for the sum of a thousand pounds, to grant the application in its full extent. It is very possible that Reuben's name would never have been specified in the list of the unpardoned, and that the worthy Judge, aware of this fact, was guilty of little less than a robbery in taking the money. Be this as it may, the contract was concluded after various delays the so long and so anxiously expected amnesty at length made its appearance; hundreds of painfully throbbing hearts were tranquillized by its publication; and perhaps, among the many families into whose bosoms it carried peace, it rendered none more supremely happy than Helen and Adeline, who not only saw themselves rewarded for their generous solicitude by the safety of its object, but were relieved from all apprehension of the dreadful fate in which they would have been inevitably involved, had their offence been discovered.

By Helen especially was it hailed with a more than common exultation, for independently of the other considerations in which her heart was deeply interested, it involved one of paramount importance; one, indeed, that was dearer to

her than life itself:we allude to the imputa tions upon her character, which Lady Crockatt and Mrs. Chatsworth, in spite of their pledge to the contrary, had circulated, by innuendoes and insinuations, rather than by direct averment, which had come to her knowledge by means of her faithful and confiding friend Emily; and which the amnesty now allowed her to refute with perfect safety to all parties Cir cumstances rendered the prompt performance of this duty peculiarly imperative upon her. During her residence with her bachelor uncle, he had, in his just indignation against Lady Trevanian's notorious indiscretions, put Helen in possession of all her misconduct, and held her up as a lesson and a warning upon her return home. The daughter had, in consequence, silently and unobtrusively, but with all the zeal of filial 'affection, endeavoured to repair, as far as could be accomplished by individual exertions, the errors of her parent, and to build up, if possible, a new reputation for the Hence she had strenuously advocated the plan for retiring into the country199 Hence

family!

the guarded, scrupulous attention to propriety and decorum, which had procured for her, from cher present calumniators, the name of a prim, demure, prudish, young minx; and hence her anxiety to remove every suspicion that might attach to the name of Trevanian, and interfere with her pious purpose of gradually reconciling her mother to society, and restoring her to that general, reception which her birth and talents entitled her to expect, though she had forfeited it by the glaring improprieties of her early life,

Animated with these pious hopes and wishes, she hastened in the first instance to Emily Hartfield, but had no sooner opened her lips on the subject of the eclaircissement, then her friend interrupted her by exclaiming—“ Not on my account, my dear Helen, not to me is any explanation necessary. I blush to think that I should ever have desired it, and if I consent to listen to your statement, it is only that I may be enabled, when slanderers would traduce your fair fame, to tell them they are liars in their teeth." She coloured deeply with indig

nation, and Helen, observing her emotion, expressed her hope that she would never have decasion to use language which might be considered somewhat too masculine, both for the speaker and the occasions ¿ytihiqertai taslov »

"Neither for one nor the other, "resumed Emily, quickly ff These are the occasions -when I feel most tempted to speak like a man; to wish even that the man's laws of honour were universally binding, that so the malignant scandal-mongers of our own sex might be made responsible with their lives for the unbridledbolicenses of their tongues. Let them be silenced by fear, if honesty and shame have lost their hold upon the slanderers HE Smiling at the generous warmth of her friend, Helen proceeded to explain the occurrences which had led to the apparently mysterious scene in the painting-room; mentioning the name of the party then concealed in the closet; the unexpected circumstances which had Vinduced herself and Adeline to interest themselves in his preservation and the alarming

7

events by which they had been agitated while hes remained an unwelcome though an unbetrayed inmate of Harpsdem Hall Emily testified the highestiladmiration of her friend's benevolent intrepidity, as well as of the prudence that had enabled her to steer through the dangers with which Adeline's indiscretion had environed her and willingly consented to ac

'

company her to Lady Crockatt's for the purpose of redeeming her pledge, and making the promised explanationvo to to go un-'ulance

Mrs Chatsworth and Miss Crawley were both with her Ladyship when they arrived, which Helen considered so far fortunate, as it would save any subsequent repetition of a statement she felt it humiliating to offer, however complete might be the exculpation it afforded. ff Oh my dear Miss Trevanian," cried Lady Crockatt, when she had finished cher 3 narrative, y and you need notesayca word more, I know you are always|fastidiously, squeamishly correct and decorous, and all that sort of thing; and if

you think it proper to have a young fellow