The blood rushed to my heart, how I longed to see him—yet dreaded the meeting. "Certainly," I said, "your ladyship knows best-I mean-when shall we go?"

"I've some shopping to do first, but we can call in Jermyn Street afterwards." "Very well."

The shopping seemed interminable, I wished there was no such place as Howell and James', and no such things as shawls and laces and similar trumpery to awaken the powers of fascination of smooth tongued clerks, and to enwreathe in their costly folds confiding old ladies; I quite hated the men, as one thing after another came in review, and felt really irritated against her ladyship for wanting so many articles, yet, when at length, the very last purchase was made, and the carriage slowly re-entered, and after some moments (to me half hours) of orders, we turned into Jermyn Street, I became so nervous as almost to wish myself going in another direction.

and

But we stopped-we were at the door, alighting. A woman, rather young, respectably dressed, opened the door; she was

nature of the intelligence received, till Leila said.

"It is Charles you must pity, news has just arrived that the bank in which the greater part of his fortune was placed, has failed! It is true, that it was not large sum, but it afforded a sufficient income for him as a single man; but now, till a maternal uncle dies, who has promised to make him his heir, he has comparatively nothing to live upon, what will he do !"

There was a tone of deep sadness in Leila's voice as she spoke, and the tears trickled down her cheeks.

I felt truly grieved, but said I hoped that when the affairs of the bank were examined into, his loss might be found less heavy than was supposed.

Leila did not seem to think this likely, and Mrs. Compton took an equally desponding view of the matter.

No, no! the poor dear boy is ruined," she cried in a sorrowful tone. "I can see no hope for him, brought up to no profession, what can he do !"

"I am afraid," said Leila in a broken voice,

"he will be thinking of emigrating, either to America or to Australia-these newly discovered gold fields, they talk so much about, are luring away many in his position-poor Charlie !"

Her head drooped, and for once the light which was want to cheer others, burned dim.

"He need not go abroad, I should think," was all I could say, "with his talents, and educational advantages, it will be very easy for him to get on; and then," I added with a laugh, "uncles cannot live for ever, you know, so that the case is not so bad after all." Leila smiled very faintly.

66

Oh, but what vexes me," she said, “is that whilst we have plenty, and more even than we require, he should be in want of anything, and he is so proud-he declines-he will not accept he is a wilful, wayward, incorrigible creature." She cried in an excited manner, and with almost angry emphasis upon the last word.

I thought how blind some people were, and was surprised to find that the scales had only just fallen from my own eyes.

"His

CHAPTER IX.

years but young, but his experience old;
His head unmellowed, but his judgment ripe;
And in a word (for far behind his worth
Come all the praises that I now bestow),

He is complete in feature, and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.”

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

THE crisis had come-" the worst was over, he would do very well now."

Oh! the tearful joy of that intelligence! the hope, brightening day by day as a better and still better report was given, till at length I heard that the poor patient could sit up; " and I think," said Lady Ravensden as she communicated to me the pleasing intelligence, "I think you might go with me and see him, poor fellow, it is the least you can do.”

The blood rushed to my heart, how I longed to see him-yet dreaded the meeting. "Certainly," I said, "your ladyship knows best-I mean-when shall we go?"

"I've some shopping to do first, but we can call in Jermyn Street afterwards." "Very well."

The shopping seemed interminable, I wished there was no such place as Howell and James', and no such things as shawls and laces and similar trumpery to awaken the powers of fascination of smooth tongued clerks, and to enwreathe in their costly folds confiding old ladies; I quite hated the men, as one thing after another came in review, and felt really irritated against her ladyship for wanting so many articles, yet, when at length, the very last purchase was made, and the carriage slowly re-entered, and after some moments (to me half hours) of orders, we turned into Jermyn Street, I became so nervous as almost to wish myself going in another direction.

But we stopped-we were at the door, alighting. A woman, rather young, and respectably dressed, opened the door; she was