ever; and I tell you, when I think of his winning her-he who can no more appreciate or understand her than this pavement can-when I think that she will give herself to him for the sake of the gewgaws of wealth and position-that he with his gold can buy the joys I by my mad folly have let slip, I swear to you, Mount, that I could strike out of my path the man I once loved so well, with as little compunction as I would crush a worm."

This fiery avalanche of words nearly stunned me. My dear Willie !" I involuntarily exclaimed.

"You are surprised, Mount? Not more than I am,” said Willie, with a short laugh. "If any one had told me that a girl I didn't know four months ago would break the friendship between me and Tom, I would have given them the lie to their face!"

"No, I'm not surprised," said I, "for I know by myself what we all come to some time or other. But in the name of all the gods, Willie, why the deuce, if you care so much for Vivia, do you let her be carried off before your very eyes ?"

"Because 4001. a year would have no chance against 2000l., if the 20001. offered first," said he, between his teeth. "Besides, I first put Tom on the scent; it is only due to him to give him play to succeed if he can. But for my folly in proposing her to him he might never have thought of her, and, if she choose to accept him, neither he nor she shall ever know I grudge him the toy he has bought with his wealth."

He paused. I heard his loud, quick breathing, and as the light of a lamp fell on his face, it was tired, worn, and deathly pale. "But if Vivia's fond of you? and I would bet a good deal she is," said L.

He seized my arm with an iron gripe. "Hush, hush! give me no hope, or I shall lose all control over myself. If she love me, and be worth loving, she will not marry Tom, being indifferent to him, had he the wealth of all the diggings. But I will not hope, I will not suffer myself to dwell on it, for all women are alike; and why should I expect her to be different from all her sex, and reject what from her cradle she has of course been taught to value? I cannot expect it. I will not dare to hope it."

We had reached his chambers; he bid me a hasty good night, and went in at his own door.

The day after we were going to Sydenham, to "bid the darling Palace good-by," as Maude said, and Tom and Willie were to meet us there, in the Alhambra Court. To the Court of Lions came Tom, but without De Rohan; he hadn't seen him, he said, at all that morning; and Vivia, who'd been silently looking after every distant hat with black whiskers under it, grew pale and distraite, and, joining my mother, left Helen to amuse poor Tom, who looked exceedingly blank thereat.

"What's come to Vivia?" I asked Maude, as we strolled together into the Rosery. "Her spirits are so variable; sometimes they're unnaturally wild, and at others she's as sad and silent as possible."

"Well," whispered Maude, confidentially, "I'm afraid she cares a good deal too much about that friend of yours."

"What, Tom?" said I, disappointed and annoyed, to say truth, for I didn't care about Goring, poor old fellow, as I did about Will.

"Tom? No!" repeated Maude, disdainfully. "He's a good-natured,

agreeable man enough, but he hasn't the fascination of that clever, charming Mr. de Rohan; for clever and charming he is, though I think he behaves very capriciously to Vivia, seeking her one day and scarcely speaking to her the next. No man has a right to do that; he should know his wishes one way or another."

"Quite right, my young philosopher," said I; "but perhaps Willie can't do what he wishes."

"Then he should tell her so," said Maude, "and let them sorrow over it together. It isn't so pleasant to have to think one day that a man idolises you, and the next that he doesn't care about you more than about his cigar-ash. I've tried it, monsieur, so I can tell you."

Here our conversation took a personal turn, and-to the shame of my friendship be it spoken-I forgot De Rohan's happiness in my own. About six we came suddenly upon him; he had just come in, looking tired and ill, as men do look who've sat up half the night smoking over anxious and bitter thoughts.

“Where is”—he was going to say Vivia; but, instead, said—“ the rest of your party?"

I don't know," laughed Maude. "We have not seen any of them. Where have you been? Mr. Goring came in proper time."

"I have been engaged all day," he answered; but I saw he winced at Tom's name like a hound at sight of the whip.

