bert felt afraid to speak-something seemed to choke her, and, on her husband's part, there was a similar feeling, though arising from a different cause. At last he broke silence; and, while he had recourse to the watch and chain, playing with them to hide his confusion, he said,

"Well, Mabel, now you have unlocked your doors, and received company, I hope you do not mean to resume the fortification system again. Your party went off admirably, and the music was good-we must follow it up, however, by something else, for there is nothing so flat as one solitary entertainment; like a single sky-rocket, it ought only to precede a thousand others; besides it is time that Sarah should see the world."

Miss Herbert came into the room, and, running up to her father, wished him a thousand happy returns of the day. "But where have you been all the morning, papa?-we have been longing for you, and think that you ought not to have preferred any company to ours this day.”

"That is your opinion, Sarah."

"Ah! and it's mamma's, too;" and the tears came into her eyes.

Lady Herbert spoke not-her heart was too full-one word would have opened the floodgate of feeling, and then she could not have bid it back. Her daughter saw all, felt all, and, with a tact, such as women alone possess, she said, after a moment's awkward silence,

"You know, papa, I am a bad work woman, so I have not achieved any wonders with my needle, but I have endeavoured to learn some of your favourite airs, and will sing them to you to-night, if you will promise to stay with

us.

"I always intended to do so," he replied, and Lady Herbert felt, at that moment, as though she were the happiest of women.

"It is strange how little aliment will sometimes suffice to entertain love, but then it must be often supplied. That evening, a family party met in Herbert House, and they were once more, to all appearance, a happy circle; Lord de Montmorenci was the only person present who was not a relation, and he was so much one of themselves, that his presence made no difference in the ease and familiarity of that social circle. Miss Herbert's promised songs were sung, and rapturously praised by her father.

"I had no idea, Sarah, that you could sing with such

pathos, such feeling, and I must add, so much taste; but you owe it all to Miss Clermont. Miss Clermont (going towards her) I had not anticipated such a result from the kind pains you have taken with Sarah. We owe you more than we can ever repay for giving her such a talent."

"No, my lord, I cannot allow you to say so, all debt is on my side; and, in respect to the expression of Miss Herbert's singing, it is, I assure you, entirely her own."

Lord de Montmorenci joined in her father's praise, and Miss Herbert, being requested to repeat one of the songs, did so in a manner that affected her hearers even to tears. Without being a feeble imitator of the inimitable Moore, she sang, from the same inspired source-she sang because she loved to sing-and because it was another vehicle to express that sentiment which was a part of herself. Miss Clermont spoke the truth when she said Miss Herbert owed nothing to her instructions-as certain plants are indigenous to certain soils, Sarah's music was the growth of her own feelings, and its effect was as original as it was irresistible. To witness her father's fond delight, as he hung enraptured over his daughter was happiness to Lady Herbert, such as she never thought she should have felt more. Lord de Montmorenci was wrapt in attention, and Miss Clermont, when she ended her song, asked him what he thought of her pupil's performance.

"It is exactly like her mother's," he replied, "only her voice is not yet so rich in tone as Lady Herbert's, but I dare say it will become so."

66

Well, De Montmorenci, what sentence do you pronounce upon Sarah's singing?" asked Lord Herbert. He repeated what he had just been saying.

"Ah yes, to be sure, Mabel did sing very well, but her voice is passée now; it is Miss Clermont, you know, who has instructed Sarah."

Lord de Montmorenci replied, "I do not reckon myself a judge of the subject, but I never desire to hear any music more charming than that of Lady Herbert's."

"You do me honour," replied Lord Herbert, in a forced manner, such as he could assume when he was not pleased.

The door opened-Sir Charles Lennard was announced.. He went to the sofa on which Lady Herbert was sitting, and paid her a compliment, in his way, upon her husband's birth-day, his good looks and her own, and then offered a

large bunch of violets, which she accepted and placed in her bosom-then whispered something in her ear which no one but herself could hear.

She answered aloud, "I thought you were gone, or going to Paris."

Again he replied in a whisper.

Miss Clermont observed to Lord de Montmorenci, "F am afraid Lady Herbert is not well, she changes colour in so remarkable a manner."

