-a quarter of an hour for Italian,-and twenty minutes for mathematics. Then to learn lessons,-dinner at two." "Very pretty proceeding," said Cuthbert. and not too much of anything."

"A little of everything,

"Exactly so," said Mrs. Brandyball. "Then, till half-past three, the play-ground,-in again,-fifteen minutes for music,-six minutes for algebra,-nine minutes for drawing,―a quarter of an hour for English history,-six minutes for hydraulics, under the inspection of Doctor O., and nine minutes and a half for ethics and moral philosophy,-guitar twenty minutes (for those who learn it),-Newton's Principia and dancing an hour and a half,-the play-ground again."

But," said Wells, " do you never parade them ?" "Do what?" said Mrs. Brandyball.

"Take them out to walk ?" said the Rector.

"Never," exclaimed the agreeable hedgehog, "except to church," bowing complacently, in order to evince her high respect for the Establishment." No, no, Mr. Wells. I keep my charges all snug within brick walls tipped with broken bottles. Only two windows overlook my garden, and that only in the winter,-planted them out,—no peeping into Montpelier."

But," said I," do you never walk out with them?”

"No," said Mrs. Brandyball; " I am rather too heavy for exercise, and I can't well trust the teachers. I have," added she, putting her finger to her nose, "I have been a teacher myself; besides, if I did go and take them,-it's as bad. I say to them, Girls, as you go to church, look at nobody,-neither to the right nor to the left,-keep your eyes on the ground, my dears;' and so they do: and, when they are at church, the front of the pew is so high, and the seat so low, that they can't even get a peep at the parson."

"That is severe over-much," said Wells.

"Severe !" said Mrs. Brandyball. "You are a man of the world, Mr. W. Suppose I did parade them, as you call it, they would look about, and only think what things they are likely to see in the streets and the roads. If I walked in front, how should I know what they were doing behind my back? If I walk behind them, and come last, where's the use?-with poke-bonnets on, what can I know of what they do with their eyes? No, no; I keep them all snug at home, and then the dear loves have nothing to put bad notions into their young heads."

"Very proper, indeed!" said Cuthbert.

Very," said I, looking at Wells, and thinking of Miss Falwasser as a pattern Miss of Montpelier.

"Now, Mrs. Brandyball," said Wells, "allow me to help you to some more wine." A permission he requested, because she had happened to remove her glass out of his reach.

"Oh no," said she, "no more; enough is as good as a feast;' moderation is one of the greatest virtues."

"We will order coffee then," said I, " and have it here; and I will just step up to Harriet and see how she is."

"Give my best regards," said Mrs. Brandyball," and say if she wishes to see me I shall be too happy to go and sit with her and Miss Wells."

"I will," said I; and giving directions to the servant to bring the coffee and tea, hastened to the two ladies to hear what they had been doing, and report progress with regard to ourselves.

The difference between the appearance of the room I had left, and that of the boudoir which I entered, was very striking. The noisy mirth and chatter of Mrs. Brandyball, the insidious officiousness of Wells, the supine indifference of Cuthbert, the blaze of lamps, and the fumes of wine, were strongly contrasted by the calm serenity of Harriet's sanctum, and the subdued tone of the conversation in which she and her sister were engaged. On the table was a box-open-which contained numerous letters, and I thought a miniature picture. The box however was closed the moment I entered, and Harriet's first question was, what we had done with the lady?

"She preferred staying where she was," said I, "to becoming the sole tenant of the drawing-room; and so I have just ordered coffee, in the dinner-room, and snatched a minute to get to you. What have you done

with the amiable Tom ?"

"He went to bed soon after nine," said Fanny.

"After nine?" said I; "why, what o'clock is it now ?" "Considerably past ten," said Harriet.

"I had no idea of such a thing," said I.

"Time flies in agreeable society," replied Harriet.

"I must not stop," said I, " to tell you how our time has been passed; but we have had a scene- 99

"For which," said my wife, "if Master Tom is to be believed, I am pretty well prepared. He came up evidently in a passion with the lady, and has been amusing us with histories of her proceedings, derived from his sister Jane, which, if true, or near the truth, ought to be communicated to Cuthbert."

"All would be unavailing," said I. "After having heard from her own mouth quite sufficient to render any other evidence against her unnecessary, he has just now pronounced the highest eulogium upon her, and declared his unqualified approbation of her establishment. I shall return to them, and as soon as the carriage comes for your father, and brings home the darlings,' dispose of the party forthwith." "How is Papa?" said Fanny; "is he in good spirits?" "Much as usual," said I; "he seemed a little out of sorts at first, but he soon recovered his usual good temper, and has played off our visiter to the greatest possible advantage. However, adieu for the present; I think half-an-hour will terminate our sitting.'

