having obtained" possession of the house," which he endeav· ored to keep as long as possible.

"I heard the incident from Lord Ben-Nevis-who had it from Sir Jonathan Fowler--or rather, I believe, it was Lady Fowler who told it to the General's brother

By this time the attention of most people relaxed, and many began gradually to talk aside, while, as the circle of Sir Colin's audience perceptibly diminished, he felt obliged to lower his voice accordingly, until Matilda remained the only person whose ear he could command. The bright look of intelligence with which she had watched his promising commencement, gradually faded into an air of constraint, and in proportion as the narrator's tediousness increased, so much the more difficult did she find it to force her thoughts away from more attractive sounds of mirth and repartee which were exploding in all directions around; yet, even on such trifling occasions, Matilda had a prevailing sense of duty, which taught her not to seek entertainment at the expense of mortifying another. To spare Sir Colin any such degree of chagrin as the continuance of her solitary attention could do, after his more distinguished auditors had forsaken their allegiance, she resolutely chained her ears to his narrative, while in a dull, monotonous voice, the baronet wound his way through a labyrinth in which he soon got entangled and nearly lost. Matilda could not but privately think that her present annoyance might do admirably in a new edition of the Miseries of Human Life. At last she was called on for a complaisant laugh, as a chorus to the loud peal in which Sir Colin indulged when his story reached an end, and immediately afterwards he turned away to watch whether a larger circle of auditors could, on a future opportunity, be attracted.

When Matilda's eyes were released, she found the whole party in joyous anticipation of a proposed excursion on the ice next morning, since, to the utter discomfiture of the sportsmen, it was reported that a hard frost had set in for some hours, and that snow several inches deep was already on the ground.

"In Scotland," said Colonel Pendarvis, " people should all hunt with a pair of skates in their pockets, in order to secure some amusement for the day in so changeable a climate.??

"It never snows in England," observed Mr. Grant, dryly; and the Serpentine is to be frozen by Leslie's ma

chinery, in future, about Christmas, that you may practice skating."

"We shall have a delightful exploit on Loch Deveril tomorrow!" exclaimed Eleanor, in an ecstasy. "Unluckily, it is too cold for gipsying under a tree and broiling chops in the open air; but we may order a picnic at the fishing-lodge, and skate about all day with a tumbler of hot negus in one hand and a biscuit in the other. I could live forever on the ice !"

"So could I, with the party you propose," added Lord Alderby, bowing and shivering.

"Is skating one of your accomplishments? I thought, my lord, your favorite aquatic amusement had been, as Dr. Johnson describes fishing, with a fly at one end and a fool at the other !"

"There is a rod for you, Alderby! said Mr. Grant.

"Let me tell you, Miss Fitz-Patrick," added his Lordship, "that no one knows what perfect happiness is until he has hooked a ten-pound salmon, and played it on the line for an hour. Pray try the experiment."

"Thank you! but I have other game quite as diverting, Lord Alderby; and sometimes I do fish in very shallow streams for compliments "

"Your only difficulty is, probably, to avoid being deluged

with them."

"There! Miss Fitz-Patrick!" cried Mr. Grant. "If you were angling, that was a glorious nibble !'"

"I remember a laughable story of Dr. Johnson," began Sir Colin, glancing anxiously round the table for an audience, but every eye became carefully averted, and even Matilda looked inexorably away for some time, but was at last obliged, being next him, to become compassionate, and endure the endless detail of a well-known narrative, which she could have told twice as well in half the time.

Any one who saw me to-day, for the first time, would imagine that I am dumb," thought she, when the story was ended, for Sir Colin did not wait to hear her make a single remark, before he relapsed into a state of watchful vigilance over the jovial party whose attention it was so much his desire to entrap.

"This ice is the merest snowball I ever tasted, Eleanor !" said Sir Richard, in a criticizing tone. "Could Monsieur not have thrown in a glass of Frontignac, or even a bit of browr

bread, to flavor it. Send me the preserved ginger, that I may add a relish of something."

66

Douglas!" cried Colonel Pendarvis, "I calculate the Your wine has stood with you nearly one minute and a half. mind seems to have been absent so long to-day, that I wish we may ever be able to bring it back!"'

"The mouton qui reve is the worst sort of mutton I know at a dinner-table, and should be roasted without mercy,' added Sir Richard. "As for circulating the bottles, I have a plan for forcing everybody to recollect that duty. They shall be made not to stand alone.”

Then," replied Sir Alfred, "before long, none of your company will be able to stand alone either."

"When you are come to that, we ladies ought to withdraw," said Eleanor, rising.

"Stop one single moment, and you shall hear a most diverting circumstance," cried Sir Colin, eagerly addressing Miss Fitz-Patrick; "it can be related in very few words

This threat seemed only to accelerate their flight, but as the ladies were moving away, Sir Colin said to Matilda, in a promissory tone—

"You need not suffer for this precipitation, Miss Howard, because I shall tell it all to you in the drawing-room, where there will be more leisure to enjoy the details than if I had hurried them over now."

