huge machine at work;-his immense mouth was distended to its utmost dimensions, and being fuller than it could possibly hold, the fragments of bread projected far beyond it. Wholly unconscious of the astonishment and diversion of the passengers, M'cMuckleman stood erect on his two legs, in the attitude of the Colossus of Rhodes ;-the immobility of the rest of his person forming a curious contrast to the extreme activity and hard labour of his jaws. Caroline threw up the window, and spoke to him, but his mouth was so full he could not possibly answer her; and after much sputtering and nearly choking himself, he bolted the most enormous mouthful that certainly ever went down mortal gullet, and explained-that he had been waiting breakfast on Maister Breedalbane, till he was sair a hunger'd, and he had just gotten a bite o' bread till himsel.'

Breadalbane, with compunctious visitings of conscience, now remembered that he had utterly forgot to leave a message to desire the lucklessMeenister' to breakfast without him; which the good simple creature, would never have dreamed of doing, without special permission, if he had waited till nightfall. It was now long past noon, and Caroline, ordering some luncheon, invited the famished 'Minister' to come in and partake of a more satisfactory repast than his dry loaf.

Mrs. Cleveland, who, from the indisposition attendant upon her situation at present, never breakfasted down stairs, now made her appearance. For this time, therefore, the subject of love was necessarily dropped, to Caroline's great relief; but she saw with pain, that Breadalbane still counted upon ultimate success; and indeed it was difficult to banish hope from his heart. For like the hydra

headed monster, no sooner was one hope destroyed, than another sprung forth in its stead.

Breadalbane soon found an opportunity of renewing the subject, but with no better success.

You distrust my constancy,' he said. 'You doubt the stability of my attachment. You think me giddy and volatile, and incapable of a strong and lasting passion. But try me-put me to the proof. Impose on me any sacrifice-any conditions-any probation you please ;-I will cheerfully submit to your will. Only give me a ray of hope -only say that if I prove myself worthy of you, at last you will be mine! Only tell me you will try

to love me!'

But his impassioned eloquence and supplications were lost upon Caroline. Though her feelings were distressed, her resolution was inflexible; and though Mrs. Cleveland tried to shake it with all her powers of persuasion-though Colonel Cleveland evidently thought she was crazy to refuse such an offer, and though Lady Hunlocke in her letter, of which Breadalbane was the bearer, strongly urged her to marry him forthwith; Caroline never felt a moment's hesitation in giving him a decided and irrevocable refusal, thereby acting in direct contradiction to Lady Hunlocke's advice, who concluded her epistle with these words-' At least do not decidedly refuse him; the time will come when you will be very sorry for it. If you keep clear of any engagement, you can never be bound to marry him, nor can he have reason for complaint if you should at last marry another; and, with a shadow of hope, he will be at your disposal for life. But take away every particle of hope, and the strongest love will die. That is the food on which it lives.' But Caroline determined to take away every

particle of the food on which love lives.' She scorned to act as many honourable' women do, who give no word of promise to the ear,' but so ingeniously insinuate it to the sense,' that the devoted lover fondly indulges the dream, that the time will come when his suit will be accepted ; and his insensible mistress secures the power of 'having him at last, if she can do no better.' Such things are. But from such proceedings, Caroline's noble and honourable mind revolted with contempt and abhorrence. To do Lady Hunlocke justice, she would never have given such advice, had she not firmly believed that Caroline would marry him at last, and that he was peculiarly formed to make her happy, from his high spirit, strong feeling, and ardent generous disposition, so like her own. She firmly believed that Caroline's determination to refuse him, arose entirely from motives of mistaken delicacy, respecting her stay with him at Grindelwald having produced his attachment; and that if she did not love him now, the fervent and devoted passion of such a young man must, in time, gain her heart. So Breadalbane also still fondly ventured to hope; and they would have been right, had Caroline's affections been her own to bestow.

Breadalbane lingered three days, in the vain hope of moving her in his favour-but in vain. Yet in their very last interview, he betrayed a latent hope that time, and his unshaken constancy, would change her sentiments.

'Is there nothing, Mr. Breadalbane,' at last she said, exhausted with combating this idea-' is there nothing that can banish this chimera from your mind?"

'Yes, one thing,' he replied; and one only.' 'And what is that?'

'Will you tell me,' he said, with a look and tone of strong emotion; 'will you answer me one question? You hesitate-Caroline, you are truth itself; you would not deceive me—will you put an end to this torturing suspense?'

'I will--if I can;' she said, in a voice of suppressed emotion.

'Do you love another?' he said, in a faltering voice, and very slowly, for his pallid lips could scarcely articulate the words; and he waited, with his eyes fixed upon her face, as if life and death depended upon her answer.

The blood retreated to Caroline's heart, leaving her face as pale as marble; then its crimson tide rushed as rapidly and impetuously back.

'Mr. Breadalbane,' she said, 'I will treat you with perfect confidence. Your peace, your happiness is at stake. I ought,-to you-and you only —would I'—she stopped, unable for a moment to proceed.

He could not interrupt her; he could not speak. He had buried his face in his hands.

"Yes, I will tell you-what I would die sooner than own to any other-what I have scarcely ever acknowledged to myself-I do love another!" Breadalbane clenched his hands in agony, and groaned. O God!' escaped him.

'Before I ever saw you,' she continued, 'my heart was another's.'

'Before you knew me! Heaven bless you for that!' he exclaimed, 'That alone could have enabled me to bear it and live. May God in heaven bless you !'-and he rushed out of the room.

Caroline saw him no more. In two hours' time he was out of Venice, and driving onwards towards Scotland with that restless speed, with which minds

ill at ease seek to fly from themselves. Deeply did she feel for him, and her sorrow cast a cloud upon her spirits, which she found some difficulty in shaking off. But the native elasticity of her mind soon restored her to serenity, and she consoled herself with the thought that Breadalbane was very young, and consequently, though his feelings were violent, they would probably be of proportionably short duration. She had rooted from his mind every hope, by a sacrifice of pride and delicacy, the magnitude of which none but a woman can estimate; and she therefore felt assured that a little time would cure his passion, and restore him to tranquillity and happiness.

CHAPTER L.

SELF-TORMENTING.

We that are true lovers, run into strange capers.

SHAKSPEARE,

LEAVING Venice with regret, our travellers set out for Florence. Much do we hear of the pleasures of travelling-but few there be that find them. The delights enjoyed while actually journeying along the road, sitting hour after hour and day after day, pent up inside a travelling carriage, we shrewdly suspect are rarely found very great,