Ellen, I am not happy," at length she sobbed.

Why not, dear sister? Who is so fêted, so courted, so admired as you ?"

Yes, I have been much courted, fêted, and admired to-night-dragged like an old parchment through the crush-room by a Mr. Fitzcribb-every head, every heart full of La Zelie, her praises on every tongue. Those three paltry fools, whom I have so distinguished, scarcely deigning to remember that they were to sup with us......"

"And what of them; are they worth one tear from the deep and virgin well-spring in your breast? What if La Zelie's voice has echoed for a moment through their hollow hearts, you cannot really care for beings so futile. Augusta, their desertion may have wounded your vanity, it cannot have grieved your heart. Pay them back, my love, indifference for neglect, and avoidance for desertion, and on my penetration as a woman they are all three at your feet; Sparkleton, with a new whisker too, before a week is past.

La Zelie, full of soul and feeling, will spurn them, and......

"And so will I-whom Zelie spurns will plead in vain to me

"Well said, my darling! and now, good night."

"Not yet, dear Ellen," and Augusta buried her beautiful face in Ellen's bosom. "Of late we have not been to each other what we were at Mossgrove, sister. It may be my fault, for I have been engrossed with a succession of pleasures; but there is a secret of my heart I wish to tell you."

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'Speak, dearest," said Ellen, trembling, and growing pale.

"I love Julian."

Ellen remained silent, but a tear fell unmarked on Augusta's dark tresses.

"Yes, I love him; I know I do by my anger at his absence to-night-my jealousy when I said that it was he who flung Zelie that bouquet-my despair when I heard he was La Zelie's chosen pet, as that fool said. At Brighton I am quite sure he loved me;

but since we have been here, that artful, wily creature has wheedled him away. He is no longer the same."

"And you are you the same?"

"His pleasures quite engross him; they leave him no time for me."

"And yours have they left you much time for him ?"

"No; but had he wished it, they should." "Had he wished it ever so much, you would have been resolved to turn all heads and captivate all hearts."

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his."

Well, but I always meant to include

"Perhaps he does not care to be one of the many."

"What shall I do? Do you think he loves me, Ellen ?"

"I think he prefers you to all other

women."

"Even to La Zelie ?"

"Yes; even to La Zelie. But do you love him, Augusta ?"

"Yes, dear, handsome Julian; how supe

rior he is to any of them! how elegant! how fashionable! What a taste in dress!-in horses, carriages! How well he rides! how noble he looks driving his four grays! It is a pity he has no title; not even a Sir or an Honourable; but I shall be the beautiful Mrs. Lindsay, the rich Mrs. Lindsay. Perhaps I might make interest to get him knighted. Sir Julian and Lady Lindsay !— I do so hate plain Mr. and Mrs. Captain, Doctor, sounds better. If he were in the church, he would soon be Doctor Lindsay. How would that sound?-Doctor and Mrs. Lindsay!"

Ellen laughed. "I cannot fancy him a doctor; he might as well be an alderman!"

"An alderman! Well, an alderman can become a lord mayor, and is sure to be knighted."

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Well, dearest, I must be gone, or I shall be benighted. Look at my lamp."

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Well, say you think he loves me: speak candidly; you know with you I use no dis

guise-poetry and sentiment for others, but unadorned truth for my own Ellen. Do you think he loves me?"

"I think he prefers you, I think you might make him love you, but, as I said before, do you love him? If his proud and noble form were bowed by sorrow, his beauty faded by sickness if adversity laid her withering hand upon him, and, instead of elegant attire, matchless steeds, and blazoned equipages, you saw him hurrying along, in threadbare garments, to earn his bread by the sweat of the brow, or the sweat of the brain, shunned as 'poor Lindsay,' that unhappy fellow,' the Lindsay whom every one cuts,' and who has no one to smile upon him or comfort him but you -say, Augusta, should you love him still?"

6

"What a shocking picture, Ellen! I cannot realise it to my fancy. Of course, I should be very sorry; but threadbare, cut by every one, I cannot say what I should do or feel one cannot separate a man from his circumstances; they form part of him. As