formed her, of her own accord, of the history of Mrs. Mapletoft's grievances, slightly touched upon some law dispute between Mr. Lascelles and her brother Tom; and concluded with saying, the disorder of Miss Ravenshawe and Miss De Ross arose from their near connexion with him by marriage, for that he had run away with a daughter of lord Lulworth's, Miss Anna De Ross.

Here Julia became all attention; she would have willingly demanded a fuller explanation; but at this moment Miss Birkit rose to take leave, on hearing another visitor announced-it was Miss Nelthorpe.

Miss Somerville hoped the communicative little lady would make her amends for what she lost by the departure of Miss Birkit; but, somehow or other, Miss Nelthorpe had no inclination to gratify her euriosity; she even seemed to repent the few words she had dropped on a former occasion. In fact, unpromising as this lady's

lady's appearance was, she was too deeply implicated in the singular fate of Lascelles not to feel much uneasiness on reverting to past transactions-" What's Hecuba to her, or she to Hecuba?"

This was very true; yet it is equally certain, that Julia's curiosity increased in exact proportion with the difficulty of gratifying it. It was a strange thing to see a young man, of apparently the most amiable disposition and correct deportment, placed in a sacred relation with regard to others, yet shunned and avoided. A kind of gloomy mystery seemed to hang over Anna's fate. Whether from fear of lord Lulworth, or consideration for Mr. Lascelles, the country neighbours did little more than sigh, shrug, shake their heads, and say-" It was a sad business," the few times the hateful subject was mentioned.

Gossiping with servants and inferiors Julia held in dignified abhorrence. She saw that Lascelles was severely judged by his equals, and also remarked, from the looks

looks interchanged between him and lord Lulworth's family in public, and the dislike manifested by Amelia and Miss Ravenshawe, that he derived no consolation from his fashionable connexions.

Miss Nelthorpe was succeeded by Miss Ravenshawe." I am come, madam," she "I began, with much formality," to account for the scene which my too-susceptible, and, I must say, my imprudent niece, Miss De Ross, gave last night, to my infinite regret, at your house. A young lady of her rank in life ought to have more command over her feelings."

Julia thought so too.

"You are young-very young, Miss Somerville," resumed Miss Ravenshawe; "and though, no doubt, a very superior young lady-very superior to us all, nobody makes any doubt of that, it may not be amiss to warn you against an artful and unprincipled character. If, madam, you approve of the bad husband-the unnatural father-the base preceptor

"Miss Ra

venshawe's

venshawe's voice rose in alt as she enumerated each separate count of this accusation, and by the time she came to the last, it amounted to a scream-" if you ap "if prove of the base preceptor and the perfidious friend"

"Dear, what a malicious creature it is!" thought Julia. "I wish she would leave her epithets, and come to the point."

This was what Miss Ravenshawe intended." In that case," she resumed, "there is nothing further to be urged against Mr. Lascelles. Having been highly recommended to my sainted sister, the late lady Lulworth, he was introduced into our family as travelling-tutor to my eldest nephew, Mr. De Ross. Their intended continental tour was shortened by my nephew's illness, which rendered it necessary he should return to his native air; but he was so infatuated with Mr. Lascelles, that he made it his earnest request he should continue to enjoy his company at Torpington Castle. Lord and lady

VOL. III.

K

lady Lulworth could not oppose the wishes of a beloved and suffering son and heir, and Mr. Lascelles was domesticated in the family. Fatal compliance! He had not been three months at the castle when he made himself master of the affections of my angel niece, Anna De Rossa creature who, till that moment, had lived only to anticipate her parents' slightest wishes. Their correspondence was, of course, broken off, and all intercourse at an end between Mr. Lascelles and my brother-in-law; but some time afterwards, I am ashamed to say, he prevailed on my niece, in defiance of the commands of her whole family, to become his wife.

Mr. Lascelles is, as I acknowledge, and as you yourself, Miss Somerville, I dare say, will allow, a young man of a fine person and insinuating address. What could a poor innocent girl of sixteen, like my niece, oppose to his artifices? The only atonement that now remained for him to make was to have devoted himself

to