strong claims on esteem and compassion ensured; and while the young widow imagined that her slender pittance might prevent her from being a burden to her goyerness, she forebore, out of respect for the prejudices of her husband's family, as well as from the hopeless languor of sorrow, attempting to exercise her own talents in that line. But woes,' says the poet, love a train !' and there came accounts from India of the wreck of her little all, in one of those extensive failures so common in the East; and Alexina, now as pennyless as before her inauspicious marriage, insisted on testifying at once her gratitude and independence, by devoting to Miss T's assistance the talents she owed to her care."

"And the children ?" asked I, awaking on the cessation of Sophy's narrative, from the deep reverie into which its strange tenor had thrown

me.

"The children are Lucy's-born just before her quitting England, and resigned, with all the deep reluctance of a young and sorely divided heart, to the care of a sister of her husband's-the voyage, the climate, and their tender age, presenting insuperable obstacles to their going out to Barbadoes."

"I am under orders for Barbadoes myself," exclaimed I, "my dear Sophy! I quite forgot to tell you, that it was this which brought me here to-day. I have got a LieutenantColonelcy in a regiment stationed there-probably Captain Willoughby's-and must join in the course of a month or six weeks.-But," added I, scarce noticing poor Sophy's blank looks, and exclamations about yellow fever" I must really see something more of your fair friend! how shall I manage it? Could not I offer to carry out the picture of the children, and letters to their parents! A capital thought. But then this would hardly entitle me to call more than once, just at the last, to get my despatches and at a school too-really, Sophy, these Protestant nunneries

of yours are almost as difficult of access as foreign ones."

But," said Sophy, after a moment's thought, "the picture is very far from being finished; and the lit tle creatures cannot come here to sit, for they are only recovering from the hooping-cough. Suppose I should advise Mrs. Montolieu to go and stay a few days in Baker Street, where she is a great favourite, to finish her drawing comfortably? You might go there in the character of Willoughby's new Colonel, without much suspicion."

"Blessings on you for the thought, my dear Sophy!" exclaimed I; "for invention, one school girl is worth a score of field officers. Do get this accomplished-and I will put you down in my book for the best husband in my own regiment, or any ten in the service!" So saying, I gave her a hearty kiss, and ran off to the War-Office.

The move was dexterously and unsuspiciously effected. The widow's anxiety to send her Lucy a faithful portrait of her dear babes, nearly equalled mine to see more of the fair artist; and, under cover of a proper introduction to the amiable sister of Captain Willoughby, and her good honest fellow of a husband, I spent more than one whole day, and various precious mornings in Baker Street. At first, I was to the whole family only Frank's new Colonel, a very stupid, good sort of man, who talked little and ate less, and seemed famous for nothing but fondness for children and drawings.

The lovely widow exerted herself to bespeak my friendship and goodwill for the absent objects of her affection-and I was half pleased, half mortified, to observe with what unsuspecting bonhomie she laid berself out to entertain me. It was chiefly of course by speaking of Lucy and her husband-and it was with a warmth and sincerity of devotion, which made me transfer to brothers and sisters-in-law my former envy and uncharitableness towards married men.

In about three weeks, during which I put to the full test the hospitality of my new friends, I began to perceive on my entrance, a slight suppressed smile on their good-humour ed faces, and an increase of pensive gravity on that of their fair guest. The picture was quite finished-and I received unequivocal hints that it and the letters now only awaited my farewell visit. In a couple of days Alexina was to retire to her nunnery, and as she now studiously avoided our earlier téte-a-téte, I had no resource but to write her a letter, explaining the state of my heart, and urging the soldier's plea of necessity for or my precipitation-and requesting to be permitted to receive my answer in person on the morrow. I cannot pretend to remember what was in the letter-I only know that was not gilt, and the lines paper by no means particularly even.

the

On the following morning I sallied from hotel, far earlier than decency warranted for paying a visit in Baker Street-so I determined to divert the intolerable suspense by transacting some business about Char1 ing Cross. This occupied me so much longer than I expected, that I was flying in all the agonies of impatience along the Hay-market, when I ran against a young Lieutenant of late regiment, a very fine lad, for whom I had always had a great fanсу, and who, being equally partial to me, had, I knew, been using every exertion to raise the needful, to purchase a step in the regiment I was now about to command.

my

Percival, my dear fellow!" said I," how goes it? I have not a moment to spare-urgent business, a thousand miles off, at the very west end of the town." I saw his countenance fall, poor lad, and could not help observing he looked pale and vexed. "Is anything the matter, Henry ?" asked I, still in a great hurry.

