from rising a single peg higher than you and then threw open the door for her to have managed to do yourself. But my pass. But Mrs. Roberts was at that idenchildren have too much of their mother in tical moment very nearly penniless; the them to bear it, and so you will find, sir. It large supply drawn for before they quitted may, perhaps, be in your power to prevent Baden having been so nearly absorbed by the great, the unhoped-for advantages with the unexpected amount of the various which they are now surrounded from doing claims upon her, as barely to leave sufthem any real good. I dare say it may be ficient for the journey; the two hundred in your power to do that. But it is not in pounds which she had calculated would reyour power, nor ever will be, to turn them main, with which to commence their Roback again into poor tame ignorant clods, man campaign, having so completely vancontented with having as much food as they ished as scarcely to have left a trace even want, and clothes enough to keep them on her memory. She felt, therefore, that warm. You'll never be able to turn the she should by no means be doing her duty chosen friends of nobles and princesses to herself and her dear children, if she into such animals as that; and the conse- omitted the present very favorable opportuquence of your making a stand against nity of obtaining a further supply, and she drawing for sufficient money for the neces- therefore said, in a pleasant, confidential sary expenses of our present station in life tone, which could not fail of being soothwill be following our children to an early ing to the feelings of her husband, who had grave. I don't mean to talk about myself. not of late been treated with much attenI know you don't consider me now of much tion by his greatly occupied familyconsequence to any body. You have taken "Nay, shut the door again, dear Roberts, it into your poor old head that nobody I have a hundred things that I want to say knows any thing but yourself, and you may to you, and lately you have always seemed soon dance over my grave by way of prov- so poorly, and disinclined to talk, that ing you are right." I have not liked to trouble you; but I wish At this point, indignation and contempt to tell you, my dear, that you are quite misgave way to grief, and Mrs. Roberts drew taken about Edward's match with Bertha out her pocket-handkerchief, and wept vio-being off. It never was so perfectly cerlently.

tain as it is at this moment. She is an odd "Sarah!" said her husband, after a short tempered girl, I won't deny that, and if sharp struggle with his common sense, Edward was a common sort of character I which was beat out of the field by his ha- might perhaps have some anxiety about his bitual deference and habitual affection for being happy with her. But he is so very his wife, "Sarah!" he said, "I am many superior, and has such uncommon powers years older than you, and if one of us is of mind, and knows how to influence those doomed to die of a broken heart it had better he lives with in such an extraordinary manbe me. But just let me say one last word, ner, that I feel no alarm on that score. So and then go on as you think best. My belief there you may be easy, my dear; and as to is that we shall all be ruined-downright, the girls, they have only to be seen! In your positively ruined by the trying to live among life you never beheld any thing like the all these fine folks. But don't cry any more, fuss that was made with them last night!— Sarah, don't cry. I am willing to do what-There were no less than five noblemen and ever you like. I am sure you mean to do one prince that desired to be introduced to every thing for the best, my dear, and if it them; and the ladies of the very highest don't answer, why I am sure it won't be the rank that desired to make my acquaintance fault of your will; so don't cry, Sarah! and was really something quite extraordinary! you shan't find that I'll plague you with my But of course you know that though we dismal forebodings any more." may be quite sure that all this sort of thing must sooner or later lead to the permanent establishment of our dear children in the exalted station of life for which they are evidently so peculiarly qualified-though we cannot with any reasonable use of our eyes and understanding doubt this final result, it is impossible to deny that a little. present ready money is absolutely necessary, and what I feel, Roberts, is that we

Keep but your word in that, my dear Roberts," she replied with sudden animation, and raising herself on tip-toe to give him a kiss, "keep but your word in that, and depend upon it that every thing will go well, and we never shall have any difference between us again."

The good man sighed, but not ostentatiously, returned his wife's kiss very kindly,

The next time that the voice of Mr. Roberts was heard to utter a command, it pronounced these words to his youngest daughter: "Maria, order the man-servant to let me have hot water, sugar, and brandy, brought to me every evening before he goes out with the carriage." And this order was given and obeyed.

ought to be thankful to Providence-very | strance still lingered in his mind, it vanishthankful indeed-that enabled you by a ed as he did so, and in the next moment his little steady industry and perseverance, to name was subscribed to the draft. realize enough to enable us to conquer what I have no doubt has often proved an insuperable difficulty to many people. And it is this consideration, my dear Roberts, that ought now and always to prevent your feeling any repugnance for drawing for the necessary supplies. Trust me, my dear, it will all come back to you, and with interest. I did not mean to say any thing about it till to-morrow, because we have several calls to make to-day, but as we are upon the subject, it will save us both trouble if you will give me a draft now. I understand that if people can show that they have any decent introductions here, Torlonia will cash a draft at sight, and I am sure that will be monstrous convenient just now, for the journey has left me quite dry."

