usual stupid want of discernment, fancied that Louisa, like other fine ladies, was affecting the anxiety she expressed only to be contradicted, was obstinate upon the subject.

Louisa knew that it would be worse than vain to appeal to her husband; and terrified by the threat held out to her, that her infant would be a sufferer, she submitted; somewhat consoled by the rosy cheeks, golden hair, and soft, kind, blue eyes of the young woman, to whom she committed her treasure.

The short remainder of the summer passed as it usually passes in most families of fashion: in a hurry of engagements, generally uninteresting, always fatiguing,—a succession of rapidly shifting scenes, scarcely affording time for observation; and far from allowing of anything like meditation, even on the fleeting shadows which pass before the eyes.-A dream, as it is often

called a dream, as in its effects it too often

literally proves.

Louisa mingled among the brilliant crowds a lovely stranger; indifferent to the glare and the stir around her-ignorant, or careless, even of the very signs and terms by which all this business is carried on. Her heart engaged in her nursery, or occupied in vain longings for the society of that husband-her lover now no

more.

She flew from the crowded drum; from the splendid dinner; from the Saturday night opera; from all the glittering abodes of gaiety-impatiently to her chamber, where the little object of all her tenderness was ready to receive her with its opening smiles, and feeble endeavours to answer her passionate endearments with its soft and tender cooings.

To see it in the arms of a father was denied ;

but she was beginning to reconcile herself to what appeared inevitable; and with her baby

and its innocent and cheerful nurse spent many happy hours.

CHAPTER XV.

THE summer was now nearly terminated—that summer to which Louisa had looked with the greatest impatience—anticipating, in her simplicity, a renewal of those delightful days which had rendered the last such a period of enjoy

ment.

She supposed, as a matter of course, that she should accompany her husband to his country seat, and that there, in comparative retirement, she should again enjoy his society and those bonds be once more strengthened which the

usages of London society had served so sadly

to impair.

She had not yet learned to appreciate the character with which she had to deal; and believed that a return to the same scenes would restore the simple enjoyments of the preceding year. She was ignorant of the country-house system among great people; and how complete the domestic separation may remain under the same roof, where sympathy and inclination do not bring people together-whether the windows look upon Welsh mountains, or upon the groves and lawns of Hyde Park.

But she was fated to learn, yet more suddenly and rudely, how little her ideas of felicity were in harmony with the habits of those around her.

Parliament sat late-September found Lord William and Louisa still in Park-lane. They were sitting together at a late breakfast-Lady Fanny was there.