said I, “ Captain Thompson has been here to look after you— and failing of finding you, has fastened all your faults upon me-he says you abused him and the whole family."

"That's a fib, Gilbert," said Nubley-" I praised them, every one of them-beasts as they are-no-I said nothing offensive I know. Mrs. N. said something about them, I forget whatwhich seemed to vex one of them-but I-la! -I praised them, I tell you-eh?—I wonder what Gilbert is at now?"

This last surmise was expressed in a tone nearly as loud as all his previous protestations of politeness to the Thompsons.

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Why," said I, "my dear Sir, I do not think you are aware of the only failing I can discover in your character,-I mean that of thinking aloud-"

“Ah!” said Nubley,-"talking to myself what I think?-that's it. I believe I do-my wife has not that failing.-Poor thing! she talks to everybody else and never thinks at allI hope she does not hear me-eh ?—as for that Thompson, he is-between ourselvesno better than he should be-umph-few of

us are."

"Those, as I understood," said I, "were

precisely the words you used to one of the young ladies."

"Ah!” said Nubley-" I thought—I know I thought so very strange-eh? Chi-chi-he does not know what that means."

Whether I did or did not comprehend these two very significant monosyllables, I found it was no manner of use endeavouring to persuade Nubley that this principle of wearing a window in his breast was not altogether safe in the world, and therefore I pooh pooh'd off his inquiry as to the nature of the visit of Thompson to Ashmead, resolving to do my duty by Cuthbert's venerable and unsophisticated partner, should it eventually be considered necessary to the matter into the field.

carry

Then came dinner-and, to my delight, Harriet, for the first time since her confinement, took her place at the table-and she looked so nice and so pretty, that I could not help casting my eyes upon Wells and Fanny, who dined with us, and saying to myself, "Well, I don't care upon what principle you marry your daughters. If

VOL. II.

all of them turn out like the one I have secured to myself, the system will do no harm to anybody"—and then I felt a kind of chuckling satisfaction that Merman was not to have Fanny as a wife--and then I drank a glass of wine with Harriet-and she looked placid and pleased-and Kate seemed a little subdued-and Jane began, as I thought, to look quite pretty.

The ladies retired, and in order to fulfil my promised engagement to Mr. Kittington, I begged my reverend father-in-law, if I should be detained beyond "coffee time," to take charge of the fair flock and give them the advantages of his society till I should return-and in the mean while to be kind enough to exert his influence over Kate to abandon her intention of attending the funeral-Jane having already more than half agreed that it would be infinitely more agreeable to her feelings to abstain from a show of grief very unusual, and not at all in accordance with her own notions of real sorrow for the loss of so near a relation.

Away I went and as what occurred during my interview with Mr. Kittington will transpire in my notes of the conversation which took place on my return to Ashmead-the particulars may be spared here: suffice it to say—I saw him— conversed with him-explained my conduct in the affair was perfectly satisfied with his, and came home.

I confess I was very much struck by the appearance of his humble residence-and of his family, which consisted only of a mother and sister. I had never crossed his threshold before, nor had I ever seen his relations except at church. I was ushered into a small but pretty parlourthe modest decorations of which gave indications of a taste and feeling suited to a more spacious apartment. Books were disposed in all available corners; drawings by good masters, not numerous but well-chosen, hung against the walls; an evidently much-frequented pianoforte stood opposite the fire-place; a pert canary-bird hopped from perch to perch in its gilded cage; and a spaniel of the pure Marlborough breed