what you said, Mrs. Neville." (Here Mrs. Neville raised her hands and eyes.) "Now answer to that point, if you please, Mrs. Neville. It appears to me a very dangerous language to hold forth before a young lady."

And here she began to smooth down her lace handkerchief with a quick motion of her hand.

"Well, to be sure, my Lady Glassington is beyond belief! Nothing less exact than the arithmetical table could ever be precise enough for her; but if you insist upon an elaborate explanation of my meaning, this is what I mean-that Lady Frances may find her happiness in her state and wealth, and coronet of strawberry leaves, without requiring any thing beyond them, save a little homage now and then to her beauty; but Lady Emily had better dig a strawberry-bed in her own garden with the man she loves; nay, better follow him in exile and sorrow, so that she has an object to devote all her tenderness to, than possess the world's wealth and all its glittering pageant, without such an object to live for and to look up to:" saying which, she took Lady Emily's arm, and walked away into another room.

"It is a pity," said Lady Glassington, after a

moment's pause, in which she looked after her friend with a smile of scorn; and then turning to the General, "It is a pity that Mrs. Neville should have led the strange mixed life of high company, and low company, and much company, and no company, which she has done; for this, together with her eternal reading, has made her a complete oddity, though a good creature in the main; but, General, you never made a worse mistake than when you entrusted Lady Emily to her care. She is quite an unfit person to introduce a young lady into the world—and so I had the honour of telling you some time ago, my dear General."

"Yes, lady Glassington; and although I was extremely obliged to you for the interest you express about my niece, I ventured to differ with you, because the qualities I particularly value, Mrs. Neville possesses in a very singular degree." "Pray what are those?"

"Great truth of character, and great simplicity, with a freshness of feeling very uncommon among many persons no longer young, and particularly those who have mixed much in the great world."

"No' a bit,” cried Miss Macalpine, coming for

ward for the first time, though she had kept silence with the utmost difficulty." No' a bit, but I think Mistress Neville has spoken wi' infinite discrimination upon this matter; for different folk require different aliment to keep them in health o' body or mind. I mysel' could never hae ta'en up wi' ony ane but the man I lo'ed best.-No! though anither had been rowed in a sheet o' beaten gowd, and he without a bawbie.”

"What does she say," questioned Lady Glassington ?

"Oh! nothing that you could understand, if I were to explain it a hundred times. Never mind; it does not require an answer."

“Well, General,”—rising and shaking her head "I give you joy, notwithstanding that I see you are as mistaken as usual, and that no good will come to Lady Emily, by your persisting in your mighty injudicious resolve of placing her under the protection of that extraordinary woman, though a very good sort of woman, I allow, yet still"-and she held up her hands and rolled her eyes about "still, give me leave to say, wholly unsuited to such a trust; for instance, it is only two days ago"--and she smiled triumphantly at

having recollected the circumstance-" it is only two days ago that she dined in company with a duchess, a countess, and an ambassadress, and when the ladies were to move to dinner, she absolutely rose up as the steward announced it was upon table, and, laying hold of Lord Mowbray's arm, cried, Come! well to be sure, we have waited for it a long time, don't let us stand talking any more;'-and off she marched, before the ambassadress, the duchess, and the countess ; then, suddenly recollecting herself, back she came in such a violent hurry, that she almost knocked the ambassadress down in coming in contact with her in the door-way, absolutely brushed off all her rouge, and cried, Mercy upon me! I beg your pardon, ladies-I was so hungry I forgot what I was about.'-There! there's for you, General. There's a lady fit to be a chaperon; if that won't do for you, nothing will persuade you of your error.-Give me leave to tell you that."

The General laughed very heartily, and then replied—“ My dear Lady Glassington, you must give me leave, at my time of life, to do what I think best for myself and my niece.”

"No, indeed, General, that is what I never

shall do." This was uttered in a pretence of half banter, but with a decided tone, which spoke for the sincerity of the acrimony with which it was dictated. "So, General Montgomery, I take my leave and give you up for evermore. Yes, indeed, I've done with you."

"Good morning, my dear Lady Glassington; I trust we shall meet better friends."

"I've done with you," reiterated the angry lady; and, curtseying very low (for no circumstance could ever make her forget to curtsey), she swept out of the room haughtily, without noticing Miss Macalpine.

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

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