mischief of his nature appeared concentrated, and | paused, in evident distress,-"he rose to "—here Frere with him, serving his apprenticeship, as Bracy a tremendous sneeze accounted for the previous spasm, phrased it. and the patient, evidently relieved, proceeded, "he rose to-" once again he paused, struggling furiously with the tails of his coat, "he begged to call the attention of the company- he had" still the struggles with the coat-tail continued, "he had a toast to propose;" here, amidst breathless attention, he whispered to his nephew in an aside, audible throughout the whole room, Marmaduke, I've left it in my great-coat-the left hand-pocket, you know;" 'the toast was this-thank you, Jenkins," to the butler, who brought the missing handkerchief on a silver waiter, sticky with the overflowings of Champagne;-"this was his toast, and he hoped that the company would do it justice-Health and happiness to the bride and bridegroom."

In solemn procession they approached the altar, where the priest awaited them, and, opening his book, read to them an account of the true nature of the eremony they were about to celebrate,-how it was "instituted by God in the time of man's innocency," and was symbolical of high and holy things, and being ordained to assist us in fulfilling the various duties for which we are placed in this world, and on the due performance of which will greatly depend our weal or woe for everlasting, it should not be undertaken lightly or unadvisedly; then De Grandeville, having learned the theory of the matter, proceeded to afford a practical commentary on the text by solemnly promising to love and honour Lady Lombard till death them should part, while she, in return, pledged herself (with less chance of perjury) to serve, obey, and keep him during the term of her natural life;-then he, Marmaduke, took her, Sarah, from the hands of the wealthy Lombard relation, and declared that he did so "for richer, for poorer," though we much fear, if he had foreseen the smallest probability of the realization of this latter proviso, the ceremony would have been then and there interrupted, instead of proceeding as it did, sweetly and edifyingly, till it wound up with "any amazement." And everybody being much pleased and thoroughly satisfied, there was, of course, a great deal of crying, though why they cried, unless it was to see so solemn an institution thus wantonly profaned, and to hear people use words of prayer and praise, and worship God with their lips, while in their hearts they were sacrificing all the better feelings of their nature before the altar of Mammon, we cannot tell.

Amongst the rest Mrs. Arundel wept most meritoriously, until catching sight of Bracy sobbing aloud into a very large pocket-handkerchief, her weeping became somewhat hysterical, and ended in a sound suspiciously like laughter. Then people crowded into the vestry, which was about the size of a good fourpost bedstead, and names were signed, and fees paid, and small jokes made, and then the whole party took coach, and returned to the house, where the wedding-breakfast awaited them. The humours of a wedding-breakfast have been described so often and so well, that we shall merely give a very faint outline of the leading idiosyncrasies of the affair in question. In the first place, people were very hungry, Nature having asserted her rights, and promoted Appetite, rice Feeling sold out. Even the lady with the weak digestion (which made up by increased velocity for want of stamina) adding a very substantial fourth to her three previous breakfasts. Then, as mouths grew disengaged, tongues found room to wag, healths were drunk, and the speechifying began. First uprose the De Grandeville ancestor, who was a tall, thin, not to say shadowy old gentleman, with a hooked nose and a weak voice, who whispered to the company that "he rose to "here his face twitched violently, and he

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And the company did it justice; so much so, that if the health and happiness of the newly-married pair depended on the amount of champagne their friends appeared willing to drink at their expense, sickness and sorrow were evils against which they might consider themselves amply secured. Silence being restored, the bridegroom rose to return thanks, his inborn greatness manifesting itself in every look and gesture, and dignified condescension adding a new grace to his sonorous voice and grandiloquent delivery. Having glanced round the table with the air of a monarch (in a fairy extravaganza) about to address his parliament, he cleared his noble throat, and began:

In rising to-ar-return thanks for the honour you have done us, in so cordially assenting to the toast proposed by a man whose presence might confer a favour upon the most aristocratic assembly in the land,—a man whom-ar-even at this moment, which I have no hesitation-ar-in-ar-” (hear, hear, and question, from Bracy)-"I repeat, no hesitation in-in-no hesitation in-ar-declaring to be at once the proudest and happiest moment of my life, -a man who, even in this season of felicity, I yet distinctly—ar—yes, distinctly say, I envy; for he has the honour to represent the elder branch of that ancient and illustrious house of which I am a comparatively insignificant" (a groan of indignant denial from Bracy, which procured him a gracious smile from the speaker) "yes, I-arrepeat it, a comparatively insignificant, but I hope, not an entirely unworthy descendant," here Bracy, after a slight struggle with Frere, who sought to prevent him, rose, and, speaking apparently under feelings of the greatest excitement, said,-"He was sorry to interrupt the flow of eloquence which was so much delighting the company, but he was certain every one would agree with him in saying, that Mr. de Grandeville's last observation, however creditable it might be to him, as evincing his unparalleled and superchristian (if he might be allowed the term) humility, could not be allowed to pass unchallenged. He put it to them collectively, as intellectual beings; he put it to them individually, as gallant men and lovely women (immense sensation)—if his noble friend, the

sooner than undergo all this parade of folly, absurdity, and bad taste, I'll be spliced at the pier-head at Dover, and set sail for Calais as soon as the ring is on the bride's finger; better be sea-sick, than sick at heart with such rubbish as we've been witness to."

