Edith, at this moment expressive of all the passions that could be supposed to elicit such an address; "Edith Avondel! Edith Avondel!" she said with energy, "why have I not known this before? How is it possible that you have contrived to conceal this extraordinary versatility of talent? Or rather, why, blind that I was, did I not suspect and discover its existence in every word and action of yours? Here at once a source of prosperity, of rank, of fortune, awaits you; it is impossible that you should not stand shortly on the very apex of the mountain of fame. Here is a path opened for your ascent, which it shall be my care to render smooth. In this line, my influence is more extensive than in any other; here, perhaps, patronage may be more decidedly available. My dear Edith, at this moment I adore you; you will be an Arbuscula*, and the applause of a

*This actress declared that she preferred the ap plauses of Cæsar to those of a whole theatre.

CESAR shall not be wanting. Yes, I will have it so; Edith, you shall not bury your talents; you shall perform!"

The bloom that had, for a moment, gleamed over the cheek of Miss Avondel, now faded to more decided whiteness. She stood with her eyes downcast, and her arms folded over her breast, like some unearthly thing cut off from all communication with the beings around her. To Lady Athol's address, she replied not; perhaps she had not the power of reply. ing. She appeared buried in a trance of thought, of what nature it was impossible to divine by any outward appearance of

emotion.

Lady Athol turned to Captain Fitzelm; "Give me credit for the brilliance of this idea," said she; "can you imagine any thing better adapted to the genius of Edith Avondel than this profession? Contemplate the statue-like perfection of that form, the exquisite outline of that head, the flashing brightness of those singular eyes, the inimitable loveliness

of those hands, and behold a lady Macbeth, calculated to captivate and to be adored, even when she most terrifies. And then her voice! the abundance of its inflections, the variety and originality of its intonations, the sweetness of its tone, the correctness of its modulation, ought to be displayed to a world, and to levy from it a tribute of admiration. Above all, she is secure of success, because she will be certain of inspiring always that emotion, established on the old principle, si vis me flere.'

"At present, madam," said Edith Evondel haughtily, breaking a silence which now seemed to have been the result of a wish to hear how far Lady Athol intended to proceed, rather than of any intention to reflect on the design she was meditating, "at present, madam, I have not submitted my personal quali ties to the criticism of the public; on this ground, I think you will feel the propriety of discontinuing your enumeration of them, I am not going, even under any

possible circumstances, to enter on a profession humiliating to pride and disgusting to delicacy."

Lady Athol blushed the deepest tint of anger and mortification. She was silent, not because she had not inclination to reply, but because she had not ability.

Captain Fitzelm saw her embarrassment. "Miss Avondel," said he, addressing Edith, "permit me to observe, that I think the reasons you allege against the measure proposed to you by Lady Athol, are by no means valid. We no longer exist in an age of prejudice, when an actress was necessarily supposed to be infamous it is a profession which has added peeresses to the English nobility, and has been dignified by many names, since become right honourable, has indeed been the ladder by which they have mounted to this height. I could venture to ensure you a coronet; I am convinced that many would be offered to you. Your graces, your charms, your talents, would render you an object of competi

tion to the highest. And will you sacrifice these splendid endowments, to what?-to the shadow of a shade, to a phantom of which I should have imagined you above all people on earth utterly reckless, to

"Opinion, an omnipotence, whose veil

Mantles the earth with darkness, until right
And wrong are accidents, and men grow pale
Lest their own judgments should become too
bright,

And their free thoughts be crimes, and earth have too • much light."

66

'Captain Fitzelm," said Miss Avondel, coldly and gravely, "however ingenious your arguments may be, no affair which concerns me personally can be subject to your discussion. In this matter, Sir, your interference is altogether undesired and unacceptable. To Lady Athol I have only to repeat, that as our own feeling must be the standard of reference in such matters, my heart, my understanding, my experience, revolts from a profession in which delicacy, that shadow