And down I came, not without having, by way of reply to Harriet's "Don't be long, love," given her one affectionate kiss, which I could not help thinking made poor Fanny think of the absent lieutenant, about whom and his proceedings I admit I became rather anxious to know something more.

When I returned to the dinner-room, I found that its occupants had discovered the " time of night," and that Wells was beginning to wonder why the carriage had not arrived which was to bring back Cuthbert's living treasures, and bear away our excellent rector. However, coffee and tea were disposed of, and Mrs. Brandyball had in a great degree recovered her composure, and begun to resume her figurative style of conversation, before any announcement of its approach was made; and Cuthbert, who could not have rested unless he had seen the dear

girls before he went to bed, seemed disposed, late as it was, to make up his rubber, which, amidst the interest he took in Mrs. Brandyball's autobiography had slipped out of his mind, when, to my great relief,-for I longed to get up to Harriet, who was looking ill and wearied,-I heard the welcome wheels rolling towards the door.

The ringing of bells and barking of dogs soon confirmed my best anticipations, and Cuthbert's eyes twinkled with delight as he cast them expectingly on the door, so soon to be opened to give to his sight the pattern-girl of Montpelier, Miss Falwasser. The door was not opened -the dogs ceased to bark-and everything resumed its wonted quietude, which remained for two or three minutes unbroken, when at length Hutton made his appearance, and, approaching the Rector, said—

"Mrs. Wells sends her love, Sir; the young ladies were not quite ready to go home, and so she has sent the carriage for you, which can bring the young ladies back after you have done with it."

Wells looked more surprised than pleased, and said, " Hem! oh!" "Young rogues," said Cuthbert, dancing, I have no doubt.” "Most likely," said Mrs. Brandyball; "their Terpsichorean predilections are peculiarly potent."

This resumption of "style" took place because Cuthbert's servant was in the room, and it became essential, according to her policy, to "act her part " before even the meanest audience.

Well, then," said Wells, "I suppose, being sent for, I must go. May I step up and say good night to the girls?"

"To be sure," said I.

"Good night, Mrs. Brandyball," said the Rector, "I will take care and send back the rose-buds safe."

"Are your horses quite quiet?" said Cuthbert.

"Steady as rocks," said the Rector.

Because," said Cuthbert, " I am always alarmed about horses since an accident which had very nearly proved fatal to my poor father and myself, many years ago. We were travelling along the road"Yes, I know," said Wells, "Severndroog."

"Oh !" said my brother, " I have told you-eh? I did not recollect -dear, dear! Hutton, just lift me up-there-that will do. Don't go before we have a bit of supper. Mrs. Brandyball says she takes a bit of something cold."

66

Oh, not for me," said the lady, " if nobody else—I

"Tell them to bring the tray," said I to Hutton, in a fit of desperation, covered as much as possible by a look of the most perfect amenity. "I'm off," said Wells, "good night-good night to both-to all." Saying which he proceeded to bid adieu to his daughters, and I suppose in some degree to ascertain the state of Fanny's feelings after the events of the morning.

The conversation began to flag-the lady had sunk into a sort of repose closely assimilating to that of Cuthbert; and I really was not enough of a hypocrite to appear pleased or even comfortable. Cuthbert was wheeled to his room to be refreshed with eau de Cologne, and Mrs. Brandyball just stepped up to her room to fetch her pocket-handkerchief. The lady returned, Cuthbert was re-wheeled to his sofa, the sofa was wheeled to the table, which we drew round, and really it was with difficulty I did the honours. The haut en bas manner in which the girls

treated us all, and regardless of all the commonest observances of the rules of society, usurped the carriages and conveniences of everybody, not only in the house but in the neighbourhood, were unbearable; and now, at a moment when the mistress of that house was ill-if not in body, certainly in mind, and was anxious to get to rest early-here was I forced to remain at my post, helping and serving, while I knew, let the superficial appearances be what they might, that the young ladies who were disturbing all my family arrangements at Ashmead, could not fail of being, under the circumstances, equally unwelcome guests at the Rectory.