Oh, not much, Colonel," said he. "I see you are in haste-only -only" and here he hesitated.

I looked at the lad, and saw his whole soul was in the affair. thinking my suit would not prosper the less for lending him a lift, I performed one of the few actions I call heroic, and turning back with the best grace I could muster, put my arm in his, and went into Drummond's.

This one

While I was waiting to speak to one of the partners about an iminediate advance of the needful to poor Harry, I saw a clerk twisting in every possible light, and trying to decipher one of those nondescript foreign letters, which are to well-grown, well-folded English ones, what misshapen dwarfs are to men. was as broad as it was long, and had its hump-back all covered with characters, which might have been Runic inscriptions, for any resemblance they bore to a Christian A. B. C. The man, seeing a curious' idler lounging near him in a military surtout, handed it up to me, saying, "Perhaps, sir, you might be able, from your knowledge of foreign hands, to throw some light on this direction." There was an outer envelope, on which might be plainly enough read, in a cramped chevaux de frise-like French hand, this somewhat primitive address,—

à Monsieur Monsieur Drummond, Banquier très rénommé, à Londres. So far all was well; and the renowned banker being about as well known in London as Dr. Boerhaave in the world, both letters had found their appointed destination. But within

the envelope was a sealed billet, scribbled all over, as aforesaid, with characters which, from their dissimilarity to any European scrawl I had ever seen, I immediately set down for Tartar hieroglyphics from Russia, which mighty empire having pertinaciously retained a style of its own, chooses to have an alphabet also.

The words expressed by these hyperborean symbols, I began to perceive were French; and gathering erudition as I proceeded, like many a sage decipherer, I distinctly traced, "à son Excellence Mademoiselle ;" -but beyond this rather anomalous union of titles, all was involved in the hopeless darkness that attends guessers at proper names. I had lately, however, seen some Russian coins, bought by a brother officer of a French soldier returned from Moscow, and the characters composing the word "Alexander" happened to be fresh in my memory. With this clew, I put together pot-hook after pot-hook, and found, with no small emotion, the result to be-Alexina! The name might be, nay, was, a common one in Russia, especially of late years, yet I could not spell and put it together without feeling a revulsion in my whole frame, and as if it could belong but to one being in the world. How did I labour to apply my scanty stock of Russian lore to this unspeakably important surname which succeeded! but in vain! That it began with F was all I could satisfactorily ascertain; but the clerk and I between us, were enabled, by his naming over various eminent Russia merchants, to hazard a shrewd guess at the one to whose care the inner letter had been so mystically addressed.

This gentleman, the clerk told me, was no more, and had died deeply involved in circumstances exactly coinciding with Sophy's account of Alexina's guardian. The case now became terribly critical, and I was just about to suggest what I knew on the subject, when a partner came in, accompanied by a feeble tottering old man, with the air of one of those

respectable, almost dignified-looking valets, or Maitre d'Hotels, belonging to the old regime; his hair queued and powdered, and his dress scrupu lously adhering to a fashion unknown in England for the last half century. "Mr. B- "said the banker, addressing himself to the clerk, "has anything been made out about that letter which came some weeks ago from abroad? This person is just arrived in England, and looks to us for a clew to discover a young lady, to whom, he says, his previous letter was addressed."

"Sir," said the clerk, in some confusion, "the letter was unfortunately laid aside till this morning, when, with the assistance of this gentleman, I have just succeeded in ascertaining the name of the house to whose care the billet is addressed. It is to be feared, however, that this will not greatly advance matters, as Mr. Liv. ingstone, you are aware, died some years ago, and his establishment is entirely broken up.”

