"Your mother, boy ?" he exclaimed sharply-" who was your mother?" "An Englishwoman." The stranger grew pale. I did so, and Robert answered it. It was done the old man waved his hand faintly—the servant obeyed-and once more we were left together. He remained for a long time silent-then beckoned me to fill a glass of wine, which I presented, and he drank. Turning his eyes upon my face, he scrutinized it, as if he would have examined every feature separately. "Great God !" he murmured, a son the image of the father." Then, resuming his customary coldness, he remarked-" You lost your parents when young?" แ "Yes-I was an orphan from the cradle." "You have relatives, no doubt. In what degree does the nearest stand-who is he?" "I can tell his name," I replied, "but nothing more. If you ask for my kindest kinsman, I have an uncle who watched over me like a parent, and for him I entertain a son's regard." "Pshaw! I know him," said the senior with great bitterness-"a blundering, thin-skinned savage, who either does not understand English, or tortures civil language into premeditated insu. They call him Manus.” I was thunderstruck, and stared at him of the dressinggown. He proceeded. "But, as I infer from your answer, you have another and a nearer relative. Describe him." "That I am unable to do-I never saw him." "Indeed-and yet he is more closely allied to you, it seems, than the crazy islander who adopted you." "A near relative he is assuredly," I answered," and I might apply to him Hamlet's phrase, "A little more than kin, and less than kind." Umph! he had his easons, no doubt.” "None for abandoning me. If my parents sinned, it was hard to visit the unborn, with heir offending." "Have you sought out this stern relative-Did you endeavour to propitiate him-did you consult him on your course of life ?" "Not I, by Heaven!" I exclaimed; "Wherefore should I? He who was deaf to a daughters's prayer, was not likely to be moved by a grandchild's. My father humbled his proud spirit, and he was repelled; my mother supplicated his forgiveness, and he refused it; I had nothing but unkindness to expect, and why should I stoop to kiss the hand that spread thorns over the dying-pillows of my parents? No-with only the inheritance of a name-nothing to hold my way though life with but youth, health, and my sword-let that unrelenting man dispense wealth and lands as he lists, the son shall never stoop lower than the father.” I had warmed insensibly during our tête-à-tête, for he of the dressing-gown, struck a thrilling chord when he recalled the unhappy histories of my parents. A twinge of gout appeared to agonize his features; he groaned as if in pain; I was about to offer him assistance, when the door opened, and another person joined us—it was Emily. When her light figure crossed the room, the old man made a strong effort to recover his customary calmness. The tone of his voice as he addressed her, was different from any I had heard him use before, although it was broken and subdued"My dear love, what brings you here ?" "Then you are no longer angry with me, father,"—she replied, bending her rosy lips until they rested on his cheek. Alas! you wronged me-and you wronged this gentleman, when you imagined our interview was aught but accidentalhad I suspected there was impropriety in his visit, believe me I would have declined it, and given you no reason for displeasure." "My sweet love," said the old man, "appearances were unfavourable-yet, I should have known you better. But remember, Emily," and his voice sank, "I loved once and was deserted. Should you too forget me,-I have not firmness to bear it as I ought, and it would kill me. Oh Go! how similar the scene that nineteen years since left me forlorn and comfortless. But then I had a heart could suffer and conceal it-a resolution that human weakness could not subdue. Now I am a broken reed-a nerveless dotard. Yet, Emily-you will close the old man's eyes-you will hang over his bed, and on you his dying look will turn, as upon the last object that bound him to the earth. Pshaw! this is womanish--disease unstrings the nerves, and we become unable to rally our spirits when we need them most. I want no explanation from you, love, This gentleman has been candid, and removed every latent doubt. Retire to your chamber. Forgive the pain I have unintentionally caused-I have some few questions to ask this youth; and our conversation, as it will be brief, so also shall it be free from anything of unkindness." But the fair girl still lingered, and appeared anxious to communicate something which she found difficulty in expressing. "Father, I am probably more to blame than you yet know -but it may not be too late to retrieve my error, if it be one. I have accepted this present from -" and her eyes fell upon the carpet, while she placed the cross within his hand. "Whence came this ?" he said, presenting it to me? "It was a relic from the field of battle, and I offered it to my kind benefactress as a memorial of my gratitude." He of the dressing-gown examined the cross of the Legion of Honour with indifference-" And this," he said, "was rudely torn from the breast of the expiring