But even this was light compared with what I had to undergo afterwards. At about half-past eleven-I having heard Harriet's bell ring for her maid twenty minutes before-Mrs. Brandyball perceived through the mist that I was rather uncomfortable, and she requested me to ring for her maid and her candle, which I most readily did-she beginning to think that the sylphs were carrying the joke rather too far, and resolving as far as she was concerned to get out of the adventure which had originated in her leaving them at Wells's. Away she went. We wished her good night. Cuthbert shook her hand, and they parted affectionately; and when she was gone I imagined that Cuthbert would be satisfied with recommending the girls to the care of their soubrette, or sending by her or Hutton, who was equally careful of the young charges, some kind message, and so betake himself to rest—but no-not a bit of it.

"Now, Gilbert," said he, " just do me the favour to push that little table near the sofa-make me one glass of white wine negus-none of your-oh dear me! how my back aches!-none of your West India Sangaree-hot water-ah!-and we will have a quiet talk till the children come home-I cannot go to bed till I have seen Kitty-and-then -we have had no whist-ah!-Sniggs hasn't been here-no-nothing of that sort—and when Kitty tells us of all that has happened—and the -ah!-the party-she is such a capital mimic."

I did as I was desired-or, as I felt it, commanded-and then concocted a tumbler of a similar mixture for myself-the candles burned down-the fire grew dull-the room grew cold-I could hear the ticking of the clock in the hall.

A gentle tap at the door interrupted my answer. "Come in," said I.

"It's only me, Sir," said Foxcroft, my wife's maid.

"Do you want me," said I, hourly anticipating the event which was so materially to add to my respectability.

"No, Sir," said Foxcroft, "only my mistress says, as you mayn't come up stairs till late, if you would recollect that she wishes to have the carriage to-morrow about twelve."

Certainly," said I," I'll remember to order it."

And then she shut the door, and I returned to the side of Cuthbert, cut to the heart that poor Harriet, without meaning the slightest reproach, should have sent me a quiet, humble message to order her carriage, in order to preserve it from a seizure on the part of those-I will not designate them-who were now keeping me out of my bed to await their return from a place where they had no business to be, to hear the praises of her who had had no business to leave them there.

The candles, by which Cuthbert occasionally fancied he read, were already in the sockets-the lamp glimmering and flickering with a sort of sputtering noise, the certain avant-courier of the most unsavoury of smells-still hardly able to keep his eyes open, he went on muttering praises of the regularity and good order of the Montpelier establishment; while I, listening with the most earnest attention for the approach of the carriage, watched almost unconsciously the fast-fading fire in the grate. I began to get exceedingly cold-the lamp gave stronger evidence of its proposed departure, and I was driven to the necessity of lighting my bed-room candle, to escape the darkness with which we were threatened. Having done which, I dispatched the lamp somewhat after the principal of the butcher's wife, who called to her husband to come and kill a sick sheep before it died.

Twang went the clock; one-two-three-four-five-six-seven— eight-nine-ten-eleven-TWELVE.

"It is twelve o'clock," said I.

"What little rakes those girls are!" said Cuthbert; "I hope they won't tire themselves-poor dears! I dare say they are dancing-their sainted mother was very fond of reels-but-ah!-well-it is what we must all come to-poor Tom !-by the way, he didn't come in to wish us good night."

"He stayed with Harriet and Fanny," said I.

"It is getting very chilly," said Cuthbert; "stir the fire, Gilberthadn't you better ring for some coals?"

Why," said I, obeying orders, "I suppose they cannot be much longer-midnight is late for the Rectory."

"I conclude Harriet is gone to bed," said Cuthbert, in a tone of voice which satisfied me that he would have been more interested in the fact of his own favourite cat having been made up for the night in her welllined basket.

"Oh yes," said I," two hours since, I should think-she is not by any means well." And then I thought of her "Come soon, love,' which seemed to ring in my ears to a popular air, which I fancied I traced in the ticking of the clock.

"Yaah," said Cuthbert, "I'm getting sleepy myself."

66 Hadn't you better go to bed?" said I.

"No, no," replied my brother, "not till I have bid Kitty goodnight."

He then relapsed into silence, and, to say truth, I felt no inclination to disturb the tranquillity of the scene. A quarter after twelve-half past twelve; at which period I was about to suggest that something extraordinary must have happened, but suddenly checked myself, when I recollected that if Cuthbert's thoughts had been directed to the possibility of an accident, he would, with the fear of Blackheath before his eyes, have ordered out every man, woman, and child of the family, in search of his babes in the wood; so I waited, and, like the turnspit who, in the Spanish proverb, is made to console himself during his work on the culinary treadmill, with the certainty that " the largest leg of mutton must get done in time," sat to listen for the ladies, and think of my wife.

At length, just as I pictured Harriet buried in the happy depth of her first sleep, up drove the carriage. The footman, no doubt irritated by being kept up unusually late, and turned out for a second