The smile which glittered on Matilda's countenance at this formidable threat was mistaken by Sir Colin for one of pleasure; but, in hastening away from table, she again caught the animated eye of Sir Alfred, whose archness and vivacity of expression seemed like a momentary gleam of lightning, revealing a glimpse of that mind which it appeared to be in general his pleasure to envelop in impenetrable obscurity, and she again felt surprised at the peculiarity of his conduct, in not placing their intimacy on former terms, or else appearing more entirely to forget it.

"Matilda! you have shown a talent for silence to-day," said Eleanor, satirically. "I think all you have said during the last four hours might be printed in a duodecimo page.' "Probably it might! I am like an echo, only able to speak when I am spoken to."

"Now I evidently perceive your intention is to set up for the reputation of modest merit, which is one of the most troublesome characters in society, and one of the most easy to support that can be conceived, though, let me warn you

Matilda, that genc rally the vainest people affect it. Who has not been tormented, at some time or other, with that pride which apes humility among second-rate ladies, though you ought to be above it? I have had visitors of that kind here, who lived in a continual expectation of being overlooked and undervalued-who remain silent, unless particularly addressed, because they cannot presume to expect the honor of being listened to-who sit in an obscure corner of the room, unless called forward to the most conspicuous--who would pass their best friend in the street, because they would not be supposed to feel certain whether the said 'best friend' meant to notice them at all-whom no constancy of regard can teach to confide in the good-will of those who are above them in rank, and who require more anxious attention than any peeress of the party, on account of the obscurity which they seem to court, and in which, nevertheless, they would feel equally surprised and indignant to be left for a single hour."

"I am trying to trace the connection between all you say, Eleanor, and my silence at dinner, for unless I had done like the French preacher, who took up his hat in the pulpit, and held an argument with it, you can scarcely suggest any way in which a conversation could have been supported."

"Ah! your modest merit wears a different fancy-dress. When others commit themselves in conversation, you have the pleasure of silently thinking that you would never have been so caught; when others are preferred, then modest merit whispers, that if it were not for an interesting sensitiveness of disposition, you might easily eclipse all competitors; and if you condescend at any time to give out a remark, or to exhibit any little accomplishment, then comes modest merit, expecting the greatest empressement of attention, because it is so easily discouraged, and so seldom comes forward; therefore, in fact you, Matilda, can pass off that simple. plea of modest merit as a sort of paper currency for every virtue, while, on the contrary, poor Charlotte Clifford and I frankly display all the rubbish of our minds, without a wish to pass for being more than mere every day mortals. I would not for worlds seem better than I am conscious of deserving; but if we were all turned inside out, Matilda, some people might appear in a very different light from what they do."

"That would be rather an unpleasant experiment, certainly; but as you acknowledge its being my turn to speak now, pray listen to me for a few moments."

Matilda then related to Eleanor, in terms of the warmest feeling, all that she heard from Nanny that evening, with respect to the unfortunate misrepresentations which had taken place in the house, and entreated that they might be thoroughly cleared up, if possible, without delay; but Miss Fitz-Patrick's ruling passion had become a love of power, and one of the ways in which it appeared, was, that she never chose to act or think in the way that other people expected. If her cousin had endeavored to produce a strong feeling against Nanny, and a perfect conviction of her guilt, it would then probably have been treated as a trifle, and listened to with ridicule and incredulity; but perceiving that Matilda's feelings were strongly excited, and that she entertained no doubt of producing a similar emotion by the simple narrative of all she had seen, Eleanor, to show the independence of her own judgment, spoke of Nanny's sufferings in a tone between pity and contempt.

"Poor creature! she is the vainest and silliest mortal in the world! It has been already a most intolerable bore to have a pensive, romantic Abigail; but I was only too indulgent on the present occasion, for now she has turned out worse than you have the least idea of. Both Pauline and Mrs. Gordon have a very bad opinion of her. At the same time it is quite unnecessary to look so shocked and alarmed, for justice shall be done to all parties, therefore pray do not invariably expect that whatever I do shall be wrong'

"You mistake me, Eleanor, as you always do, now,” replied Matilda, "but I must persevere a few moments longer in importuning you about Nanny. She is one of the last remnants of Ashgrove, and we have both known her from a child. Do, dear Eleanor, let there be no delay in trying to exculpate her. Every hour is a lifetime, while she remains under these false imputations, and nothing could possibly persuade me that they are true."

"You always had a prejudice against Pauline, Matilda. It is strange that we never, on any occasion, or even by accident, like the same people; but Mrs. Gordon's opinion ought to have some weight with you, and she gives a very indifferent account of Nanny for being extremely lightheaded. Indeed, any one may see that in her whole dress and manner. I quite regret having ever had anything to do

with her!"

"You may often find occasion to say so, Eleanor, if this business is neglected, for that poor girl is breaking her heart