thought so,' methinks I hear you exclaim' one of Adeline's usual adventures, the mountain and the mouse.' Tout doucement, ma sœur, attends, attends, tu vas voir. This is only the beginning of an adventure which occurred this morning, which is at this moment, perhaps, receiving its accomplishment, and of which I am now writing you the details as they successively come to my knowledge.

"At about 11 o'clock, I sat myself down in the drawing-room, to read Petrarch's Sonnets to Laura; and, without withdrawing my eyes from the book, was occasionally pondering upon the mysterious stranger at the theatre, when I heard a noise in the apartment, and upon looking up-Gracious Heaven !—I beheld the very man actually kneeling at my feet! At the same moment the door opened, and in walked Captain Gahagan. In a moment I foresaw the dreadful consequences that might ensue : I expected to see his sword flash from its scabbard. The book fell from my hands: I uttered a piercing scream, and fainted away!

"On my recovery I found myself in my own

room, Lady Barbara's maid rubbing my nose
with salts till it was quite sore, and stunning
me with inquiries as soon as she saw that I had
recovered my recollection. For Heaven's sake!
Atkins,' I exclaimed, 'tell me what you know
of this mysterious man.'—' All I know, Miss,'
she replied, ‘is that he came with a bundle,
which he concealed in the Hall; and that when
he went out with the Captain there were high
words passing between them, for the Captain
gave his card, and talked of calling to-morrow;
when the strange gentleman said there was no
time like the time present, and so followed him
out of the house. Good heavens !' I ejaculated,
'then my worst fears are confirmed-they are
assuredly gone to fight a duel—there will be
bloodshed on account of the unfortunate Ade-
line—perhaps murder.' Good lack! Miss, I
hope not,' cried Atkins, 'I declare I feel all
over quite creepy and shivery like.'

"What am I to do, my dear Helen? for I
am addressing you as if you were present to
advise me; oh that you were! Lady Barbara
went out to spend the day just as the stranger

entered; Atkins is already frightened out of

her wits; and I cannot guess which road the combatants have taken, even if I could send any one to apprehend them. Quelle aventure what a distressing occurrence! and to a heart so tremblingly susceptible as mine. Then, my dear Helen, there will be such an eclat given to the affair; noticed perhaps in the Flying Courant, or the Observator, with the initials of my name at least; and such a mob of visitants coming to-morrow to inquire the particulars.—I hope my new dress will come home to-night. I can think of nothing-do nothing; may I die, Helen, if I can write more at present! I must break off.

2 o'clock. The same mystery-the same horrid uncertainty-no intelligence of the combatants. What will become of me? I am bewildered, distracted, agonized! Pity your wretched, too susceptible Adeline.

"3 o'clock.-No news-no tidings-no relief to these harassing sensations. Atkins has just brought me up some dinner upon a waiter; but to you who know the quivering acuteness of my feelings, I need not add that I have with diffi

culty picked the wing of a chicken, and just tasted two oyster patties. Atkins has gone down stairs. I hear a confused murmur of voices in the street, followed by a dreadful groan! My bosom throbs violently. Heavens! should it be one of the combatants passing the house upon a litter! Dying as I am to go to the window, I dare not do so for fear of encountering some horrid spectacle. Another groan! Atkins comes not; -any thing is better than this torturing uncertainty.I have been to the window, where I saw a crowd of brats surrounding Punch and Judy; the latter of whom, having just been knocked down by her husband, emitted the doleful groans I had heard. What a scandal it is that these sorry buffoons should thus be allowed to trifle with people's feelings--such feelings,

too, as mine!

“Atkins, I just recollect, said that the mys terious Unknown brought a bundle with him, which he seemed anxious to hide. How very strange! My mind is harassed, exhausted, with conjectures. What could it possibly contain? Perhaps a ladder of ropes, wherewith to urge

my escape; possibly a disguise, under which I was to be whisked away to witness: but ah, my foreboding heart!—still more likely that it contained the pistols, which at this very moment, perhaps horrid, horrid thought!! Don't forget, my dear Helen, to look at the Flying Courant to-morrow.

"7 o'clock. O gracious Heaven! my dearest Helen! I am ready to sink into the earth with confusion; je suis desolée, accablée, desesperée. The murder is out; that is to say, the no murder; and I am overwhelmed with unspeakable vexation. If the story transpires, I shall be the laugh of the whole season,―ten thousand fingers will be pointed at me. Mrs. Chatsworth will taunt and jibe me; Lady Crockatt will sneer; Emily Hartfield will blush and look foolish, as she always does; the Squire will ride home upon his old horse laugh for a month to come; and as to you, Helen, you will be so intolerably sapient and grave, and look so unmercifully full of pity. N'importe—I must tell you the secret. Who, then, do you think the wretch is?-the mysterious stranger-the ori