Willie soon left us, thinking, I dare say, that he was de trop; and, as he told me afterwards, strolled listlessly about, longing to meet Vy, and yet dreading it. As he passed the great winged bulls into the Egyptian Court, he came suddenly on her. She was standing there with Tom, who was leaning down over her. Willie says, that if he'd had a pistol in his hand, he could have shot his best friend dead like any dog, in the fierce misery of the moment; and I don't doubt it.

"And will nothing change your determination, Vivia?" Tom was saying, his voice very hoarse and low. "I will stay in England; live wherever you wish, do whatever you wish, if you will only try to-____”

Vivia put out her hand with a gesture, entreating him to be silent. "Hush, hush! pray don't-it is no use, you only pain me."

"Tell me only one thing, do you care for any one else ?" asked Tom, eagerly.

Vivia's head drooped; she blushed scarlet, and tears started into her eyes.

Tom knew what that meant, and he turned away without another word; his gay, good-humoured face white as death, he brushed past Willie like a madman, and went hurriedly out of the court. A miracle had come to pass-a girl who wanted a home had refused 2000l. a year. Willie strode up to her, half wild, too, with conflicting passions.

it possible, Vivia-tell me the truth-you have rejected him ?" "Yes, yes," said Vivia, passionately.

"Is

Do you think so meanly of me as to dream that I was to be bought by money? Low as you hold women, I should have thought you might have known-"

Willie interrupted her vehement harangue by pressing her wildly to his heart and kissing the lips that had sealed poor Tom's doom. "Thank God-thank God!" he murmured. Vivia, you will not send me after

him ?"

She didn't send him after Tom. Willie was not a man to be sent away by any woman; and we were admiring the transept by moonlight, when he and Vy at length saw fit to join us- -Willie's dark eyes glistening with the warmth and tenderness that had so long lain slumbering.in his heart for want of the right touch to waken it. His family, as I've told you, weren't worthy of him; the women he'd met had been frivolous, worldly, and heartless, as the generality of women unhappily are. People hadn't understood him-had liked him for his conversational powers and attractive manners, and looked no further. So Willie had kept all his deep feelings locked up out of sight, and only those who, like Vivia, loved him, by their love had power to see all that lay hid from ordinary eyes in his warm and generous nature.

Poor Tom! who'd been so very sure of winning a wife the moment he did a girl the honour of asking for one! He was more cut up about it than I should have thought he ever would be about anything; but I couldn't feel half for him as I might have done otherwise, because I was so delighted for Willie.

"It serves Mr. Goring perfectly right," Maude averred. "What business had he to suppose that, just because he happened to have some money, he could buy any girl he liked with a wedding-ring, as easily as he could buy a meerschaum or a terrier? I only hope it may take his vanity down a little."

"But I know somebody," interrupted Vivia, with an arch glance at De Rohan, "who was quite as bad about women, and worse."

"And who hasn't got punished at all, you mean," laughed Willie. "Poor old Tom! I could have shot him last night, I can pity him now. But there's one thing, with his light temperament it won't go as hard with him as it would have done with me, I'm afraid. Really, my pet, you're as destructive to men's peace as the Sicilian Syrens: we shall have to label you Dangerous,' and shut you away from society!"

Vivia laughed.

"But you deserved to be punished for your horridly sceptical opinions. The idea of your putting yourself on a level with Tom if he'd had a million a year and you only a private's pay! Money will not make the man, monsieur, to every woman, and I'm not sure that I shall forgive you for believing that 20007, a year would win me over, whether or no I cared for the donor. And," said Miss Vy, putting her head on one side, and looking at Willie with a mischievous tenderness calculated to drive him still more mad about her, which, Heaven knows, was needless!" and if Mr. Goring really wished to win, he should have been more careful in choosing his ambassador, for all the gold out of the diggings, to my mind, isn't worth one of those dear, dark curls of yours."

