reward, and received none, save the approval of my own conscience.

In my hours of solitude, I examined my own mind and heart carefully, and to my surprise I discovered every fault, and the seeds of every sin within me, while pride was rampant.

This self-examination was of use in producing a humiliating effect, and I earnestly strove against my besetting sin-little did I think how great a trial my pride was to endure ere long, and what a great demon it was within me, to require so fell a blow.

CHAPTER IX.

"Who loves-raves-'tis youth's frenzy-but the cure
Is bitterer still; as charm by charm unwinds,
Which robed our idols, and we see too sure.
Nor worth nor beauty dwells from out the mind's
Ideal shape of such; yet still it binds

The fatal spell, and still it draws us on,

Reaping the whirlwind from the oft-sown winds;
The stubborn heart, its alchemy begun,

Seems ever near the prize-wealthiest when most undone."

CHILDE HAROLD.

I HAD gone as usual to fetch my letters, or rather to see if any were awaiting me, and received as the reward of my trouble, a letter from Leila.

A storm of rain coming on, obliged me to hurry home without opening the ever-welcome missive, and I seated myself in the diningroom with the determination to read and re

read my darling's epistle, and thoroughly to enjoy it.

This dining-room at Serle, by the way, is so impressed on my memory, and enters so into my recollections of my reading of Leila's letter, that I must make it familiar to the reader.

There was nothing very particular about it, save its extreme length and height; it was furnished in a manner similar to other diningrooms in mansions of the Serle stamp, handsomely and expensively; but there was nothing picturesque, or grotesque, artistic or characteristic about it, and the family pictures which hung round-I will not say adorned-the walls, would have been greatly improved by a touch of either of the above peculiarities. They hung there, vapid resemblances of defunct Bernards, always staring you in the face, yet unworthy themselves of a passing glance; nothing could be more uninteresting than this gallery of portraits. One had a squint which you were afraid to look at much, lest by sympathy you should acquire a similar eccentric obliquity of vision, another leered most offensively, and in whichever

corner of the room you found yourself, you were sure to come within range of his glance; upon the face of one of the ladies, a spooney smile was fixed-an irritating, silly smirk; another had thrown herself into an attitude intended to describe the "line of beauty,' but either the lady or the artist was ignorant on the subject; and had given the effect of a broken doll to the figure, while others were mere flat daubs-chalky representations of something, it would be difficult to say exactly what.

A turkey carpet covered the centre of the room, down which also stretched a table, highly polished, smooth to the eye, cold to the touch, like a very fine gentleman; and along the walls were ranged rows of chairs, shining and chilly, the sideboard, too, at the lower end of the room-what a stiff, freezing looking concern it was!

The recollection of that apartment, with all its glossy discomfort ever rises in my mind, when I think of the trial I endured there.

My letter-it was from Germany-bright, playful, lively as usual; though I thought I could detect here and there a vein of deeper

thought a touch of more sober colouring, than was common to Leila. She gave me pretty poetical descriptions of the Rhine, that much hackneyed, yet still interesting old river, and witty accounts of the travellers they encountered by the way. I read on and on, till a name caught my eye, and slipping hastily down the page, I read:

"Your friend, Mr. Grey, has a good appointment I should think, but the change of ministry, which is anticipated, changera tout cela -however, I've ceased to take any interest in him since I heard the on dit respecting his approaching marriage. How as it come about? You must have been a very naughty, cruel girl, I think, or my experience in observation of smites' avails me little. I am concluding you know all about it, but it is just possible that in your conventual seclusion, you may not have heard the report. Know then, my dear Isola, and join in the laugh which the idea occasions, that the fair she' is none other than our old friend Miss Arrowsmith -the heiress!

"What could there be in her acute physiognomy-her angular, unlovely form, and razor