ret drew a long breath, much relieved by this remark: Cecilia went chattering on.

"What a bore those colleges are! if it was not for them Tom would have been here: Alfred, you were at college once, were you not?"

"Yes."

"Much good it has done you: we thought of course Tom would know so much when he came home for the holidays—" "Vacation," suggested Alfred.

"Well, vacation, then-it's all the same: we thought he would help us so much in all our difficult lessons; but whenever we go to him to tell us any thing in history, or geography, or the use of the globes, and all that, he says he knows nothing about it! So what's the use of his learning if he knows nothing?"

"Very true," said Alfred.

"And then such nonsense as he talks: he says he and his friends often "whine" together-whine! I know that was what he told papa when they were looking over his bills: just as if they were so many puppies!"

66

Perhaps they are," said Margaret, dryly.

"Well, to be sure, I didn't think of that; but there is more I have to tell you. I asked him what he was trying to get as a prize, you know, and he said, "a rabbit-skin;" only think, what rubbish! if it was a bit of nice ermine, you know, or sable, to make one of us a muff, it would be worth while; but rabbit-skin—he had better be a baby bunting at

once

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"Or hang a calf-skin on his 'learned' limbs," said Alfred. Exactly; but there's one good thing: their master, the Dean, I think they call him, is such a nice man—so fond of Tom; he asks him to call upon him constantly, sometimes two or three times a week; so kind, you know, and Tom makes a point of going, even when it is inconvenient, sooner than disappoint the dear old man.

"Very good-natured of Tom," said Alfred, smiling.

"Yes, I wish he would be as good-natured at home; there are a great many people mamma would like to have him call upon, and he always makes excuses. Look, there's Uncle Sym taking wine with Miss Armadale: he.does know her,

:

then I wonder if she really is altered, and if he will find her out: but he forgets faces terribly."

Margaret's attention was immediately fixed, and during a pause in the roll of voices generally heard round a dinnertable, heard Mr. Symeon Barton begin. "It was finer weather and a milder climate, when I last had the honor of drinking your health, Miss Armadale."

"Sir?" said Miss Martin, who not having made one of the party in question, had never seen him before, and was, as the saying is," all abroad.”

"When we were on board the Rhine steamer two or three years ago," explained Uncle Sym, somewhat disconcerted, "and afterwards at Wiesbaden and several other places. I had my nephew with me-perhaps you recollect him-he used to play to us the flute on board the steamer."

Margaret groaned at the remembrance: and it was all she could do to preserve her gravity. Miss Martin was very much puzzled, but thought the safest thing was to smile and bow, and hope he was well.

"Do you hear that?" whispered Cecilia to Margaret, "how proud Tom will be that she remembered and asked after him!"

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"He ought to be, certainly," said Miss Armadale, in whose memory the youth with the flute had left an impres sion resembling nightmare; and she tried to catch some more of the conversation, but every body had begun to talk again, and presently came a tap at the door, and, according to annual custom, Nurse Wilson appeared to fetch the juvenile members of the party. Come, nurse," said Mr. Crawford, " a glass of wine to wish us all a merry Christmas, and here's the same to you." Wilton curtsied, and did her best to make the speech appropriate for the occasion, but her eye met Miss Armadale's as she did so, and thrilled to the heart of her young friend. The kind look of sympathy she returned did Wilton more good, however, than Margaret had any idea of ;-so cheering is it to see that some one is feeling for us: besides, something in her voice and manner, she could not tell what, had rekindled in the poor nurse's bosom her long-dormant hope, and when once the heart has felt the stiffening gripe of despair, who can tell what a relief it is to be able to hope once more? Mrs. Crawford rose, and the

ladies passed out of the dining-room in their proper order; but as they mingled in the stoved and lighted hall, Margaret stole to the side of Miss Martin, and drew her aside. "For goodness' sake, Martin, if I am scolded, take my part tonight."

"Oh, you are tired of the cold shoulder,' are you, my dear?" said Miss Martin.

"No-that is to say, I am not going to explain yet, if that is what you mean.'

"Oh!" said Miss Martin, dryly. Miss Armadale colored, remembering the warnings her friend had given her, respecting the mortifications she would endure; and of which, alas for our heroism! she was in reality secretly weary, but not for worlds would she have given in then. "Never mind why-only don't let me be scolded; for I am afraid if I am, I shall not keep my temper.'

"Indeed ?" said Miss Martin, "well, I will do all I can. I knew very well how it would be, my dear."

