not annoy you by asking you to prolong your charming music? But I have to ask your forgiveness for the observation I made to the duchess, not then knowing that you were as accomplished as you are lovely."

Saying this he passed on, leaving me in a state of mind impossible to describe.

How long I remained seated in the chair on which I had sunk close to the door where the marquis had left me, I cannot tell. I was roused by the shrill voice of Mittonet (who had been all the time with her grace) calling me to join her at the dinner-table.

Though my thoughts were wandering, I could not help being struck with the altered manner of my companion when she spoke of the marquis. Ever since his arrival she had not only depreciated him to me in every possible way, but had absolutely seemed to hate him. Now, she was loud in praise of his personal attractions and good qualities, adding that she was shocked to find that Lady Emily Loran had jilted him.

"In fact," said Mademoiselle, "the match

is quite off, and that is the reason his lordship came home so unexpectedly.

"The duchess kindly says that she shall do her possible to amuse him, and make him forget his faithless mistress."

I was petrified at this sudden change in Mittonet, which really appeared quite unnatural; but I was too young and inexperienced to have any suspicions, and my thoughts turned and rested on the forsaken marquis.

"How is it possible," I said aloud, "that any one could be so insensible and so wicked as to forsake and neglect one so amiable and attractive as the marquis appears to be ?"

My companion looked at me with a strange expression of countenance. There was a sort of cunning smile which I could neither understand nor account for.

In the mean time the duchess seemed to have regained her spirits, and when the marquis returned in a short time from town he was greeted by her with warmth, and frequently invited into her morning-room. Here I was often seated reading, or playing and singing to

her grace, when his lordship came in, and it did sometimes strike me as rather singular, that instead of being dismissed as usual, she made me remain, either to finish an interesting French tale, or to sing another song; and that upon some excuse or other she kept me in her room till within a few minutes of the marquis taking his leave, when I was desired to wait in the ante-room, And in the ante-room I remained as usual till his lordship had passed through, when he always said something obliging and kind to me as he went by. His attention and kindness made a great impression upon me, and I confess I often wished that Mr. Willoughby had resembled Lord St. George.

The days now passed very heavily to me on which he happened to be absent from the duchess's levee. But this did not often

occur.

One day her grace sent me on my accustomary errand to the library for some books. On entering I found it empty, and hastened to execute my commission. As the books I sought were on the upper shelves, I had to

mount one of the light mahogany ladders placed for that purpose. I had succeeded in finding the volumes I wanted, and had got half way down the steps, when a slight noise behind made me turn round, and I perceived the Marquis of St. George entering the library by one of the glass doors which opened upon the lawn.

I cannot tell how it happened, perhaps it was surprise or confusion overcame me, but I became quite giddy, and fell to the ground with the ladder upon me.

Before I could extricate myself his lordship was at my side, and with an exclamation of dismay raised me from the floor and placed me on a sofa.

"My sweet girl," he said, "are you hurt? For Heaven's sake speak to me, answer me."

But I could do neither, for though I felt stunned by the fall, it was not that which chained my tongue.

He appeared quite terrified at my silence and excessive paleness, exclaiming, “What a

wretch that woman is to send you on such errands!"

I had sprained my wrist in endeavouring to save myself, and had hurt my head in consequence of my comb being struck into it as I came in contact with the sofa in my fall, but I tried to assure the marquis that I was not much injured.

He, however, in taking my hand, caused so much pain to my sprained wrist that I could not suppress a faint cry. He soon saw how it was, and nothing could exceed his kind attention.

Indeed, I was so affected by it that, unable any longer to suppress the mingled emotions of fear, pain, and a strange degree of pleasure at his tender manner to me, I burst into tears.

"My dear, dear girl," he said, "you cannot think how distressed I am to see you suffer, and how deeply interested I feel about you. Tell me what I can do for you, and tell me how you became associated with that odious Frenchwoman.