Her observation was true; and it distressed the person to whom it was addressed; for once, however, he feigned and said he did not see any alteration in Lady Herbert's appearance. Miss Clermont looked steadily at him, and, with an air of deep concern, she added,

"All is not gold that glitters; the happiness which seems to reside under this roof is not genuine, it is of spurious quality; and I foresee a storm coming which will overthrow it entirely."

Lord de Montmorenci endeavoured not to understand her, and replied,

"Be not a prophesier of evil-it does not become your youth, Miss Clermont, to look on the dark side of things; at all events, if happiness does not reside here, it ought: for angels dwell beneath this roof.”

"Oh, you know," she rejoined, laughing, "we women are all angels, but there are some of your sex, to whom the epithet does not exactly apply-what think you of Sir Charles?"

"Sir Charles is Lord Herbert's friend, and I am always inclined to think well of my friend's friend.

"What a Jesuitical answer! but never mind, do not be afraid, I shall not probe you farther. Le Sage entend a demi mot."

And, passing from his side, Miss Clermont moved to a vacant chair by Lord Herbert, and asked one of those questions which seem to lead to nothing-but which are thrown out at a venture in order to begin a conversation:"Has your lordship seen the magnificent elephant newly arrived at the Zoological Gardens"

No; but I should like to do so. I will drive you there, to-morrow; as an old papa, you know, there can be nothing against etiquette in my doing so, and Lady Herbert and Sarah may join us. Will. you allow me that pleasure?"

Miss Clermont fixed her eyes for a moment on his, and then dropping them suddenly, she replied,

If you are sure I shall offend no one, I shall be most happy."

"Offend!-who-why? What! do you mean that Mabel will be jealous? Upon my honour, that would be too ridiculous," laughing. "You, who I have considered from a mere child to be always one of ourselves. No, no, she is tolerably ridiculous, sometimes; but she is not yet come to that."

Miss Clermont's countenance bore the marks of a thousand different emotions; but Lord Herbert did not decipher the characters he might have read there; he only repeated his invitation, which she accepted-then, as though suddenly recollecting something, she said,

By the bye, I shall not get my perfumes from Paris, after all Sir Charles Lennard's offers to bring me some from thence; he is at Lady Herbert's feet as usual, and seems to have no thought of going hence."

"As to that, Miss Clermont, if you rely upon any thing that Lennard says he is going to do, or not to do, you may as well rely upon the winds; but he is a most agreeable man-I could not exist without him, and I believe he is the best fellow in the world."

You are very good, Lord Herbert, very kind-may you find all those whom you love deserving of your confidence"

At that moment, Sir Charles approached them; he whispered to Lord Herbert, and the latter immediately rose, took his arm, and they walked out of the room together."

CHAPTER X.

JEALOUSY.

These lines I write not to remove
United souls from serious love:
The best attempts by mortals made
Reflect on things which quickly fade;
Yet never will I men persuade
To leave affections, where may shine
Impressions of the love divine.

SIR JOHN BEAUMONT.

SIR Charles Lennard's whisper had poured poison into the ear of Lady Herbert, and overcast the gleam of sunshine in which she temporarily basked; but she had replied to his information with a calm dignity which, for the time, repelled his projects, and made him shrink within himself.

"You are," he said, "invulnerable to all that sways your sex, and did I not know that your affections are awake for one happy person, I should suppose that you were incased in ice."

"Pardon me," she said to him, "I am neither cold nor indifferent, and few things give me a greater sense of depression than the knowledge of existing crime; except the knowledge, that as far as regards this world, providing guilt escapes detection, it does not seem to affect happiness; but I never am obliged to any one who tells me a scandalous story. On the contrary, I cannot avoid feeling as though they placed a dark veil over me, I like to believe every body true, every body kind, every body pure; the melancholy conviction which time forces upon me that it is otherwise, is never a welcome truth, but the reverse." Sir Charles Lennard was silenced.

The next day, Lady Herbert and her daughter were in the Zoological Gardens, accompanied by Lord de Montmorenci and Sir Charles; they went by appointment to meet Lord Herbert and Miss Clermont, but they looked for them. in vain. All the avenues were searched;-they paused at the prison-house of the wretched animals-they retraced.