During the latter part of this speech Mrs. Roberts had been engaged in bringing forward and unlocking her writing-desk, which contained all she wanted for carrying through the business she was upon.

"Let it be five hundred, Roberts, will you dear? Less than that will really be of no use at all.”

"But don't you expect a remittance from Miss Harrington's aunt, my dear?" said Mr. Roberts, holding the pen she had given him suspended over the paper. "If I don't mistake, it is several weeks behindhand."

"What, Bertha's hundred pounds for this current quarter? Oh no, my dear, it is not behindhand at all. How could you suppose that such a manager as I am could have suffered that? Oh no! we got that just before we set off from Baden; and lucky it was that we did, for we never should have got here without it. But do write the draft, my dear Roberts, will you? The poor dear girls will think that I have quite forgotten them."

WHILE the affairs of Mrs. Roberts and her children went on thus prosperously at Rome, those of Mr. Roberts and Miss Harrington, who were both left pretty much to their own devices, were managed on principles diametrically opposite to any which regulated the movements of the rest of the family, but which resembled each other very closely.

For while Mrs. and the two Miss Robertses, together with Mr. Edward Roberts, were making the most vehement exertions, and with great success, to pass as many hours of their existence as possible in a crowd, Mr. Roberts and Miss Harrington limited their quieter labors to the endeavor of keeping themselves in their separate little spheres, as much alone as possible.

As to Mr. Roberts, poor man, he had made up his mind to live peaceably, trouble nobody, and trust to chance for what was to come next. He had meditated a good deal before he had reached this state of mind on the two very different terminations predicted by himself and his wife to the race they were running. These meditations had by no means lessened his fears, or strengthed his hopes; but the more he reflected on the leading features of his lady's character, and the more meekly conscious these sober reasonings made him of his own, the more deeply he became convinced that though it might be in his power to make Mr. Roberts re-adjusted the paper before them all lead a life of wrangling dissension, him, dipped the pen in the ink, and wrote it was not in his power to keep them withthe draft for the sum named. But before in the bounds of what he considered to be he signed his name to it he paused, and prudence, and he therefore deliberately and seemed for a minute or two deeply absorb-resolutely decided upon letting them have ed in thought. During this interval the their own way. He thought it most likely countenance of his wife became greatly his wife would stop short before she had overclouded, and a look of red and resolute spent quite all that he had belonging to purpose succeeded to the radiant good hu- him, and that the best thing he could do mor it had before exhibited. After the pause described, Mr. Roberts, pushing the paper a little away from him, looked up in the face of his wife. If any thought of remon

would be to prepare himself for the manner of life which he thought likely, at no very great distance of time, to follow that which they were pursuing at present.

He posi

tively refused to have either a new coat or a new hat, both which articles were certainly wanting to render his appearance fit for exhibition. He freely acknowledged this to be the case, but brought the argument to a conclusion by declaring that he did not like to go into company, and therefore should always stay at home. The resolution thus proclaimed was not perhaps altogether disagreeable to his family, and Mrs. Roberts did not look at all angry as she replied, "Well, my dear, if you feel that, I don't see any use in the world in dragging you about and keeping you out of your bed, when I dare say it would be a great deal better for your health that you should be in it. And if that's settled, you are quite right about not having a coat, for Heaven knows it is the duty of both of us to spare every thing we can in the way of expense, just at the very time that the dear children are wanting every farthing we can manage to spend, in order to prevent their losing the great advantages of what we are doing for them."

66

Very well, Sarah, then we are agreed about that," said Mr. Roberts in reply, and not wishing to hear any more just then of the "great advantages" of which he had already heard so much, he left the room as he spoke.

