Lady Layton, with the calm foresight of a dispassioned heart, beheld in it a decided rejection of an offered love. Fanny Beverly thought Wentworth undeserving of a heart so gentle; for his manner was cold, not to say unfeeling. Miss Wentworth felt assured that no new tie was necessary to bind her affections more firmly to the absent Beverly; but she had fondly indulged a hope that Sidney could not be insensible to the preference of a mind so gentle and amiable as that of her friend. It is true, that her knowledge of the favoured Wentworth was more critical than that of almost any of his associates; and she had owned a hurried pulse, as her uncle, with his usual bluntness, betrayed the interesting fact.Yet were there a few trivial circumstances, on which her active imagination had reflected. She remembered that Sidney had once saved Louisa from a serious accident by fire; that he had, at another period, fled with incredible speed to attain medical aid for her fair favourite, when a sudden attack

of

of fever had succeeded to a boating party, in which they had mutually partaken. These reflections of Miss Wentworth's, though not actually presumptive, were such as soothed her feelings, because she wished Louisa to become the wife of Wentworth ; and what we wish will at times assume a questionable form.

It is only upon this principle that the sanguine friendship of Miss Wentworth can be defended; for when she reverted to her own individual opinions upon this most important attendant on the life of woman, love, she might, with modest pride, have avowed that the sunbeam of hope had smiled on her first and only preferencehad wooed her confidence by gentle and persuasive advances; and so efficient and consistent did the gradations appear to the grateful and happy Grace, that it is probable she had no faith in a contrary system, But friendship is a more generous passion than love. A friend can say a thousand things, which a lover cannot.

Thus

Thus Miss Wentworth had, in idea, projected the happiest consequences from that intercourse which must result between the families when she should give her hand to sir George. The unfortunate badinage of sir Ormsby alarmed the quick sensibility of his niece, while the calm indifference of Sidney greatly diminished her cherished hopes.

The fair object of these varied, yet equally interested, feelings suffered inconceivable distress during the introduction of her aunt's visitors; and though the baronet had, by his cheerful sally, occasioned a half development of a fact so delicate, it would be unjust not to state that the effervescence of his disposition alone led to an explanation so ill-judged.

Louisa had "never told her love," though its existence was not doubted, by those best acquainted with her character; but when thus surprised into the presence of her heart's master, and attacked in the way we have related, her unguarded manner caused a suffusion

a suffusion and agitation, too much in unison with the natural facetiousness of sir Ormsby, not to provoke his observation.

Lady Layton, with discriminate caution, drew the baronet into conversation. She apprized him that sir George was expected to arrive at Beverly by the dinner-hour on the ensuing day. "We cannot doubt his punctuality," continued her ladyship, smiling, "though is Wentworth pretends to assert that he will remain until lady John Nugent's party takes place, which is announced for to-morrow. I know that Charlotte will endeavour to detain him; but George is so well aware of her talent for ridicule, that had he no other motive than an escape from its influence, he would not fail to be punctual.”

"I will not believe that Beverly could have a wish to stay one moment longer in London than is necessary to arrange the business for which he went there," said sir Ormsby. "No, no, my dear madam, Grace's prudery

prudery may lead her to discredit his return, but she knows better."

Miss Wentworth smiled incredulously, while Fanny Beverly declared she really thought it probable that her brother might be detained, though certainly against his inclination; "for Charlotte, in her letter of yesterday, avows her intention of using stratagem," continued Fanny, "in order to prove that her power over my brother, and his natural taste for gaiety, is superior to that implicit obedience and devotion he has been in the habit of amusing us with at Beverly. So you see, my dear aunt,. that Grace has some reasons for her assertion."

"I will venture to predict," said Sidney, "that sir George will keep his appointment. Lady John is highly attractive, no doubt; and it was on this account that I chose rather to write my apology for the gala in question, than trust myself to her eloquence; and, indeed, this should serve as my excuse for not being the bearer of her commands;