CHAPTER LVIII.

DEPICTS THE HERO IN AN UNAMIABLE LIGHT.

illustrious man to whose words of fire they had just been listening, were allowed to set himself forth to the world as 'comparatively insignificant' and 'not entirely unworthy,' he asked them if such terms as these were allowed to be applied to such a character as that, where was society to seek its true monarchs of mind?' where should it look for those heavengifted soul-heroes-those giants of thought, those Noblers" and "that NOBLEST," to quote the glow- LORD BELLEFILD safely accomplished his journey to ing words of one of the leading writers of the age, Venice, reaching that city of palaces without let or by whom its evils were to be remedied, its abuses hindrance. Despite his imperturbable assurance, a close reformed, and its whole nature purified and regenc-observer might have discovered from external signs that rated? — he put it to them to declare whether his lordship was ill at ease, and in no particular was Mr. De Grandeville must not be entreated to recall it more apparent than in the marked change in his his words ?" manner towards General Grant and his daughter. The cold nonchalance with which he formerly tolerated the General's stateliness, and the easy, almost impertinent confidence with which he had been accustomed to prosecute his suit to Annie, had given place to an affectation of studiously courteous deference when he addressed the father, and to respectful yet tender devotion in his intercourse with the daughter, which proved that to secure the good opinion of the former, and, if possible, the affection of the latter, had now become a matter of importance to him. With General Grant he was in great measure successful, that gallant officer believing, in his simplicity, that his intended son-in-law had at length finished sowing his wild oats; a species of seed, which being universally acknowledged to contain, besides every small vice extant, the germs of the seven deadly sins, has this remarkable peculiarity, that being once sown, it is popularly supposed to bring forth a plentiful crop of all the domestic virtues. Deluded by this fallacy, the General fondly trusted that the coming event of matrimony had cast its shadow before, and extin

Deafening applause followed Bracy's harangue, and the amendment was carried nem. con. Thus fooled to the top of his bent, De Grandeville resumed his speech, and after making a very absurd display of egotistic nonsense, family pride, and personal pretension, gave the health of the company generally, and of his ancient ancestor, and the vulgar Lombard relation in particular. Then more healths were drunk, and more speeches made, and a great amount of stupidity elicited, interspersed with some drollery, when Bracy was called upon to return thanks for the bridesmaids, which he did in an affected falsetto, smiling, blushing, coquetting, and screwing up imaginary ringlets, much after the fashion of the inimitable John Parry, when it pleases him to enact one of the young ladies of England in the nineteenth century. Then the female portion of the company retired to relieve their feelings by a little amateur crying and kissing, champagne and susceptibility being mysteriously united in the tender bosoms of the softer sex; then the miraculous robe was taken off, and the bride reattired for travelling; then the gentle-guished all the wild-fire which had hitherto flung its men came up stairs, all more or less "peculiar " from drinking wine at that unaccustomed hour in the morning, and some little business was transacted; one spirited bridesmaid, who had had a shy young man nibbling for some time, actually harpooning her fish, and landing him skilfully beyond all chance of floundering out of an engagement, by referring him on the spot to mamma. Mrs. Arundel, who by this time had learned to entertain a most lady-like and unchristian hatred against the fair Susannah, maliciously laid herself out to captivate the limp and un-nature appeared to him so completely altered, that he stable affections of Mr. Dacerell Dace, and succeeded so well, that she actually began to deliberate whether opulence and triumph over her rival, might not render Dace endurable as a permanency. Then the travelling carriage with Newman's four greys drew up to the door, and the stereotyped adieus were spoken, the stereotyped smiles smiled, and tears shed, and all the necessary nonsense rehearsed, with most painstaking diligence, the only original feature in the whole affair being Frere's remark to Bracy, as the happy pair drove off:

"You were about right, old fellow, when you compared marrying to hanging. I tell you what it is

baleful glare over his Lordship's comet-like course; or, to drop metaphor, and condescend to that much better thing, plain English, the gallant officer taught himself to believe, that Lord Bellefield had at length seen the error of his ways and intended to marry and live virtuously ever after. With the lady, however, his lordship did not succeed so easily; and, skilful tactician as he not unjustly considered himself, never had he felt more completely bewildered or more thoroughly perplexed how to act. Annie's whole

could hardly recognise her as the same person. Instead of the simple, amiable, child-like character, which he had despised but fancied would do very well for a wife, he now found a proud capricious beauty, whose mood seemed to vary between cold indifference and a teasing sarcastic humour, which he could neither fathom nor control. If he tried to interest or amuse her, she listened with a careless, distrait manner, which proved his efforts to be completely unavailing; if he attempted the tender or sentimental, she laughed at him, turning all he said into ridicule, by two or three words of quiet but bitter irony. She appeared tacitly to acquiesce in

their engagement, but any attempt to fix a time for its fulfilment, served only to estrange her still more. Does the reader think this change unnatural? may he never witness the alteration which a grief such as Annie's makes, even in the gentlest natures,-may he never experience the bitterness of that nascent despair, which sours the sweetest temper, and forces cold looks and cutting words from eyes accustomed to beam with tenderness, and lips from which accents of affection alone were wont to flow!

