low jealousy, and their reluctant and contemptible admiration.” The handsome matron listened with something of a sigh, her countenance fell, and she asked in a subdued tone, "How was all this to be done?" Her adviser still sat with the same unmov. ed look. His answer was "You must retire from London finally, and for ever!" She raised her fine eyes to his counte nance with a glance of resignation; but just above him was a mirror, and there those eyes caught a glimpse of a countenance much more interesting to her contemplation. It looked upon her in all the charms of hand+ some matronage; even the partial trouble that sat upon its brow, seemed to give it, but a more touching right to conquest. That single glance overthrew her philosophy; and Jack Flatter thenceforth reasoned no more. He had now found that Scepticism was not altogether lost to the world. 16 "Retirement," said the lady, with a smile, yes, by all means, nothing could be so delightful to all my tastes; but, my dear sir, what right have 1 to plunge my daughters into the wilderness ?" "Oh, very true, none in the world," said Flatter, yawning and rising from his chair. He at once resumed his old tone. "Oh. yes, infinitely fine girls, every thing on their side. Whom will they have? They would be, as the poet says, the cruellest shes alive, to leave the world no copy.' But I must absolutely be gone." "No, I must absolutely detain you a moment longer. You know every soul, good and bad, here. The whole tribe of the witless, the wealthy, and-" "The matrimonial.-Why yes," yawned Flatter, "our population here is various and silly; and they do marry from time to time. We have the people about the pavilion—” "Pah, they have nothing but their epaulettes." "Well, we have the marquis,-a widower, a politician, and confessedly the most captivating roue of the race." "Absurd, let him marry his tailor's daughter, and pay his debts." "Then, let me see, we have the colonel, a brilliant fellow in his way, the very prince of projectors; come down to build a bridge. from Brighton across the Bay of Biscay." "Ridiculous! But are we reduced to this muster? Have we nothing more original in our Curiosities ??? 66 Nothing; our remarkable men have died off to the French coast, from a principle of delicacy; for knowing that a prison was their natural destiny, they have preferred a foreign one! And there, I am told, with the usual habit of the English, they have absolutely raised the expenses so high, that living in gaol will be extremely difficult to their successors. But let me see,-you, I presume, disdain the Yorkshire Baronet, Sir Peter Pudding, the choicest specimen of a country productive of the best horses, the most dexterous rogues, and the most unequivocal fools within the limits of the land.” "Detestable; he might indeed be well enough for a husband; but what would he be for a son-in-law ?" 66 Right, he would make a miserable flirt for you; a man of fashion and figure is indispensable to a handsome mother-in-law; and as to poor Pudding, 'pon honour, I don't think that he could say a tender thing to you for his life. And as to waltzing, saints preserve my dear Mrs. Courtney from the horrid experiment! I saw him at it the other evening. He was the most perfect imitation of a dancing bear. And his countenance had, I assure you, not the slightest tendency to destroy the illusion. But there's Gordon; the Gordon "I detest the name-I have recollections." "Yes, possibly. But, my dearest widow, all detestation of names is unpardonable, except in one of the two instances; where a lady, tired of her own, desires to exchange it for a husband's; or where, tired of the husband's, she desires to get rid of the name, ir the idea that it and the man will go together. But the Gordon is really a superior animal; heir to twenty thousand a year, a future baronet, and as handsome as gambling, champaigne, and late hours, can leave any man. He would make a passable, easy, careless, husband for your daughter, but, and this is clearly the principal point, he would make an incomparable cicisbeo for you." In the course of the conversation it was ascertained, that this Gordon was the elder brother of Julia's husband; a showy wanderer through fashionable life, easily attracted, and easily lost. It was Mrs. Courtney's policy, that her acquaintance with him should be commenced in the most unsuspicious manner; and this was contrived by the expe rienced ingenuity of Flatter. Gordon's curiosity was gradually excited by descriptions of Seraphina, who, hitherto absorbed in some personal objects which loved the twilight, had been scarcely seen. Gordon came, was fêted sumptuously, was surprised by the discovery that "relations so interesting should have been at once so near, and have so escaped his knowledge." Seraphina's delicate and romantic beauty pleased the eye of this man of dissipation, wearied with the glare of high life; and Mrs. Courtney looking forward to brighter pros pects, recovered her smiles, and launched out into additional expense; nay there were moments when her "strong imagination saw all but a crown dropping upon her head," and her hand swaying the sceptre of Brigh They come, like sacrifices in their trim, Shakspeare. AFTER Some months of wandering through the south of France, Vaughan and his mother had fixed their residence within a few miles of Bourdeaux. The Garonne flowed under their windows, the hills behind were covered with the garden and the vineyard of that delightful region, and before them lay the city, and the sea upon the blue horizon. Here the weary spirit might have rest, and sorrow might grow calm, and anger might be turned to forgiveness, and all but love be forgotten! |