morning seemed completely gone.

With her own

frankness, she said she was glad I had come to the ball, which (O! how I marked and treasured the words!) she was afraid I would not do. What could possibly make her afraid? What did it signify to her whether I came or not? These were questions that

did not fail to offer themselves all the while she was speaking, and covered me with blushes of I know not what import, except that it was one of happiness. But when she went on to remind me of our little dancing lessons at the park, and hoped I had not lost the Highland fling, I felt a tumult of pleasure, proceeding, I fear, in some measure from vanity, but also, I am sure, from feelings far more pure. Altogether they were indescribable, nor, were I to live my years over again, could I ever forget the arch and frank expression of her whole air, manner, and voice, in which those reminiscences were conveyed.

How was this? and why, if every word she uttered was no more than what any other person in the same situation might have used-why was I left by it in almost a trance of emotion? So, however, it has been from the beginning of time, and will be to the end of it. All can feel-none analyze-the wayward movements which the wayward passion that engrossed me can assume. What brought me to my senses, which for a moment I seemed to have lost, was the effect which this little raillery had upon the cousin, who looked proud, mortified, and angry, yet did not on that account escape a scolding for his awkwardness, and depriving her of her dance; "for which," said

she, "at your desire I have rebelled against all propriety and Mademoiselle La Porte. Upon my word, if I were you, I would discharge my tutor, with whom you say you make such progress, and take a dancing master, a much better tutor, in his stead; at least if, as you say you do, you wish to please the ladies. There is Mr. Clifford now, who hardly ever had a lesson except the one at Foljambe, which I have been talking of, yet he never made a blunder in the figure, much less murdered the time. But there is рара; I must go and make him get me another partner, for I positively won't sit still all the evening."

So saying, she sprang up to meet Mr. Hastings, who was coming down the room with the sheriff, and by her gestures and arch looks at us, indicated that she was shewing up her cousin to his father and uncle. Whether she mentioned me, or how, if she did, I would have just given all I was worth to know, though that was not much.

Young Mansell, never very sweet-tempered, now looked sourness itself. The very slight introduction to him which I had had in the morning would have left me with no wish to claim his acquaintance, but if it had, it was evident he had no wish to accord it, and I indulged it by leaving him in full possession of his sofa. There he shouldered every body that came near him, and exhibited every mark of spleen, so ridiculously, that though the son of the sheriff, and I of a decayed gentleman, I thought I would not have exchanged situations with him.

In truth, this and the enchantment thrown about me by the condescending recollection of Bertha filled me with a pride of self-respect and independence, for which I was all the better. It was now, however, put to a severe trial, for in five minutes I perceived Foljambe with his discarded cousin arm in arm, and apparently in deep conference, and after often turning his eyes to me, he separated from Mansell to accost me, which at first gave me pleasure. Soon, however, I found the Christ Church leaven had returned, in an altered manner, and so altered a tone, that I felt hurt and confounded.

Having not over civilly said "I did not know you came to these places, especially as you do not seem to have any acquaintances here," he went on to tell me that he supposed, from what he heard had been passing, I meant to ask his sister to dance; "and I only think it right to tell you," added he, observing my unfeigned surprise, "that you will not succeed if you do, and had therefore better not propose it. To be fair with you, my father will not be pleased, and as she has declared she cannot dance any more with her cousin, I have just engaged her to my friend Sir Harry Melford, for whom she is waiting at the top of the room."

Sir Harry Melford was a fashionable young man of five-and-twenty. He had been one of the ornaments both of Eton and Christ Church, in scholarship far above mediocrity, and in all his exercises much renowned. With much cultivation of mind, he had strong passions, which he concealed by great decorum

of manner, so that they never seemed to plunge him into excesses. The chief of them was a warm devotion to the ladies, which, with an uncommon fine person, and most insinuating address, enabled him so far to indulge it with success, that he was thought by most ladies irresistible.

His figure, title, and estate, added to this disposition of his, made him a very redoubtable personage with the sex; nor was his popularity diminished with either man or woman for being perfectly well-bred. No one, therefore, could say (not Mr. Hastings himself) that he was not a proper partner for Mr. Hastings' daughter: nor did Mr. Hastings' son think him by any means an improper companion for himself.

But this, I thought, gave no right to Charles to address me as he did, especially as his seeming fear of my presumptuous intentions, instilled into him, no doubt, by Mansell, was the reverse of founded. Of this I informed him in a tone as distant as his ownindeed, with a sort of haughty indifference, under the guise of an assumed humility, surprising to myself as well as to him.

"I beg to tell you, Foljambe," said I, "in the first place, that you have been most grossly misinformed, for I never had the intention, much less the actual presumption, to present myself as a partner to your sister. Nor need you have been so careful to remind me that I am still the very humble person she, as well as yourself, once condescended to notice. Your fear, therefore, that I should even attempt to stand in the way of your friend, Sir Harry, is at least ground

less, and your caution, for which, however, I thank you, might have been spared."

The effect of this speech, I own, gave me pleasure. I saw that he was disconcerted. He reddened, bit his lips, and his air of superiority almost abandoned him. But as he expressed no compunction, and seemed ashamed of appearing ashamed, I was at no pains to ask or give further explanations. A sudden elevation of feeling came over me, and, for a moment, I thought myself his equal. I had loved him well enough to give an under look, to see if there were a stretched out hand of offered reconciliation; but none appearing, I turned upon my heel and left him, with disgust far from concealed.

At first I thought of quitting the room, but this my newly called up spirit forbade, and, with a boldness which astonished my own mind, I walked to the top of it, just as Sir Harry and Bertha had led off the dance. Will it be believed, that I saw it without any other emotion than that of insulted pride. And yet of pride, Bertha, the dear, the natural Bertha, had never herself been guilty. She had been grave and reserved in the morning, but afterwards had delightfully renewed the frankness and vivacity which belonged to her-proving that if for a moment she had changed, it was, perhaps, to check the liberty of my own eagerness, or perhaps, as I now began to think, influenced by her brother and cousin. No; with this loved being I had and could have no quarrel, for to see her was to put you in good humour with yourself and all the world.