dancing the Bransles, or Grammont's Galliard.
-Oh, my dear, dear London! when shall I see
thee again ?"

and

Helen bestowed upon the manteau all the commendations it merited, and finding her sister much less in need of consolation than she had anticipated, she slipped out of the room, leaving the "plaything of sensibility" so deeply engaged in bridling and coquetting, and looking first over one shoulder, then over the other, as she ducked, and dived, and swam up down before her swing glass, that she did not for some time perceive herself to be alone. By ringing the changes in this manner upon her wardrobe, by reading her romances, by singing French chansonnettes to the accompaniment of her guitar, by betaking herself to the summerhouse, and gazing for hours from the window, as if she expected her lover to serenade her from beneath in the disguise of a minstrel, or to come capering down the road like a hero of romance, and whisk her up behind him on his palfrey, she contrived to beguile the tedious time that brought her no tidings of her Arca

dius. With the usual resource of sanguine and deserted damsels, she drew largely upon hope, so as to make future bliss atone for present disappointment, though she was not without her fits of occasional despondency, in which she fixed herself in the most pensive and interesting attitude, she could devise, assumed a most lachrymose expression, suffered her hair to fall about her ears à la negligé, threw up her eyes appealingly to Heaven, and vented ever and anon a most suspirious "heigho!"

Helen in the meanwhile, without exhibiting the smallest alteration in her appearance or deportment, was a prey to the most acute anxiety, almost afraid to inquire about the passing events lest she should learn the fatal news of Reuben's being again arrested, and yet too deeply interested in his safety to be able to refrain from soliciting intelligence. None reached her, and she gathered hope from this absence of all information, although the pain of suspense seemed rather to increase than diminish with the lapse of time. Nor was Goldingham much less distressed than herself. The conso

lation of having saved his money was rapidly wearing away, and he even began to wish that the ten thousand pounds were in the pocket Jeffreys, provided he could see his nephew pardoned, and safe by his side; when through the friendly activity of Norry Molloy a letter was conveyed to him bearing the signature of Reuben, and dated from Boulogne. For fear of its falling into hostile hands it was very guardedly worded, merely announcing his safe arrival in France, and making no reference whatever to the mode of his escape; but the main fact was quite sufficient for Goldingham, who again hugged himself in high glee on having saved his money, and hurried off to Harpsden Hall, where his joyful tidings diffused, as it may easily be imagined, a not less lively delight than they had imparted to himself. Helen felt a load removed from her bosom by which she had long been oppressed, testifying by glistening eyes and an animated expression of benignant joy the effect of the intelligence; while Adelaide, simpering and looking as pleased and as pretty as she could, danced' about the room, declaring

she had always prognosticated his escape, because he was so spirituél and vif, and inventif; after the delivery of which opinion she turned her thoughts to the serious consideration of her wedding dress, a subject which had already flitted athwart her mind in the intervals of her more important frivolities, and which now came to occupy a prominent place in her reveries.

Although Reuben, however, was saved, Helen reminded Adeline that their own lives were still in jeopardy as his aiders and abettors, on which account it was necessary to observe the same strict secrecy as before. They both looked forward therefore with an increased impatience to the appearance of the amnesty, which it was now well known would be very shortly published. Most of those who were deemed competent to purchase a protection were understood to be in the list of the excepted, and a notorious bargaining for pardons was busily carried on in various quarters. The poor girls at Taunton who had worked the white banner for the Duke of Monmouth, having been declared amenable to the utmost severities of the

law, their ransom had been given as a perquisite to the maids of honour, who dispatched a special agent into Somersetshire to extort as much as possible from the terror and affections of their parents. Others were compounding in like manner for their offences, under which circumstances Helen submitted to Goldingham, that as his nephew's pardon might now probably be obtained on moderate terms, since he was be yond the reach of the law, while he must always remain an exile should he be in the list of exceptions, it might be advisable to renew the negotiation for his receiving the full benefit of the amnesty. This hint was gratefully accepted by the uncle, who declared, however, that he would leave the conclusion of the bargain in London to his friend Jemmy Tibbs, as he was determined never to exchange another word with the remorseless, blustering, and knavish Judge who had rejected his previous offers. To Jemmy Tibbs accordingly was the nego tiation entrusted, and as Jeffreys, now that he could not gratify his rancour, was very willing to indulge his rapacity, he readily stipulated,