cuttingly--the skylarks dropped into their nests; and all the aroma of the earth passed away with the sunshine.

Lord Mowbray entered his Castle, certainly with very different sensations from those with which he had left it; and, declaring there was no dependence upon English climate for four hours together, drew his chair close to the fire, and, cowering over it, indulged in his usual malady-ennui. He was disturbed from nursing this humour by a loud noise, in which the shrill voice of his valet, Le Brun, was heard pre-eminently acute.

"Milor,-Monseigneur !" cried the enraged Le Brun, "I "I never once did present me before your Lordship, pour vous déranger vid my complaints, quoique souvent j'ai souffert peines et martyres de Messieurs les Anglois; et si ce n'étoit mon attachement pour Monseigneur, Milor, il y a bien long-temps que je ne servais plus ici. Mais, Monseigneur, si je continuois de supporter les affronts de vos gens, mon honneur serait eternellement compromis, et ma confusion seroit extrême."

"What is the matter?-what is all this noise about?" asked Lord Mowbray, seeing Le Brun pursued by the cook; and he himself bearing a dirty towel in his hand, which he waved around his head with furious gestures.

"Voyez ce torchon, Milor! Vat is de matter? De matter lie here in dis-in dis dirty torchon. It was attaché, Milor,-oui, vraiment! -it vas attaché à mes culottes; and all de household point dere finger at me, and grin. Ils rient, ma foi! ils riront, mais ce sera d'une autre façon !"

"Silence, I command you, Le Brun! What is the meaning of all this noise ?"

66

My Lord," replied the cook," may it please your Lordship, Mounseer has ruined my roast, and your Lordship can have no dinner to-day; so I threatened to put him on the spit instead of the beef which he spoiled, that's all.”

"Vous! me mettrez à la broche! Je vous grillerais à la crapaudine prémièrement. But dat is not all:-I vas preparing une tasse de café, when Madame Betti, sa chère amie, m'a appliqué ce cadeau que voilà. I am very sorry, Milor, to quit Monseigneur, but I come to

resign-c'en est fait ! mon honneur est souilli :I am all covered vid ridicule, and I depart at de soonest."

Lord Mowbray could hardly help laughing, while he ordered the cook to compromise the

matter.

"Not till I have pulled his French ears well, and be hanged to him," muttered the cook: "has he not spoiled my top dish, and scalded my legs ?"

Well, but you provoked him first."

"I provoked him, my Lord! I scorn to touch him with a pair of tongs, a frog-eating rascal!"

"Milor, it vas Madame Betti, his chère amie, who did put de affron. upon me: and dat was de same, you know, Milor."

66

“Well, Le Brun," interrupted his Lordship, they shall beg your pardon, and, for my sake, I hope you will agree with them. I have a little commission for you to execute, which will take you away for a day or two, and by that time you will return, and all this will be blown over."

“Oh, oh! dat alters de all, cela change tout: when Milor command, his servant must obey."

"And as for you, Harris," said his Lordship, "show yourself better-hearted than to affront a friendless foreigner. If I do not care about the my roast beef, need not."

loss of

you

The cook did not seem willing to admit the truth of Lord Mowbray's conclusion on this point; but as the cause was going against him, he retired muttering, however, as he went, something about foreigners, and partiality, and repent it, &c. &c.

"Le Brun," said Lord Mowbray, calling to his valet as he began bowing, and was preparing to follow his adversary; "stop, I want to speak with you."

"Me voici, Milor."

"Do you know the names of any of the noblemen's seats in this neighbourhood? You are generally apt to make yourself master of the carte du pays pretty quickly."

"Oh, yes! Milor, Monseigneur sçait qu'il y a Milor Neville, et le Duc de Godolphin, qui sont assez proches voisins. Dere chateaux be only some few miles off."

"Do any of their inhabitants ride out ?”

It is astonishing what foolish questions seusible men sometimes ask.

"Milor, vats your pleasure? Excusez me, I no onderstand. Les Dames de ces lieux vont elles souvent prendre l'air à cheval? Oh, oh! il me semble, Monseigneur"- smiling, and then suddenly becoming grave again: "il me semble qu'en effet je comprends à présent. Si les dames se promenent à cheval,-walk upon de horseback? Oh! Milor wish to know, Le Brun will make his business to ascertain. lor saura cela au plus vite: wheder de ladies walk in a carriage or upon top de horseback."

66

Mi

Exactly! and what is their name, and how long they remain in this part of the country."

"How long dey fix here? combien de temps ils comptent sejourner ici? how long dey count to stay in dese parts? Dat shall be known to Milor vidout fail. I shall be on de return as quick as de vind. He blow brisk here, Monseigneur knows."

Le Brun's wrath was entirely laid, in the prospect of having a commission to execute quite