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and sought for by some of his noble guests. I ventured to hint this, and that it was time I should return to my companions.

Companions," he repeated, "they are no fit companions for you, Theresa. Are you so soon tired of my company, my sweet girl?

If

you felt as I do, you would not wish to part so soon."

What could I say? I could only raise my eyes filled with tears to his.

At this moment one of the duke's pages came up in a great hurry, saying that supper was announced, and his grace had been asking for his lordship.

"I will come immediately," said the marquis; then, turning to me and pressing my trembling hand, he said, in a hurried tone,"Let me see you again to-night, Theresa. Go with the old housekeeper into the private gallery which overlooks the ball-room. Do not, dearest girl, disappoint me. God bless you till we meet again."

Saying this, and again pressing my hand,

he hurried off, leaving me in a tumult of sensations that completely bewildered me.

Though the marquis had always been most kind and attentive to me, yet he never till now had spoken so fondly, and my poor head was nearly giddy with delight.

I had sunk on a seat where he had parted from me, hardly knowing what I did, and should have remained there perhaps half the night, had not the recollection of what he had said about seeing him again that evening rushed into my mind, when I rose, determining to seek the old housekeeper in the gallery.

With some difficulty I found Kitty, who informed me that no one but the housekeepers and their particular friends, together with Mittonet and myself, were allowed to go into this private gallery.

She showed me the way, and I found it already occupied by about twenty of the privileged females.

The noble guests were still at supper, but

in about half an hour they began to return to the ball-room, and from where I sat I had an excellent view of everything that passed within it.

I looked with very glassy eyes upon each noble or handsome guest as they selected partners for the dance. The only being I sought was not there, and I was straining my eyes as I looked down upon the group in search of him, when a slight commotion in the gallery caused me to turn round, and there I saw him who, unhappily, now occupied all my thoughts.

I started with surprise and pleasure as his eyes met mine.

Saying a few kind words to the old ladies, whom he had ostensibly come up to see, he came towards me, and in a low voice thanked me for obliging him, saying, "I shall feel happier now that I know you are looking down upon me."

He then, after placing a bouquet of myrtle in my hand unseen by any one, took his leave, and joined the gay throng below.

I will not, indeed I cannot, describe what I felt, when I saw him hand out, one after another, some of the loveliest as well as the noblest girls in the land. The only thing that consoled me was the hope that he was thinking of me, as I saw him incessantly look up to that part of the gallery where I

sat.

At last the gay and giddy scene closed, and Mittonet and myself were summoned to attend the duchess in her bed-room.

I could see very plainly (pre-occupied as my mind was) that the day's festivity had been anything but agreeable to her grace, who looked upon every mark of attention shown to the marquis as so much taken from her own son.

She seemed tired and harassed, and was about to dismiss me, when Mittonet, to my surprise, said "I assure your grace, I think Theresa has made a conquest of Lord St. George, as she is the only young woman in the park that his lordship condescended to dance with."

I was ready to sink, believing that the duchess would annihilate me for my presumption, when what was my surprise to see her clouded face brighten up, while, turning to me, she said,-" Well, Theresa, you ought to be very proud of your conquest; make the most of it, for I can tell you, the marquis is very fastidious."

I could not tell what to make of all this, but I thought the duchess exceedingly goodnatured, and retired to bed, not to sleep, but to think over the events of the evening.

The fêtes continued for nearly a fortnight, during which time I had been continually thrown in the way of the marquis, who always seemed delighted with any opportunity to converse with me, while I, poor wretch, was like the moth fluttering about the flame of a candle.

My fate was soon to be decided. While the marquis was absent for a few days on a visit to a neighbouring peer, I felt as if I were alone in the world, and I became all at once aware of the folly and madness of think

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