fingers from her chin. "But I wish you would leave off calling me Rosy. Lewis Pennington does it, and I don't like it at all."

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By the

him here."

by, where is Lewis? I thought I should find

"He is riding somewhere, I suppose-I cannot presume to say where."

"Can't you? I should have thought you would have known at any rate. What a fine, spirited, open-hearted fellow he is!"

"So I think, Matthew," said his mother; "I am glad you seem to like each other."

"I am glad you think he likes me," said Matthew.

Dear! why should he not ?" cried Rosina," Lewis Pennington need not be fastidious."

"No man had better be fastidious, but if any one has a right to be so, surely Lewis has."

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I do not know why. He is not particularly clever." "Not deficient, either, Rosina, and particularly pleasing, at any rate."

"He never says any thing very brilliant."

66

Oh, as to that, how few people do! The most agreeable companions are not those who are always striving to shine. Indeed the very effort has something disagreeable in it."

66

Ah, Matthew, but clever people can be brilliant without effort."

66

How long is Lewis going to stay there?" said Matthew, taking hold of one of Rosina's ringlets.

66

How should I know? How should we know?" said she quickly.

Matthew examined the picture for a few minutes, and then suddenly exclaimed, "I can tell you a piece of news if you like to hear it."

"What is it?" inquired Hannah.

Guess," returned he.

"What a tiresome way that is of answering!" cried Rosina; "just like Mr. Russell."

"Why, Rosy," said Matthew good-humouredly, "first you accuse me of imitating Sam Good, next Lewis Pennington, and next, Mr. Russell. To hear you talk, one would think I picked up all the cast-off bad habits of the parish. Have I learnt any thing of Huntley? Hey?"

She blushed and said, "Well, whom does your news relate to ?"

"None of the present company," said Matthew. "Sam Good?"

"The Miss Hinckleys of Hundleford, then. I suppose one of them is going to be married."

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"You girls must always be thinking of weddings," said Matthew. Oh, you are quite out. It is nothing so serious as matrimony. Mrs. Shivers has returned to the Pleasance!" Is that all?"

66

"All! You would have thought a great deal of it a month ago; but lately, these paintings and visitings have made you so dissipated that you can't be surprised at any thing only a little out of the common. Yes, she has come back from the continent at last; and Mr. Good was sent for, this morning, to attend the housekeeper; but as it is only the housekeeper, I dare say I shall go to the Pleasance to-morrow. Don't you envy me?"

66

Envy you? No; why should I?"

You have often said you should like to see the house and grounds."

Oh!-yes;

but not in that kind of

way."

"That kind of way! Let me tell you, Miss Rosy, there is nothing disreputable in that kind of way, as you call it. A medical man is on equal terms with his patients-"

But your patient is only a housekeeper."

But Mr. Good saw Mrs. Shivers herself, and lunched with her into the bargain. Don't be high and mighty, Rosy,-Rosina, I mean! You had not these fine airs till lately. And what right have we to fine airs, any of us?"

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Excellent, Matthew," said his mother with a smile. Circumstances seemed to conspire unfortunately against the success of Lewis's wooing. Rosina's fancy, and as she believed, her heart, were completely pre-occupied by his rival : she made frequent comparisons between them, and Huntley's genius and accomplishments always bore the palm. Even the bonhommie and guilelessness of heart which formed the greatest charm of Lewis's character, were against him under present circumstances, since they were completely opposed to the austere grace and mysterious dignity which she considered could alone atone in a hero for the absence of the fire of genius. His wit only amounted to pleasantry, and he rarely affected sentiment, even for her sake. To amuse and

