Qualities are drawn out in both husband and wife which were scarcely suspected to exist before; and they become fearful passions or healing virtues, according to the efforts made to improve, or as habits of indulgence grow stronger.

Life is often a succession of errors: Lucy had perhaps already made a mistake in her first marriage whether she committed another now or not, remains to be seen.

CHAPTER XVI.

TEMPTATION.

LUCY was, however, very happy at present, and enjoyed her tour beyond expression. She had never been abroad before, and in those days there were many inconveniences to be met with; yet every little rub or difficulty seemed only to increase her mirth. They only went as far as Switzerland; for, in spite of her enjoyment, she did not like the idea of leaving her children for a longer time.

So they returned to England towards the end of October.

She

Augustus enjoyed the tour quite as much as Lucy did, but he too wished to return, as he was anxious to make inquiry about Rollston Court. Lucy fully entered into his wishes to possess that interesting place again. longed to live there, and to quit the gloomy old house at Ilminster, for she felt now that it had indeed become gloomy, and wondered how she had continued to exist there for so many years.

But she was not fated to leave it soon. Augustus discovered on inquiry, that the Rollston property was still in Chancery, and the lawyer he consulted gave very little prospect of the dispute being speedily terminated.

Then he heard that Derwent Park, which had belonged to his mother's family, and was the favourite abode of his childhood, was again in the market. It had been considerably improved by the present possessor, and the sum now demanded for it was a hundred and

twenty thousand pounds. Lucy's fortune was only eighty thousand pounds, and Augustus had succeeded in making five thousand pounds during his residence in America; and then Derwent Park would not produce so much yearly rental in proportion as Rollston, for the park was much larger, and the place was an expensive one to live at and keep up.

"It would never do to think of it," said Lucy, with a wise shake of her head. But she went to see the place, and was so enchanted with it, that she could not help wishing to be rich enough to live there.

Railroads were in their infancy in those days, and the rage for speculating in them was beginning. Mr. Flamborough even, that steady and most unspeculating of men, had been bitten, and during the winter realized a large sum by buying and selling shares.

Augustus endeavoured to shut his ears and

VOL. II.

N

eyes, and Lucy often repeated, with more and more regret, "We must not speculate.'

At last Augustus said one day, "Yet if we only make as much as Mr. Flamborough or Mr. Smith has done, we could buy Derwent Park, and live there."

Lucy knew nothing of business, but she was accustomed to consider those gentlemen as the most unspeculative and sensible of mankind, and wondered whether it would be really dangerous for her husband to act as they had done.

Then, she thought, he certainly retained no wish to play or even to speculate, for he rarely ever mentioned the subject of those enticing rail-roads, and he certainly would never do anything she did not wish. Might she not therefore allow him to consult Mr. Henbery, as he had suggested, and try some of these magic shares ?

At last Augustus one day spoke to her on