Margaret drawing herself up, answered in a tone of dignity

"Leave me."

As Margaret pronounced these words, she arose. She no longer wept, but a deep melancholy was visible in her eyes, and her whole countenance was marked with intense grief.

Worn out in body, Lady Hovingham threw herself upon the sofa, and sought repose in rest; but all night long her sleep was broken with dreams-feverish, excited dreams-in which her past life flitted before her. Her pure and innocent life when as a child she wandered through the woods of Rylston, decking herself out with flowers like a young Flora; then the bells of the village church vibrated in her ears, as on the day the husband of her choice swore to love, to honour, and obey; then came the bitter pang of one "who doats yet doubts, suspects but strongly loves-" here she started from her sleep, and found 'twas but a dream. Again dozing she dreamt of that awful day when she was driven from her

home, of the trial where her innocence was proclaimed, of the heartless conduct of her who induced her husband to sign a deed of separation, and, last of all, his death. Nature claimed some relief, and for a few hours she slept calmly. On awakening, her eyes were hot, her mouth was parched, her limbs trembled, and she felt too prostrate to leave her couch. The careful nurse who had sat up through the night in the adjoining room now brought her a cordial which she persuaded her to swallow, and then left her to seek the doctor. Alone, she sank into heartrending grief; at one time she would exclaim

"Would that God had spared him. The fever which consumes me, nothing in this world can allay. Oh! that I could find repose with God. Repose in the grave!"

Doctor Yeldham now approached, and in tender accents urged her to retire into another room which had been prepared for her.

he.

"You are now alone in the house," said

"Miss Melvill has left."

"Then I breathe again," exclaimed Margaret. "None but a lawful wife shall approach his honoured remains."

Although Margaret was not of a vindictive or resentful nature, she felt the truth of the remark of Johnson, who thus writes—

"It is easier to forgive while there is yet little to be forgotten. A single injury may be soon dismissed from the memory; but a long succession of ill offices by degrees associates itself with every idea; a long conflict involves so many circumstances, that every place and action will recall it to the mind; and fresh remembrance of vexation must still enkindle rage, and irritate revenge."

CHAPTER XVIII.

Non, je ne comprendz pas de plus charmant plaiser
Que de voir d'heritiers une troupe affligée,

Le maintien interdit, et la mine allongée,

Lire un long testament où pales, étonnés,

On leur laisse un bonsoir avec un pied de nez
Pour voir aujnature! leur tristesse profonde,
Je reviendrais, je crois, exprés de l'autre monde.

REYNARD.

WILKIE immortalised himself by his graphic picture of reading the will, and the same features that characterised his masterly conception were recognisable in the features of those who were present at the reading of Lord Hovingham's last Will and Testament. The only difference was, that one depicted humble the other high life, but the passions and feelings of men are equally strong in both. At eleven o'clock on the day after the funeral had taken place, Mr. Sharpness summoned the

family, friends, and domestics of the late lord into the library, where he sat with the document before him. With the exception of Miss Melvill and Mrs. Clifton, the curate's wife, who had been requested by the widow to make notes of it, none of the ladies attended. The lawyer in rather a pompous tone, intermingled occasionally with a deep sigh, read the document. It was dated three years previous to the day on which his lordship departed this life; he bequeathed to his dear wife the house, farm, gardens, at Riversdale for her life, and the entire bulk of his fortune, with the exception of a legacy to Aunt Harriet, and to his old butler Jennings. In addition to the above, he bequeathed to his wife fifteen thousand pounds in foreign bonds, and five thousand pounds invested in consols. Lady Hovingham was appointed sole executrix and residuary legatee. In a codicil of a later date, Mr. Sharpness was appointed an executor with a legacy of five hundred pounds.

"If any one interested in the will," said