be amused seemed with him a greater object than to shine: his partiality for her was too openly and boyishly expressed; and to sum up his delinquencies, he had now and then, when tempted by a little extra kindness, ventured to call her Rosy! How was it possible to endure such an ignominious abbreviation, even from a second-cousin? or to believe that the person who voluntarily so addressed his mistress, could have a spark of chivalrous or impassioned feeling in his composition? Instead of exalting her into a goddess, it was dragging her down to the level of a milkmaid! Rosina was even perverse enough to be secretly angry that Lewis should be better looking than Mr. Huntley, and she would never allow the fact to her mother and sister, saying that they might seek in vain for Huntley's genius in Lewis's eyes. Indeed her conversation had generally so much direct or indirect reference to Huntley, that this very circumstance might have taught her that hers was not the sweet silent passion of the heart, but merely a feverish dream of the imagination. Hannah was well persuaded of it, and was even convinced that Huntley's admiration of her sister had little depth, though she was unaware of the stronger feeling which she had herself excited. Mrs. Wellford and the young painter were almost the only persons who had not penetrated or guessed what Rosina fancied the secret of her heart. From the latter she had skill and delicacy enough to enable her successfully to conceal it; and of her mother she was sufficiently afraid to beware of laying herself open to raillery and reproof. Mr. Russell was much more aware of all that was going on than she suspected; and Lewis whose vision was sharpened by jealousy, saw a good deal both of what did and what did not exist. In the first place, he was puzzled to decide whether Rosina's conduct sprang from coquetry, from unconsciousness of his attachment, or from actual preference of his rival; but the conduct of that rival appeared much less doubtful. The intensity of expression in Huntley's eyes when he looked at Hannah, and the softness of his voice in addressing her, convinced Lewis that much more was here than simple politeness, and he believed that Huntley was playing a double part towards the sisters. Of this, Huntley was indeed guiltless; but appearances were against him, and as it was impossible he should marry both, Lewis believed he was only trifling with either, and boiled with indignation at the thought. His suspicions were also awakened in another quarter. When we have looked long on a bright object, every thing else seems,

to our dazzled eyes, to wear the same hue. Lewis began by considering what an excellent match might he made between his two favourites, Mr. Russell and Hannah, and arguing on rather unsubstantial premises, he at length persuaded himself that the gentleman, at least, was not indifferent; and in fact, deeply though secretly in love. Lewis could find no more work for the blind god in Summerfield: to think of Matthew and Phoebe Holland was too ridiculous.

CHAPTER XV.

CIVIL IMPERTINENCES.

MRS. Good gave a tea party.

The Greenways and Mrs. Wellford were invited to make up a whist table for. Lady Worral; and the young Wellfords, the Miss Hollands, Mr. Russell, Mr. Huntley, and Lewis Pennington were free to amuse themselves as they pleased with music or conversation. Huntley was cut off from Hannah, by Mrs. Good, Miss Holland, and Mr. Russell, who formed a sociable little knot at one of the open windows; therefore, au dernier ressort, he played the agreeable to Rosina.

6

"Did you ever try the Sortes Virgiliana?"" said he, Suppose we try our fortune."

He opened a book at hazard. The first sentence that met his eye was "A woman, who, from a sloven, becomes neat, or from being neat, becomes a sloven, is assuredly in love." "Aha, ladies! who does that apply to?" said Matthew, looking round.

"Not to me, I am sure," said Rosina, meeting his eye securely, "I never was a sloven."

"Oh! nor I," cried Miss Phoebe Holland, "I would not be a sloven for all the world."

"Well, we will try again," said Huntley, taking up another book-"perhaps the next random shot may hit some of us more closely. The next shall be for me:

'Ah me, they little know Under what torments inwardly I groan!""

Huntley raised his eyes, hoping to meet those of Hannah, but unfortunately they encountered Rosina. "Try for me," said Lewis impatiently. Huntley re-opened the Milton, and read :

"My sentence is for open war of wiles,

More inexpert I boast not."

"I hope that does not hit," said Huntley laughing. Not very far from the mark, however, thought Lewis. "I will dip again for you," continued Huntley. "This time it shall be into Shakspeare:-There are none of my uncle's marks upon you; he taught me how to know a man in love, in which cage of rushes, I am sure you are not prisoner his marks were, a lean cheek, which you have not; which

a

-

neglected, which you have not you have not; and a beard

Rosina smiled ironically.

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And here is another for somebody," cried Matthew, reading over Huntley's shoulder—” 'By my troth, I was seeking for a fool when I found you.'' Thank you," said Huntley good-humouredly.

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"Gently, Matthew," said Lewis Pennington, "remember it is playing with edged tools."

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Yes, but the joke is," returned Matthew, "that nobody must complain if they cut their fingers."

Dear! I think it is very entertaining," said Miss Phœbe. "Do let me try." She took up a book and read, with amusing emphasis,

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"Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke."

Who is our duke?" inquired she, looking round with an air of perplexity. Nobody could tell her; and Matthew began to laugh.

"That is a very stupid one," said Phabe, with disappointment. She made two or three other attempts, but they were equally unfortunate.

Well, I cannot think how you do it," said she laying down the book.

"All chance, ma'am," said Huntley.

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I think," said little Fanny Good, who had been a silent but not unobserving bystander," that Mr. Huntley does not always read quite the first words he sees, but that he looks down the page, and that if he sees any thing like anybody, he"