One morning, rather more than a week after Lord Bellefield's arrival, an expedition was proposed to visit one of the architectural lions of the picturesque old city, and as the General seemed inclined to accede to the scheme, and Annie made no objection, it was agreed that they should go.

I make one proviso," observed Charles Leicester, "and that is, that you come home in good time. I don't want to frighten you, in fact there is nothing to be frightened about, only I know that there has been, for some time past, a spirit of disaffection abroad among the workmen at the Arsenal, and if they should attempt to make a demonstration by congregating in the squares and few open spaces in this amphibious city, it might be disagreeable for you."

"But is such an event at all probable ?" inquired Laura.

Why, yes," was the reply; "I had a note this morning from Arundel "-catching a reproachful look from his wife, Charley stopped in momentary embarrassment, then continued," a—that is, from a friend of mine, telling me such a thing was possible -however, I'll go with you myself, and keep you in proper order."

five minutes before, would scarcely have recognised her for the same person. But with what purpose could he be there? why, if the Leicesters knew it, had they so studiously concealed it from her?-from her!" and, as she repeated the words, the recollection of Walter's speech, "He went away because he loved you, and you did not love him," flashed across her. "What if it were true? if he really had loved her, and had left them because his feelings were becoming too strong for his control ?" and then a thousand remembered circumstances (trifles in themselves, but confirmatory of that which she now almost believed to be the truth) occurred to her. But if this were indeed the case,-if, instead of resigning his situation because, as her fears had urged, he had guessed at the nature of her sentiments towards him, he had loved her, and his honourable feelings had driven him into a self-imposed exile,-what must he not have suffered! and oh! knowing as much as he did of her feelings towards Lord Bellefield, what must he not have thought of her, when he learned that in less than four-and-twenty hours after his departure, she had renewed her engagement to a man he was aware she both disliked and mistrusted! above all, what a false view it must have given him of her feelings towards himself! Oh, how she hoped, how she prayed this blow might have been spared him! Then the present, what did it mean? the future, how would it turn out? On one point she was determined, only let her ascertain beyond a doubt that Lewis loved her, and she would die rather than marry Lord Bellefield. The evils that befall us in this world are not without even their temporal benefit. Two years of hopeless sorrow had given a species of desperate courage to a As Charley in his forgetfulness blundered out the mind naturally prone to a want of self-dependence. name of Arundel, Laura did not dare to look at Anything was preferable to the anguish she had gone Annie; when, however, she ventured a moment after-through; and Annie Grant's decision now, was very wards to steal a glance towards her, her features wore the cold listless look which had now, alas! become habitual to them, and exhibited no sign of emotion by which her friend could decide whether she had remarked the name, or whether it had passed without striking her ear. Almost immediately afterwards she rose, and saying, she supposed she had better get ready, quitted the room. Lord Bellefield had not been present at this little scene. With faltering steps Annie sought her own apartment, closed and locked the door; then, instead of preparing to dress, flung herself into an easy chair, and pressing her hands upon her throbbing temples, tried to collect her thoughts. She had heard the name only too clearly, and combining it with Walter's tale of the ghost, had guessed the truth. He was then in Venice, and not only that, but he had evidently established some communication with the Leicesters, and must therefore be aware of the presence of her father and herself; nay, by what she had gathered from Charles's speech, he must be actually engaged in watching over their safety, and as the idea struck her, a soft bright light came into her eyes, and a faint blush restored the roses to her cheeks, so that any one who had seen her

different to the lady's yea' or nay she would have uttered ere the storm of passion had swept over her maiden spirit.

The effect produced on Annie by the new light which had broken in upon her, did not immediately pass away, and although her remarks were chiefly addressed to her cousin Charles, Lord Bellefield was equally surprised and puzzled by the change in her manner. In order to reach the building they were about to visit, they were forced to disembark from their gondola, and after proceeding along a species of cloister, to cross one of the foot bridges which so constantly, in Venice, intersect the canals. Under the shade of an arch of this cloister, stood the tall figure of a man; as the party approached he drew back further into the shadow, and, himself unseen, observed them attentively as they passed. The excitement of the morning had left its traces in the flushed cheek and sparkling eye of Annie Grant. At the moment she quitted the boat, Charley Leicester had made her laugh by some quaint remark on the personal appearance of a fat little individual who was one of the gondoliers, but whose figure by no means coincided with the romantic associations his avocation

recalled. As, leaning on Lord Bellefield's arm, she | safety, determined him to remain there till he had