objects has been obtained by his expatriation. He is not the first who has felt that among all the new and startling objects which encompass him with oppressive strangeness in a foreign land, the most new, the most startling, and the most painfully strange, is the aspect and bearing of his own family. Let it not be supposed, however, that this observation has the remotest reference to one of the highest and most rational enjoyments of civilized life, namely, that of travelling in search of all that is best worth looking upon in nature and in art. It would indeed be absurd to confound the happy power of travelling far and wide for the purpose of bringing home the memory of objects which may be dwelt upon with pleasure through a long life, with that of running the desperate risk of exchanging a native home for a foreign one. The doing this where there is a reasonable hope of improving health thereby is quite right. Nay, there is probably nothing very importantly wrong in it, where a man and his wife, having no children, have nothing but their own pleasure to consult; and still less, perhaps, can those who are doomed to content themselves with single blessedness, be blamed for seeking amelioration of their solitary condition, wherever they fancy it likely to It was within an hour or two of be found. But alas! for the facile husthis conversation that Mr. Roberts gave the band and indulgent father who yields his order for the constant supply of brandy and judgment to the ambitious aspirations of water which has been mentioned above, his woman-kind, and decides upon taking and those who had seen him as he stepped up his abode upon the continent! on board the steam-boat on the Thames, rather less than eighteen months before, had they looked at him only one month after this new arrangement had taken place, would either not have recognized him at all, or would have imagined that he must be under the influence of some slow-working poison, which, though it did not appear immediately to threaten his existence, must sooner or later bring him to the grave. It could hardly be expected, perhaps, Nor would such imaginings have very that any girl of seventeen could be thrust widely erred. But though strong brandy-out from her natural home in the way Berand-water, taken constantly and copiously, tha Harrington had been, and thrown is probably far from wholesome, it could among strangers, without graver consideranot, unaided by other causes, have wrought tion given to their fitness for the charge, this sudden change, though it might have than had been deemed necessary in her assisted it. The case, however, is not a rare one, though it has not been much examined into or commented upon. Poor Mr. Roberts is not the only man who has been coaxed into leaving his native British home for the sake of saving money and improving his sons and daughters, and who has discovered too late that neither of these

The similarity which has been alluded to between the mode of life of Mr. Roberts and that of Miss Harrington, did not extend to the brandy and water, indeed, it chiefly consisted in the determination of both not to join in the festivities to which the rest of the family were devoting themselves.

case, without some injurious effect arising from it. Bertha was still a pure-minded, affectionate, unaffected girl, but she had become much too indifferent to the opinions of others (with the exception at least of one single individual), and too much disposed to believe that the only thing necessary to be attended to in the disposal of her time,

It took her a good while to decide upon the best mode of obtaining this necessary attendant, at length she determined to ask the master of the circulating library in the Piazza di Spagna if he could recommend such a person. To this library she had already found her way on foot, and by the aid of her very quiet dress, and a thick veil, she had managed to go and come (the distance was but short) without any misadventure whatever. Her application to the master of this little establishment was perfectly successful, as was also the request that she might meet the important person he recommended at his shop on the following day, in preference to his coming to her at the lodgings, which might lead to questionings and discussions that she wished to avoid.

at least for the present, was her own amuse-purpose to make a visit to the banking esment, or, as she would have herself called tablishment of Messrs. Torlonia part of one it, her own improvement. The extreme of her earliest excursions, under the prorepugnance with which the style and man- tection of her intended valet-de-place. ners of the Roberts race had inspired her, led her to believe that the first thing needful to the regulation of her own conduct, was to keep out of their way; and to achieve this she certainly permitted herself a degree of independence in her proceedings, which could not safely be received as admissable in any code of young ladylike regulations. Of all the books treating of Rome and its marvels, which she had chanced to get hold of, the "Corinne" of Madame de Staël had made the deepest impression. It was in fact her hand-book, her vade mecum, her delight. As to all the latter part of it, she had read it once, wept heartily, classed the hero in her mind as one of the vilest of the human race, and then turned back to the immortal pages sacred to Rome. To see all that Corinne saw, was the first wish of her heart, and the first resolve of her bold young spirit. She blushed in her solitary chamber as she caught herself wishing that her cousin William was there to go every where with her, as wicked Lord Neville had done with Corinne, and then she almost exclaimed aloud at the sin of letting such a false wretch as Neville enter her thoughts in connexion with Vincent. And then she took herself very severely to task for suffering herself to wish for her cousin William at all. That, all goodness and all kindness as he had been to her, he did not wish to be with her was quite plain, and she only began to flatter herself that she was not, respecting her feelings for him, exactly every thing that she should most have hated to be, when it occurred to her that, after all, there was nothing perhaps in the world that she should really and truly like so well as hiring a valet-de-place to be in constant attendance upon her every morning.

The meeting thus arranged took place with as little delay as possible, and the result enabled her to set forth the next day in a respectable looking carriage provided by her new attendant, with "Corinne" in her hand, and all her soul in her eyes.