fool, who, on an hundred occasions, had encountered death and suffering to win the bauble! Such is war-such is glory, my friend! And, Emily, would you wish to keep this memorial of bloodshed-or, to call it by its milder title, victory ?" She cast her eyes down, while her pale and agitated features were crimsoned. "Speak, Emily-and speak fearlessly." "I would retain it," she said faintly, "if you permitted." The old man handed her the cross: "Keep it, child—it will do less mischief among a woman's fooleries, than as the prize for murder and devastation, for which it was originally designed. And now, my love, good night!" She bent her head down upon his bosom, while he affectionately commended her to the care of Heaven; then turning, presented her hand to me, which I pressed in mine. "Farewell, sir; I trust your recovery will be rapid as we all wish it;" and with a graceful obeisance she left the room: and the old gentleman of the dressing-gown and I were once more companions. It was strange how suddenly his bearing altered. No longer morose and cynical, he turned the conversation with great art, till by degrees, he got me to speak upon the leading incidents of my life. Need I say it was rather a general narrative than a faithful detail, and that certain passages were entirely omitted-among these, my earlier adventures in the militia, and the supper at the Rainbow, were included. "On their own merits modest men are dumb;" and Ineither chronicled my proficiency at piquet, nor even hinted at the superior ton of my London acquaintances. After an hour's conversation, he intimated a wish to retire; and telling me that Robert would speedily attend to light me to my chamber, pressed my hand within his trembling grasp, muttered a "God bless you!" and glided stiffly through the same side-door by which he had made his unexpected entrée. I remained ten minutes alone-who were these singular people? The old man knew my uncle-the girl's face was decidedly that of an acquaintance. Surely some of the musicbooks or portfolios would bear their owner's name. I turned over three or four without success-at last, in the fly-leaf of an album, a name appeared-it was Emily Clifden. The mystery was over. The fair girl I had so singularly discovered was the adopted daughter of Mr. Harrison-and stranger still, I had braved the anger and won the blessing of my grandfather! While lost in a sea of thoughts and phantasies, the door opened, and Robert entered with a taper. The domestic's manners had undergone a marvellous change; I expected from him reproaches if not insolence-but he very ceremoniously showed me to my apartment, assisted me to undress, bandaged my arm, wished me a respectful good-night, and vanished. I was agitated and disinclined to sleep-for an hour I paced the room-my brain was in a whirl, and fancy commenced castle-building. It was desirable that I should not allow my recovery to be retarded, and I determined to compose myself to rest. A sedative was on the table; and, though I had discontinued it, I thought an opiate would now be serviceable. Accordingly, I swallowed the potion, tumbled into bed, fell into a profound sleep, and before I unclosed my eyes, the sun had risen splendidly over the fair city, and all but "the old and weary" had for hours been engaged in the endless anxieties of existence. CHAPTER III. DEPARTURES LETTERS -ADVANCE OF THE ALLIES UPON PARIS. Falstaff Thou'lt forget me when I am gone. Doll. By my troth, thou'lt set me a weeping, an' thou sayst so: prove that I ever dress myself handsome till thy return. If thou hadst died as honour dies, SHAKSPEARE.. Ode to Napoleon Bonaparte. I THOUGHT that Robert was unusually long in making his appearance. My watch had run down, but the sunbeams on the wall told plainly that morning was far advanced. I seized the large hand-bell upon my table, and after sounding "a loud alarum," the Belgian "spider-brusher" answered the summons. She was the bearer of two packets-one having the wellknown superscription of my loving cousin "Jack the Devil," while the other was directed in stiff old-school characters, and with the impress of " a seal-ring of my grandfather's, worth forty marks." The Flemish hand-maiden acquainted me that one epistle had been given her by a soldier, and the other by Robert, with an injunction that it should be safely delivered to. me when awake, but that on no account should I be disturbed. Farthermore, it appeared that the young lady sent me her regards, and a caution against travelling too speedily; and that she seemed much distressed at leaving Brussels. "Leaving Brussels !" I exclaimed, as I sprang bolt upright on my bed. "Why, yes-at leaving the city"-replied the attendant.. "It was quite sudden at bed-time nobody in the house had even a suspicion that the family would move for days. At daylight the servants were called up, the baggage packed, and at seven o'clock the carriage drove from the door." I was thunderstruck! I broke the old man's billet: it was short and didactic-contained an acknowledgement of our relationship, and a wish for my prosperity-some good advice, and a caution against gallantry and play-intimated that on my |