He accounted for being in Italy by saying, that having nearly fallen a victim to the climate of India, he had been compelled to resign his command, and had returned overland, both to gratify his own curiosity, and to meet his son in Italy, who had joined him at Naples, immediately on his landing from Alexandria a few weeks ago.

Mrs. Cleveland now inquired after Mr. Lindsay. 'He is not perfectly well,' said Lord Montfort. 'He came with me as far as Rome, where I left him a few days ago, to examine the antiquities at his leisure. For my part, when I have seen the Coloseum and the Pantheon, and looked at a few broken columns and brick walls, which I am content to believe any thing any of the antiquaries choose to call them-for they all call them by different names, and none of them know any thing about them, I began to tire of Rome, and find out that it gives me the vapours; for the place is so superlatively dull and dismal, that actually the very sunshine looks melancholy.'

Does your Lordship mean to make any stay at Florence?' said Mrs. Cleveland.

'Only long enough to let Lindsay satiate himself with the ruins of Rome,' said Lord Montfort. 'When he is tired of them, we shall proceed together to Venice, and home over the Tyrol.'

It may be supposed that Caroline could not listen to this conversation, so uninteresting to others

without emotion. For she saw that Lindsay had told Lord Montfort all that had passed. He must, therefore, be aware that she knew from her mother the real obstacle to their marriage, and knew him to be her father.

After Mrs. Cleveland left the room, Lord Mont

fort still continued to talk with the same fluency on general subjects only; and having obtained her promise to be his Cicerone through Florence, he made an appointment to visit the Gallery with her the following morning, and took his leave.

CHAPTER LIV.

CROSS PURPOSES.

This faith was taught me by the dove,
To die, and know no second love.

BYRON,

Though plung'd in ills and exercis'd in care,
Yet never let the noble mind despair,
When press'd by evils and beset by woes,
The Gods their timely succour interpose;

And e'er our virtue sinks, o'erwhelm'd with grief,
By unforeseen expedients bring relief.

WHEN Lord Montfort called next morning, Caroline was able to receive him without any apparent emotion or embarrassment; and immediately introducing Lady Hunlocke, who was with her, she said with a smile, that as she thought two heads better than one, she had asked Lady Hunlocke to assist her in shewing his Lordship the celebrated sights of Florence.

Not one tenth part of which I have ever seen

myself;' observed Lady Hunlocke; and of that tenth part I remember nothing.'

Then the only chance you have of seeing them yourself, is by shewing them to others;' said Caroline.

'Yes!--I am eminently qualified for that office, as far as gusto goes,' said Lady Hunlocke; inasmuch as I infinitely prefer teaching what I am ignorant of, to learning what I ought to know.'

in

This trio spent this morning, and every morning --and very soon almost the whole of every day together. Lord Montfort amused himself with watching Caroline's drawing, or her progress in modelling, —an art which she had lately begun to study, order to divert her mind from brooding over her own sorrows. Lady Hunlocke, too, forthwith began to draw, under Caroline's direction, with unexampled perseverance; for never had her volatile Ladyship, before, been known to adhere to any one employment for half an hour together. Lord Montfort afterwards attended the ladies in their rides or walks, and generally spent with them his evenings also. Lady Hunlocke, who had originally promised to chaperon Caroline in her morning excursions with Lord Montfort, from pure good nature, now evidently found peculiar pleasure in them herself; and seemed to prefer the chosen few who formed the evening society of Mrs. Cleveland's drawing-room, to larger and gayer assemblies.

Mrs. Cleveland, as well as Caroline, soon saw the increasing interest and delight which Lord Montfort and Lady Hunlocke took in each other's society, and as he was only twelve years older than her Ladyship, and looked even younger than he was, they thought the match was highly suitable and probable.

In the mean time, though Lord Montfort's attentions might be paid to Lady Hunlocke, his observation was fixed upon Caroline, with a degree of constancy and watchfulness which surprised herself, and sometimes piqued her Ladyship; for she occasionally caught his penetrating eyes fixed upon her young friend, with an expression of pity, regret, and admiration, that gave her a most unaccountable degree of uneasiness. But Caroline, who thought she knew the cause of the deep interest he evidently felt for her, (although even she, knew it only in part), saw, with her usual penetration, that he was studying her character; and she saw, also, that he esteemed and loved her in no common degree. He had indeed observed, not without emotion, her unvaried patient sweetness and cheerfulness-her unaffected attention to the wants and happiness of others-her command over her feelings --and her unremitting struggle to conquer the grief that too evidently preyed upon her heart, by incessant activity and occupation. He watched with sad solicitude, the pale cheek, the wasted form, the quivering lip, and the wandering eye that betrayed the secret sufferings which she bore with such unobtrusive gentleness and fortitude. All her actions, looks, and words--all that he saw, all that he heard, tended to inspire him with the highest admiration of her mind and heart,--and he felt persuaded that Lindsay never could forget such a being, and never could love another as he loved Caroline St. Clair.

Lady Hunlocke had informed Lord Montfort of Mr. Breadalbane's devoted attachment to Caroline, and her hopes that she might yet, in time, be induced to marry him; and Lord Montfort testified the strongest desire that this marriage should take

place, as the only means of eradicating, from Lindsay's mind, his hopeless attachment to Caroline. He also informed Lady Hunlocke, that he had now more ambitious views for his son, and anxiously wished him to marry the Lady Emily Beaufort, the only daughter and heiress of Earl Beaufort; an alliance which, besides its wealth and rank, opened a road to high political influence. Lady Hunlocke knew perfectly what indeed was known to all the world- that the Lady Emily had conceived a strong passion for Mr. Lindsay, and had manifested it at Florence in as marked a manner as maiden reserve permitted. Her father's advances to him had been still more unequivocal; but when his approaching marriage to Miss St. Clair was made public, Lord Beaufort and his daughter immediately left Florence for Rome, where, as Lady Hunlocke had lately heard, although Lord Montfort was too delicate to mention it, their attentions to him, ever since the marriage had been broken off, had been renewed with equal assiduity, and equal bad suc

cess.

Lord Montfort, however, who had this alliance for his son much at heart, entered with great interest into Lady Hunlocke's plans for bringing about Caroline's marriage to Mr. Breadalbane. Perhaps Lady Hunlocke, unknown to herself, had this match more warmly at heart now than ever; for ignorant of the tie, which connected Lord Montfort to Caroline, she could not see the high estimation and the deep interest he evidently felt for her, without some uneasy feelings of jealousy, which she would have blushed to have avowed to herself. She had, by Caroline's desire, written to Breadalbane, to inform him of her intended marriage to Mr. Lindsay; and she had, contrary to her desire, 18*

VOL. III.