of tongue, assume a more placable look, and a less burly and boisterous tone.

Observing the

stern expression that still lowered upon Goldingham's brow, he said, with as much suavity as his naturally arrogant manner would allow, "People cannot be too cautious, Mr. Goldingham, what servants they admit into their houses, new-a-days. This old greybeard of yours has the very stamp of a knave upon his features. Cave quos Deus ipse notavit. My Lord here, our noble host, would not, I dare avouch, receive any servant, except out of a loyal and true family. We should do well to imitate the example of Sir Jeoffry Palmer, sometime Attorney General, who would take no clerks but staunch Cavaliers, never spelt Oliver with a great O, and bought the manor of Charleton because his master's name sounded in it."

To the great joy of Helen and Adeline, as well as Reuben, this most turbulent and harassing dinner was now drawing to a close, and they were congratulating themselves in the thought of its having hitherto passed off without discovery

him

and mischief, when an incident unexpectedly oc curred, which placed them all three in the most imminent and harrowing jeopardy. Mrs. Chatsworth, determined to have a better view of Reuben's handsome face and figure, though she entertained not the remotest suspicion of his being other than he seemed, called him up by his assumed name of Norton, and held him for a minute or two by her side, while she gave orders about some particular wine which she pretended to want. At this juncture Goldingham, who was immediately opposite, happened to fix his eyes upon him, and thrown completely off his guard by instantly recognizing his nephew, he struck, the handle of his knife violently upon the table, ejaculating with starting eyes and a face of crimson-" Gracious Heaven!"

Adeline, who had marked the whole transac tion, and concluded that all was over with her lover, fell back in her chair with an hysterical cry, screaming out, "He will be seized!-he will be seized!" Most fortunately for all parties, Helen too had noticed the occurrence;

she gave Goldingham a significant glance, which recalled him in some degree to his self-possession, and seeing that there was no method of averting suspicion, but by increasing the general confusion, she started up, as if to assist Adeline, but in such a manner as purposely to upset a bottle of wine, of which the greater portion fell into Lady Crockatt's lap. Uttering a still louder scream than Adeline, her ladyship also started up, shaking off the remains of the obnoxious liquid, and exclaiming, "Eugh! I am wet through, and with my dreadful rheumatism! My drops, my drops! I shall be dead to-morrow!"

"I fear not," whispered Sir Carroll to his neighbour, shaking his head as he spoke.

Adeline's words had caught the attention of both Jeffreys and Kirk, whose senses were always on the qui vive for seizures, and both exclaimed, nearly at the same instant, "Who will be seized? Who is it that will be seized ?"

A general and deep silence of a few seconds followed this question, until Lord Trevanian, standing up, said in a loud and solemn voice,

"Miss Trevanian-Miss Adeline TrevanianI command you to explain the meaning of this disturbance."

'My Lord," said Helen, "we both of us saw Mr. Goldingham apparently in imminent danger of choking; he turned so red in the face, and his eyes looked so dreadful, that Adeline, thinking, I presume, he was about to be seized with a fit, uttered an exclamation to that effect. I arose hastily, to offer my assistance, and in my agita. tion overturned a bottle of wine, an inadvertence for which I most earnestly implore the pardon of Lady Crockatt, while I intreat forgiveness of the whole company for the confusion. I have so unintentionally occasioned."

Thus furnished with a cue, Goldingham began to cough, and call for water, and look as much as possible like a half-strangled person; declaring that he had never had so narrow an escape in his life, and observing how cautious people ought to be not to eat too fast.

66

“Lord! Lord!” cried Jeffreys; "I thought you City gentlemen, who could swallow the plot, who could believe that Sir Dudley North was to

be skinned, stuffed, and hung up in Guildhall, and the Protestants to be boiled alive, would never find any thing stick in your throats; eh, ha? Perhaps, like Master Sheriff Bethel, the fanatic, you think the Fire of London was a judgment for gluttony, since it began in Pudding Lane and ended in Pie Corner; and have therefore so long kept Lent, that—"

"Was there ever such horrid selfishness as this?" interposed Lady Crockatt; "I am wet through-I am in agonies-I am dying—and nobody-Eugh! I shall faint-I shall expire! and that wretch, Crawley, has forgotten to put my salts in my pocket!"

"Helen! Adeline! attend her Ladyship instantly into my bed-room, and I will follow you in a few minutes," said Lady Trevanian. With an alacrity not easily to be described, did her daughters obey this injunction. Reuben was shortly after enabled to betake himself to the kitchen, agitated with the keenest emotion at his unexpected deliverance from the clutches of Jeffreys and Kirk, for he had considered himself lost; and penetrated with the most grate