Of

you know; but I discovered that Harry was crying that day so much, because you were gone. Dear little fellow, he has a most affectionate heart, just like mine. I sent for him immediately I knew, frankly told him he was a good little boy, and gave him some sugar-plums. course he missed you, as we all do; and this letter is to request, dear Uriel, that you will return as soon as possible. I shall hope to find you in town on our arrival. My Lord is very kind, and plays piquet every evening with me. But he objects to throwing up his hand, when he has been dealt a good one. He says, 'Allow me to play it out, and you shall mark the score,' which does nearly as well, though not quite, as I don't like playing a bad hand. Mr. Grant is a very ridiculous person-he said my coachman must be dismissed-he never went to church. Though I think Mrs. Grant is worse, and by no means well-bred. She told me I ought not to spend so much time at 'piquet,' that I could make a petticoat for a poor woman in that time. Conceive, a petticoat for a poor woman! What is the meaning of the woman being poor, if she cannot make her own petticoat? Pinmaurice

makes all mine. I told her she spoke very foolishly, and did not know what ladies in my position ought to do. And she said 'they were only dust and ashes, like any other mortal.' Did you ever hear of such ill-breeding? They altered very much after you left, and became very presuming.

"I advised my Lord never to speak to either of them again, but he said he could not take the trouble of remembering he was not to speak to them. I don't think I shall. I don't think I ought-after taking away my Lord's character, as they did about you. I ought to show I am justly indignant.-So now good bye, dearest Uriel. It is pleasant to be able to write to you, freely and fully. Perhaps you did not know I was always celebrated for writing letters. It is not at all fatiguing either, because you can lay back, and have your sloping writing table, and everything convenient. Pray, remember I expect to find you in Grosvenor Square. In fact, as Pinmaurice and my Lord will tell you, I have been miserable without you; and if you love me,

you will not fail to be there.

CHAPTER XIV.

"So beautiful, so full of life they seem'd,
So made entire of beams of angels' eyes.
Gay, guileless, sportive, lovely little things!
Playing around the den of sorrow, clad
In smiles, believing in their fairy hopes,
And thinking man and woman true.”

POLLOK.

"THE Lady" must have wished for me, as she took the trouble of coming down to Brighton for the express purpose of taking me back again-and brought my darling with her.

"Oh! Nellie, Nellie," said he, clasping me close, "boy had fat heads all day."

It was necessary to leave that house for a few days. I had gone too suddenly into all the hor

rors of the sick room; a total loss of appetite, and a succession of fainting fits every morning, proved, "when the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak."

recognised me. acknowledged it.

I had not yet told Selina of my nightly task, neither could I guess if Lady Maria had ever If she had, no sign on her part But her doctor had discovered it, from being called in, to recover me from a sudden swoon of deadly sickness. And he it was who advised me to absent myself for a short time, just to breathe other air as a medicine. Meantime a proper nurse should attend in my place. During my short absence, he gave me some direction to follow, which would inure me better to this painful duty.

So I returned to town with my boy and "the Lady." The breath of the fresh air in her company, made that company very pleasant. How brave is the spirit to do what it knows not; how weak to perform what is disagreeable.

However, I was to keep up my spirits-not lower them. So we had a merry journey to town; "the Lady" declared she had not felt so well for a month past. And my boy was happy

submitting to a wonderful lot of whims from his mother the whole journey up, without a murmur. When Glynne saw me at dinner, he said, "Brighton seems not to agree with you.

دو

"That is what I tell her," said " the Lady;" only think I found her lying on a sofa. I knew she would be sadly anxious and vexed about me.'

I did not answer either of them; but while I was playing at the piano, Glynne came up to me, and said, "do you intend going back to Brighton?" "I must return," I answered.

"Nellie, do you ever look in the glass?" he asked, after a pause,—

''

Yes, several times a day."

"Can you not perceive the change a fortnight has made in you? you are very transparent and shadowy."

"I was foolish, and did too much; it won't happen again." There was a pause of some minutes.

"Can

you go to-morrow night with Neville, to a children's ball, at S- House? Miss Har

rington and I are engaged out to dinner! I will come for you both, after it is over."

I agreed.