"But,” said I, "do you never walk out with them ?"

"No," said Mrs. Brandyball; "I am rather too heavy for exercise, and I can't well trust the teachers. I have," added she, putting her finger to her nose, "I have been a teacher myself; besides, if I did take them,-it's as bad. I say to them, Girls, as you go to church, look at nobody, neither to the right nor to the left

-keep your eyes on the ground, my dears;' and so they do and when they are at church, the front of the pew is so high, and the seat so low, that they can't even get a peep at the parson."

"That is severe over-much," said Wells.

"Severe !" said Mrs. Brandyball. "You are a man of the world, Mr. W. Suppose I did parade them, as you call it, they would look about; and only think the things they are likely to see in the streets and the roads. If I walked in front, how should I know what they were doing behind my back? If I walked behind them and came last, where's the use?—with poke

bonnets on, how can I know what they are doing with their eyes? No, no; I keep them all snug at home, and then the dear loves have nothing to put bad notions into their young heads."

"Very proper, indeed!" said Cuthbert.

66

Very," said I, looking at Wells, and thinking of Miss Falwasser as a pattern Miss of Montpelier.

"Now, Mrs. Brandyball," said Wells," allow me to help you to some more wine." A permission he requested, because she had happened to remove her glass out of his reach.

"Oh no," said she, "no more; enough is as good as a feast;' moderation is one of the greatest virtues."

"We will order coffee then," said I, "and have it here; and I will just step up to Harriet and see how she is."

"Give my best regards," said Mrs. Brandyball," and say if she wishes to see me I shall be too happy to go and sit with her and Miss Wells."

"I will," said I; and giving directions to the

servant to bring the coffee and tea, hastened to the two ladies to hear what they had been doing, and report progress with regard to ourselves.

The difference between the appearance of the room I had left, and that of the boudoir which I entered, was very striking. The noisy mirth and chatter of Mrs. Brandyball, the insidious officiousness of Wells, the supine indifference of Cuthbert, the blaze of lamps, and the fumes of wine, were strongly contrasted by the calm serenity of Harriet's sanctum, and the subdued tone of the conversation in which she and her sister were engaged. On the table was a box-openwhich contained numerous letters, and I thought a miniature picture. The box however was closed the moment I entered, and Harriet's first question was, what we had done with the lady?

"She preferred staying where she was," said I, "to becoming the sole tenant of the drawingroom; and so I have just ordered coffee, in the dinner-room, and snatched a minute to get to you. What have you done with the amiable Tom ?"

"He went to bed soon after nine," said

Fanny.

"After nine ?" said I; "why, what o'clock is it now?"

"Considerably past ten," said Harriet.

"I had no idea of such a thing," said I. "Time flies in agreeable society," replied Harriet.

"I must not stop," said I, "to tell you how our time has been passed; but we have had a

"For which," said my wife, "if Master Tom is to be believed, I am pretty well prepared. He came up evidently in a passion with the lady, and has been amusing us with histories of her proceedings, derived from his sister Jane, which, if true, or near the truth, ought to be communicated to Cuthbert."

"After

"All would be unavailing," said I. having heard from her own mouth quite sufficient to render any other evidence against her unnecessary, he has just now pronounced the highest eulogium upon her, and declared his

unqualified approbation of her establishment. I shall return to them, and as soon as the carriage

comes for your father, and brings home the darlings,' dispose of the party forthwith."

6

"How is Papa?" said Fanny; " is he in good spirits ?"

"Much as usual," said I; "he seemed a little out of sorts at first, but he soon recovered his usual good temper, and has played off our visitor to the greatest possible advantage. However, adieu for the present; I think half-an-hour will terminate our sitting."

And down I came, not without having, by way of reply to Harriet's "Don't be long, love," given her one affectionate kiss, which I could not help fancying made poor Fanny think of the absent lieutenant, about whom and his proceedings I admit I became rather anxious to know something more.

When I returned to the dinner-room, I found that its occupants had discovered the "time of night," and that Wells was beginning to wonder why the carriage had not arrived which was to