This was very aggravating, considering that she did not know how it would be, nor any thing at all like it: considering too, how much the high-spirited heiress had borne without complaining already; but, as Mrs. Crawford and Judith were that moment approaching, Margaret had no time for a retort, and was obliged to bear this with the rest.

Meanwhile Mrs. Strapper, smarting under the mortification of seeing her shrine forsaken, schemed in her magnanimous mind a noble revenge. She had listened with great shrewdness to all that was said against the obnoxious Esther; and, having satisfactorily ascertained that the ladies of the family disliked her, resolved to patronize her forthwith. Accordingly, having seated herself in a recess apart from the rest of the company, she suddenly called her by name. Miss Armadale of course obeyed the summons, and, finding she was going to be talked to, leant her back resignedly against the side of the recess, looking down on the little, self-important, highly-dressed figure before her, with the proud humility, and reluctant obedience with which we may imagine Ariel attending Sycorax.

So you are Miss what's-her-name's companion, young lady, are you?" said Aunt Strapper, glancing at her from head to foot.

"Miss Armadale's companion, madam," said Margaret, coldly.

"Humph-not a very pleasant life, I should think

hey?"

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"Not always," said Miss Armadale, thinking to herself, especially at this present moment.".

"Not always? no, I dare say not: from what I hear, you lead a pretty life: I am vastly sorry for you, for you in

terest me.

"You are very good, madam," said Margaret.

"Oh, I am, am I? well, what should you say if I was to be better still, and release you from your bondage?"

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"I am afraid that is impossible," said Margaret, with a twitching of her lip, that Mrs. Strapper mistook for emotion. There, don't be nervous, my dear,"-glancing triumphantly across the room at Mrs. Crawford and her daughters. "I have full right to ask any one I please to my house; and suppose I invite you to come and stay with me-what will you say then ?"

"That you are very good, madam," said Miss Armadale, with a bend of her lofty head.

“Well-will you come?"

"I am sorry it is out of my power; but my movements are at present under the control of Miss Armadale," said Margaret, with all the civility such an unexpected offer seemed to deserve.

"Oh! I am not accustomed to beg favors of ladies, however rich they may be," said Aunt Strapper, with a toss of the blue turban : "Miss Armadale indeed! I cannot imagine why such a fuss should be made about her. I hate purseproud people-always setting themselves up above their betters because they happen to be richer-nothing disgusts me so much. And who are the Armadales, I should like to know ?"

"A good old family," said Margaret, emphatically.

"Yes, my dear, some of them lived at Rockstone a long time ago, and all that—I know that very well; but they lost the estate, and were all at sixes and sevens, till they went into trade; and since then they have quite lost caste.

a fuss about a merchant's daughter, indeed!"

Such

"A gentleman's daughter," said Margaret, with kind

"and a real gentleman, noble, honorable, gener.

"All very fine, my dear: you have been well trained, I see; but I know the world: Mr. Armadale was all very well I never repeat reports, never; but have heard strange ones I dare say they are not true. I only know he made his money uncommonly fast, and people do say he was not very particular how, so as he got it. There are many doubts thrown on his being so excessively honorable, as you call it ; but you need not repeat this-I would not tell it to every body."

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"No-I should think not!" said Miss Armadale, bursting with indignation, "and as the whole of the report is an infamous calumny, I would advise you to take care how you repeat it at all !"'

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Calumny!" repeated Aunt Strapper, looking aghast. "Yes: calumny-falsehood, if you like it better: nothing can be too strong for such a libel on such a man. Excuse me, madam, but I must beg to decline any further conversation with you. I should have hoped that a lady of your age and experience would have been above repeating such paltry slanders as are a disgrace to yourself to utter, and to me to listen to!"

"What can be going on in that corner, between Aunt Strapper and Esther?" said Henrietta to Theodosia, "they were talking so quietly just now; and now, look how Esther is firing up! how queenly she looks-what is going on? Look, Cecilia, it is as good as a play.'

"So it is," said Cecilia, while Theodosia hurried away to give the alarm to her mother, "how delicious to see them together: it would make a picture, would it not? Look, look: I declare they have quarrelled, and there goes Esther, stalking off, like Margaret of Anjou, or Queen Bess. Aunt Strapper looks quite confounded, and there goes Aunt Crawford to hush it up: she's rather late: she won't be in good humor again in a hurry, or I am uncommonly mistaken. Well, this is fun."

Fun for Cecilia it might be other people's dilemmas generally were: but it was none for her unlucky hostess, who was just beginning to discover, that in grasping at the bird in the bush, she was risking the one in the hand: and