But this masterly arrangement was not achieved without a vigorous attempt on the part of Mrs. Roberts to discover what the young lady was about. Conscientiously satisfied, indeed, that the alliance so happily secured for her with Edward, must effectually protect her from any possible ill consequence arising from the gossiping of idle tongues, she would have deemed any interference with her profitable young boarder's whims, as an act scarcely less sinful than suicide, and on this occasion, therefore, as well as on various former ones, she resolved to keep clear of any such wickedness. But, to say truth, there were other grounds on which the daily sight of this independent carriage alarmed her. Bertha, as it It required some exertion of the inde- may be remembered, had once hinted, upon pendent spirit to which her peculiar cir- being asked to contribute to the expense cumstances had given birth to enable her of the Baden carriage, that she conceived to do this. Money she had at her command the four hundred per annum which was to a much greater extent than the Robertses were aware, for her mysterious father had commissioned Lady Morton, soon after her arrival at Baden, to transmit to her circulating bills to the amount of two hundred pounds, with an intimation that an equal sum would be added to her private income as long as she continued abroad. This sum was as yet untouched, and it was her VOL. VI.-No. II. 12

paid for her accommodation in Mrs. Roberts's family was intended to include it—a startling sort of reply this, which had never been forgotten, and which had gone far towards establishing the very unusual degree of independence which the young lady enjoyed. And now, though it must be confessed that there was in the self-assured step with which the youthful Bertha daily de

fore really don't see what occasion you can possibly have for another."

Poor Bertha, even in the midst of her resolute and unflinching resolution to follow her own inclinations till her cousin Vincent should again be near enough to substitute his, as her rule, indeed even at the very moment that she braced her spirit to withstand every possible interference, felt that her much disliked hostess had some show of reason for her remonstrance, and though her will was steadfast, her voice was gentle, as she replied,

scended the stairs to her mysteriously obtained equipage, enough to alarm the most liberal-minded chaperon in existence; and though the extraordinary composure of manner with which she might be seen, day after day, to give commands to her attentive valet-de-place as to the order of the morning's excursion, would naturally have suggested to most ladies holding the responsible position assumed by Mrs. Roberts, that it would be quite as well to know how she disposed of herself during these long mornings, she was vastly less anxious as to any personal risk which the presumptuous "A carriage entirely at my own comyoung lady might run by so unusual a mode mand is necessary for me, Mrs. Roberts, of proceeding, than concerning the possi- because I want to go to places where nobility that the "idiot girl" as she still some-body else wants to go, and I willingly pay times affected to call her, might have taken it into her head to hire carriage, horses, coachman, and footman, all upon the Robertses' credit. As to the first, it would be easy enough for Edward to set all that to rights by and by; but as to the last, she conscientiously felt it to be her own especial duty to obtain information.

When this alarming possibility first suggested itself, the ample countenance of Mrs. Roberts glowed from forehead to chin, and from ear to ear. It was certainly very delightful to drive about in the enjoyment of the unrestrained conversation of her own children, but she felt that the disagreeable presence of Bertha must be endured by them all, if the annoyance was only to be avoided by having to pay for a second carriage.

for it myself, in order to avoid putting you and your daughters to the inconvenience of giving up any engagements of your own, in order to accommodate me."

"Well, my dear, I am sure it is impossible to say any thing against that, because it is just the sort of genteel politeness which every one would like to see in a young lady of your rank and fortune. And I suppose, my dear, that you are quite sure that you have money enough to pay for it?"

Had Mrs. Roberts said one single syllable expressive of anxiety lest her young inmate might attract attention, and be deemed indiscreet, from the unprotected style in which she pursued her amusement, it might have gone far towards making the poor little girl more cautious in her proceedings, The very earliest possible opportunity for there was no mixture of audacity in her was seized by Mrs. Roberts for a tête-à-tête courage, no wish for exemption from any with Miss Harrington, in order to put this restraint for which she could feel respect, important matter upon a proper footing; but this allusion to her purse and its reand although the obtaining this was no sources was most unfortunate. It offended very easy thing, from the strict blockade by and disgusted her in every way; and more which Bertha contrived to protect her own than ever determined to assume the entire room, and the very few minutes which, ex- disposal of herself till she should be happy cept while at table, she spent out of it, per- enough to be again within reach of adseverance at length accomplished it, and vice and protection which she could recogBertha found herself alone with Mrs. Rob-nize as fit and proper, she brought the conerts, and that lady stoutly standing between versation to an abrupt conclusion by sayherself and the door. ing,

"I beg your pardon, my dear," began the careful chaperon, "for stopping you, because you seem rather in a hurry; but I can't think I should be doing right, my dear Miss Bertha, if I didn't make any observation about your driving about the town all alone as you do. You know, my dear, that there is always, of course, a place kept vacant and ready for you in our carriage whenever you like to go out, and I there

"Till I have given you some reason for it, madam, you have no right to suppose me capable of contracting debts which I am unable to pay; and unless you wish me immediately to take measures for finding another home, you will do well to abstain from such interference with my conduct as may render my present abode intolerable to me."

"Dear me, Miss Harrington, I am sure