and a venez à moi breast-knot. Dis donc, Helen, shall I wear my tocque trimmed with Colbertine, this cornet edged with point d'Espagne, or my bonnet à la folle ?"

"The latter, by all means, if you are determined to set your cap at your visitor in so pointed a manner."

"Oh, there is no necessity for that, I promise you. But I must run away to my own room. Give me one of your black patches, Helen, or I shall forget to draw attention to the dimple on my chin. Grace! Grace!—that psalm-singing girl is always out of the way when she is most wanted. Au revoir! au revoir !"

Without waiting to be summoned, Helen descended into the drawing-room, when Goldingham, before she could congratulate his nephew upon his safe return, hastened up to her, and in the warmest terms expressed their joint thanks for the inappreciable benefits she had conferred upon them both. Turning to her Ladyship, he enlarged in glowing language upon the magnanimity and superior good sense invariably evinced by Helen, which he considered the

more extraordinary in one so young; declared that it put such greybeards as himself completely to the blush; and concluded by felicitating her Ladyship on the possession of such a paragon of a daughter. During this eulogy, Helen kept her looks fixed upon the ground, while a deep blush overspread her features; and as Reuben cast a glance at her long black eyelashes, overshadowing her glowing cheeks, like the dark streaks stealing into the vermilion of the tulip, he thought he had never gazed upon anything more interesting and lovely. As soon as Goldingham's silence allowed him, he expressed, in the most passionate language that an overcharged heart could dictate, his gratitude for the generous protection she had condescended to afford him; hoping she would pardon the deep anxiety he must have occasioned her, as her Ladyship had already forgiven him for intruding himself into her service under a feigned name.

"Nay, Sir, I have forgiven you more faults than that," said Lady Trevanian; "for I had often occasion to observe that you knew no

thing of your business, and made but a bungling butler."

In the most frank and unaffected manner Helen was congratulating her visitants on the happy cessation of all their troubles, and disclaiming her own title to the praises lavished upon her, since she had only obeyed the dictates of common humanity, when the door opened, and Adeline, in her bell-hoop, came swimming into the room with all the established steps and studied nonchalance she had learnt from her French governess, the ribbons, pinners, ruffles, and lappets of her outré dress streaming from her as she advanced, the patch upon her chin not having been forgotten, and her multitudinous locks being all upon the qui vive, ready to do execution and earn their beau-killing Handsome she still looked, for no disfigurement could render her otherwise; nor was she deficient in a certain air of distinction, but there was as usual something so fantastical in her garb;-her manner, that of a forward girl affecting confusion and bashfulness, was so conceited; and her Frenchified conversation

names.

so exclamatory and jejune that the tout ensemble was not likely to captivate any very intelligent observer. In addressing Reuben she endeavoured to blush and look agitated, but could not get any farther than a sheepish expression, and a half suppressed giggle. When he expressed his thanks, however, for her generous conduct towards him, which he did in the most fervent and animated terms, her delight became manifest. She smirked, and simpered, and blushed, and counted the sticks of her fan, occasionally casting a most significant glance at Helen, as if to say-listen how passionately he is making love to me-behold a confirmation of all that I have asserted-recognize my acknowledged suitor! Recovering, or rather resuming, her confidence, after this new proof of her lover's homage, (for such she deemed it,) she attempted to show off before his uncle by her usual Anglo-gallic rattle, though she could hardly have hit upon a more unfortunate expedient. To Goldingham's bigoted notions, which made him even refrain from French wines upon a John Bullish sort of

principle, every word of that language seemed to involve a popish plot. He made no secret, therefore, either of his own total ignorance of the tongue, or of his dislike of introducing their contraband terms into our own language; and Adeline, willing to oblige the uncle of her Arcadius, tried as much as possible to talk plain, intelligible English, though we are compelled to record that her success was only partial. Two hours thus passed away rapidly and happily to all parties, Reuben listening to every word that dropped from Helen's lips with increased admiration and delight; and Adeline, in her turn, devouring all that was uttered by her presumed lover, with a fond amazement at his prodigious talent and unrivalled power of fascination. Goldingham then rose to depart, promising however, in answer to Lady Trevanian's pressing invitations, that both himself and his nephew would seize early and frequent opportunities of returning to Harpsden Hall.

After morning service on the following Sunday, Reuben drove over in the carriage to the