Whereat, Willie of course vowed more gratitude for the frank compliment than any mortal could pay in a lifetime, and thought what a blessed chance it was that, among the rank weeds of society he'd been wont to mow down with such ruthless sarcasm, this little wild flower had sprung up for his special benefit.

He was quite right-it didn't go so hard with Tom as it would have done with him; but I suspect that Tom felt it much more than he'd confess, though he carried it off with a laugh at his own expense, and quoted

If she be not fair for me,

What care I how fair she be.

"Well," said he one night, when we three were alone, "we've lived to see a miracle, Willie, and 'pon my life it's as hard to swallow as Balaam's talkative quadruped. Unless I'd seen it, I wouldn't have believed in a young lady who wouldn't snap at a golden bait. The next time I try the matrimonial line, I'll be obliged to you, De Rohan, to keep out of the way, for if they catch sight of you they won't look at me. I think I'd better make up to Maude. I like the family." "Hallo, Tom! I hope you won't," said I, "for I've a weakness for that young lady."

"By Jove!" whistled poor Tom. "Well, Helen, then?"

I laughed outright. "Helen's engaged to a man out in India. He's coming for her this winter."

66

"Was ever man so unlucky!" sighed Tom. Why, all the streams have been whipped before me. I'll go back to the Bush; women are seven to one there, and they can't be so deucedly hard to get. I did think of taking your mother rather than have none, for she's an amiable old lady; but I overheard her last week say that Mr. Goring was nice enough, but William de Rohan was a dear'-her acme of praise and adoration, as everybody knows, and I won't enter the lists with Will again, if I know it."

But though Tom thus made jest at his disappointment, he was very down in the mouth about it, and not being stoic enough to stay and see Willie's elysium, soon went off to the moors to try if he could stalk and shoot his sorrow away; but he says he shall go back to the Bush, and I suspect it will be as he came-a bachelor. As for myself, I am very happy-I must say, happier than I ever thought I should be; and as for Willie-dear old fellow--he beats me, if possible, for if your deep, intense natures do get hold of love at last, it's wonderful how strong it is, and how they appreciate it when they get it returned to 'em. Vy spurs him on, and gives him an interest in everything. Willie can work with all the energy and vehemence of his nature now he's got an object to work for-all the high spirits of his boyhood have come back, and I don't believe there would be a single shadow on his present and his future, if in the race for the gold Cup of happiness the BUSH could have stood winner as well as the BAR.

VERSAILLES.-Up the chesnut alley,
All in flower, so white and pure,
Strut the red and yellow lacqueys
Of this Madame Pompadour.

"Clear the way!" cry out the lacqueys,
Elbowing the lame and poor
From the chapel's stately porches-
"Way for Madame Pompadour!"
Old bent soldiers, crippled veterans,
Sigh and hobble, sad, footsore,
Jostled by the chariot-horses

Of this woman-Pompadour.
Through the levee (poet, marquis,
Wistful for the opening door),
With a rippling sweep of satin,
Sailed the queenly Pompadour.

Sighs by dozens, as she proudly
Glides, so confident and sure,

With her fan that breaks through halberds-
In went Madame Pompadour.

Starving abbé, wounded marshal,

Speculator, lean and poor,

Cringe and shrink before the creatures

Of this harlot Pompadour.

"Rose in sunshine! summer lily!"

Cries a poet at the door,

Squeezed and trampled by the lacqueys
Of this witching Pompadour.

"Bathed in milk and fed on roses!"
Sighs a pimp behind the door,
Jammed and bullied by the courtiers
Of this strumpet Pompadour.

"Rose of Sharon !" sings an abbé,
Fat and with the voice of four,
Black silk stockings soiled by varlets
Of this Rahab Pompadour.

"Neck so swan-like-Dea certe,
Fit for monarchs to adore!"
"Clear the way!" was still the echo,
"For this Venus-Pompadour."

OPEN!-with the jar of thunder

Fly the portals-clocks strike four: With a burst of drums and trumpets Come the KING AND POMPADOUR.