"That is very unlucky," said the banker to the clerk; while the old man, only gathering from the blank looks of both a result unfavourable to his hopes, cast up his eyes to Heaven, with an affecting mixture of sorrow and resignation. My poor master!" ejaculated he, in French, and turned away to hide a tear.

66

66

"But, sir," said the clerk, we have made out the young lady's christian name, and this gentleman seems to think

"And is the surname all that puzzles you?" asked Mr. D. "Surely that can be at once supplied by this good old man.”

The question was put in French, and promptly answered-" Fedoroff

only daughter of my master, Count Fedoroff, and an English lady, his late wife."

What a revolution did these few words make in my relative situation with Alexina! I felt as if all was for ever at an end between us-but, I hope, not the less disposed to forward the inquiries of a sorrowing parent, and restore her to his arms.

face, and she soon revived; for the swoon of joy carries its own cordial with it.

When the pious effusions of a full heart to the Father of the fatherless, had given place to less sacred emotions, her first words were, 66 You will assist me in making up to this dear father, for our long, long separation, will you not?-But perhaps," added she, more gravely-the pride of women taking alarm at my continued silence" perhaps there is something in my father's character or circumstances, which may have produced a change in your intentionsIf so-" and her blush was no longer one of conscious timidity.

"There is, indeed, everything in your father's situation to make me retract my rash proposal of yesterday! When it was made, I felt a lover's exquisite sympathy for beauty in misfortune; and a pride in placing competence at least within her reach. You are the daughter and heiress of a proud Russian noble; and Jack Donovan has only to say, God bless you both together!' and try to forget his short dream of happiness and a life of duty and vicissitude."

"I, too, have duties, Colonel Donovan," answered she, her calm serenity not in the least impaired by the brilliant prospect I had set before her; "that, to my father, I trust I shall never forget; and ob! what delightful arrears of love I shall have to bestow on (I fear from your sad silence) my sole remaining parent! But circumstances, melancholy enough, God knows! have given me early independence; and I should deserve to be spurned by my new found parent, could his rank or fortune for one moment make me forget your conduct when I had neither. Read that note, which, in distrust of my nerves for a personal interview, I wrote last night, to be delivered to you this morning. The sentiments it contains might have gathered added strength and energy from what I have now heard of our relative position; but I wish you to see them as they, emanated from the unconscious ful

ness of a grateful heart. Take them as my unalterable answer. Were my father capable of sacrificing his child's honour and happiness to pride or ambition, I might tearfully request you to lend her to him for the remnant of a closing existence; but it would be to return, strengthened by filial duty, to other, and perhaps dearer ties, Donovan! I am yours irrevocably, bear me witness, my vows are sealed before their confirmation can possibly expose me to the charge of disobedience!"

I had only time for incoherent expressions of admiration for this noble girl, and resolution to abide by her father's determination, when, as I had arranged with Nicolai the old steward, a carriage drove up to the door, out of which I saw him step first, and proffer his assistance to a fine noblelooking wreck of a man, who, enfee bled by infirmity and emotion, could scarcely ascend the staircase, I went to detain him a moment below, while I in two words explained the matter to Mrs. F——, and to my sister So phy, who, burning to know the result of my proposals, had invited herself to spend the day in Baker Street,

Their sudden acquaintance with these delightful tidings gave to both of them an appearance of such equal agitation with their fair friend's, that nothing short of parental instinct could have enabled him to distinguish her. When the fine old man entered, his white har flowing on either side of his woe-worn countenance, all involuntarily rose. He seemed bewildered by the presence of so many females, and in danger of sinking under the scene. Sophy, who happened to be nearest the door, having made a hasty movement to save him from falling, he gazed for a moment steadfastly in her face, then shook his head, aud, pushing her not ungently aside, made another step or two forward. It was to receive in his arms and heart, his own Alexina, whom, in the first transports of recognition, he called by the name of her long-lost English mother. We left the parent and child to their own