eyes. Had a certain countess been as circumspe as my dear mother, instead of putting her daught in the way of a certain illustrious personage abroa one less unhappy match would have been made, an wounded pride and wounded dignity might have bee spared on either side.

CHAPTER II.

THREE days and not a letter! we were both in consternation, for our situation began to be critical.

Our sudden departure from

Hall, our hiding

ourselves at the Cottage, the Duke being fetched home by his parent and guardians, their family consultation, the preparation for his Grace's sudden departure abroad; all began to create suspicion and get wind. Servants will tattle; all great people's secrets come out that way. The Honorable Mrs. Gmight have been with her first husband 'till now but for these spies. Our story began to be told for us, without our troubling ourselves; very delicate hints escaped the public prints; scandal was resolved to have a dish of us; and our good female friends did all they could to assist us.

Lady Mildew (for so I shall call my co insinuated, that I was about to form a very impr connection, which induced my mother to lock me and that the Duke had been dismissed Mr. Doricou house for an affair of gallantry in the family. T was most offensive. I should have preferred the tr being told; but Lord Lackworth's affair had b confounded with the Duke's, and scandal made up

66

rest. A vile morning paper hinted that a cert Duke's neglect of a Right Honorable sentimental la had so affected her spirits, that she was under t treatment of Dr. Willis; that the daily bulletins scribed her hurry of spirits to be a little abated; b that a gold ring and a licence were considered by t faculty as the only radical cure." Who the obligi person was who inserted this article, we know no My mother was so enraged at it, at first, that sh consulted her lawyer with a view of prosecuting fo libel; but it was, afterwards, determined to pass

b

by in silent contempt, as an opposite conduct would. only produce further exposure.

In spite of all orders to say "not at home,"* both in town and in the country, Lady Mildew found her way down to Woodbine Cottage, passed the porter (it was Mr. Doricourt's opinion that she would have eluded the vigilance of Cerberus), and gained admission to the drawing-room. She entered the foldingdoors with great stage effect; and beginning her scene with me, approached. She forced out a few crocodile-tears, and, kissing me between my eye-brows,. and gently tapping my cheek, exclaimed, " poor thing, don't fret." Then, turning majestically to my mother, "Cousin, I hope that nothing has occurred to tarnish the honor of the ancient and noble family of

to which I belong." Here she drew herself up,

and looked as stiff as a poker..

"Could our ancestors look up," continued So m

"it would rouse them from their graves. Generals and Admirals, besides a Lord Chamber two Lords of the Bed Chamber, four High Sherif succession of one county, the county town th represented in Parliament by our namee-then ag Lord John, who was in the wars with the Duke Argyle, and Sir Roger who accompanied Will Duke of Cumberland, my great maternal grand un who was a Count of the Holy Roman Empire, a Marmaduke, who was Lord Lieuteuant of the cou in King George the first's time; Sir Alexander, w married" "In mercy stop," cried my moth "What on earth, cousin, can make you rave this wa Are you in a waking dream, or have you been lat in the neighbourhood of Bethlem? Explain yourse 1 'pray you, for you quite alarm us, and you are inexplicable as a treaty in sanscrit would be to m