asionally reminded that this mortal machine cannot adapt itself in perpetuity to the long hours of labour by night in the House of Commons as well as by day in the Courts, which would seem to have

get on without lawyers, and lawyers must practise their profession, and if they manage both to practise all day and sit half the night, others should be able to do the simple late sitting; and we English are an energetic people, we must toil o

it, were addressed to the colonel to stop his remonstrances and idle talk about burning the can

n't want mo

the habit of making it I

re not am

should be sorry to b

laughter,' said the colo

in that way-love

ough,' Colonel

's only i

in discussing the state of his health with her. The lady was the daughter of a famous admiral, handsome, a

ried a good woman,

s unwell

're looking un

nks tha

d a radiant fac

a victim of one of the forms of youthful melancholy, and

eturned from Wa

ardly a change to be with

he loved, and detect a reasonableness in his extravagance. Her father had discovered the impolicy of attacking Beauchamp in her hearing. The fever by which Cecilia was possessed on her lover's behalf, often overcame discretion, set her judgement in a whirl, was like a delirium. How it had happened she knew not. She knew only her wretched state; a frenzy seized her whenever his name was uttered, to excuse, account for

urbation, and spoke

ht kind of man for them. A man like Blackburn Tuckham, now, a man a father could leave his girl to, with confidence! He works for me l

d of young lady?

retends to have opinions upon politi

mp was full

Cecilia that they sho

o

lighted a

e it,' she sa

the ob

quick, I suppose, at new projects. I have ordered the yacht to be fitted out for a cruise in the Mediterran

carry hi

h to be entirely under

your father an

like you, devoted to work; and, unlike

panions for a holiday. At present he is working for the colonel

does love papa

dwelt on th

young man who could voluntarily take service under the elder he esteemed, in simple admiration of him. Mr. Austin scarcely said so mu

njustice in his ma

tin assured her, and he acknowledged what it

able, has frequently won the benign approbation of the sex. In addition, this rough man over whom she smiled was one o

tened Mr. Tuckham's visit in view of the expedition to Rome, and they discoursed

his inheritance?' Co

uckham repl

quick to flash

iterature should marry women with money. The poor girl changed colour when I informed her he had been released for upwards of three months. The old Radical's not the thing in health. He's anxious about leaving her alone in the world; he said so to me. Beauchamp's for rigging out a yacht to give him a sail. It seems that salt water did him some good last year. They're both of them rather the worse for a row at one of their meeti

edition too long,' said Cecilia.

ed Colonel Halk

ou not think, Mr. Austin, that a fo

it a month, my

etter for you? The yac

poor

t the farewell too close to the pleasure of beholding it, for the enjoy

her father, 'you were all

ssantly. The cottage in Wales is not home. It is hardly fair to Mount Laurels to quit it without observing the changes of the season in our flowers and birds he

miserable at the sight. You. know her; she was the proudest girl living. Her ideas were orderly and sound; she had a good intellect. Now she more than half defends him- a naval officer! good Lord!-for getting up in a public room to announce that he 's a Republican, and writing heaps of mad letters to justify himself. He's ruined in his profession: hopeless! He can never get a ship: his career's cut short, he's a rudderless boat. A gentleman drifting to Bedl

other voice,' Mr. Aus

auchamp as the best o

ci

er old opponent in this affair. She loves me, but she's accustomed

y spea

nce of blowing cold, and trying to run her down. He's at Shrapnel's. He'll be up here to-day, and I have an engage

ount guard over her while her fat

emy ap

uld not step to meet hi

know that he liv

ecstasy enabled her to swin through the te

in should be perpetually at hand, in the garden, in the woods, in the drawing-roo

and her feminine nature trembled, as at the divinely terrible, had m

must have five minutes wi

What could be Seymour

lia and picked her to pieces hungrily. It was clear: Beauchamp had meant nothing beyond friendly civility: it was only her abject greediness pecking at

race it? How pass into it? By surrendering herself to the flames, like a soul unto death! For why, if they were overpowering, attempt to resist them? It flattered her to imagine that she had been resisting them in their present burning might ever since her lover stepped on the Esperanza's deck at the mouth of Otley Riv

mfrey. The glittering of Cecilia's eyes frightened him. Taking her for the moment to know almost as much as he, the colonel doubted the weight his communication would have

il, papa,' s

say that if his oath 's worth having, I . . . and I think you too, my dear, if you . . . but it's no use a

The primroses were still fair in the woods: and soon the cowslips would come, and the nightingale; she lay lapt in images of everything innocently pleasing to Nevil. Soon the Esperanza would be spreading wings. She r

tion. She had dreamed that the vessel was wrecked. 'I did not think myself so cowardly,' she said

she fancied presently that it was an expectation she was desiring to realize: but what? What could be expected at that hour? She quitted her bed, and paced up and do

ing up, as though it had been his expectation to see her which had drawn her to gaze out with an idea of some expectation of her own. So visionary was his figure in the grey

e waved a hand

no retreat for

shing, all of the crimson colour, a rose-garden, succeeded, and corresponding with their speed her feet paced the room, b

station of it had been

at so

y stories of him-a man wh

her door. Her father called to her, and she t

was in his

, paining her with his distressed kind eyes. 'I ought not to have hi

r papa, at what?

d I shall bring you proofs, my poor child

k of Nevi

Lady Romfrey cloaked it. I believe the woman would swear black's white to make Nevil Bea

huddered

ring you proofs. Till I

ee him alone: not

glanced at

g to feel like a tutored girl, that she might conceal her

' said he, an

cept Nevil's wor

women are

ed inflammable grains, like a match applied to damp powder; again and again running in little leaps of harm

o notice a faint discoloration over one of his eyes, that was, considering whence it came, repulsive to compassion. A blow at a Radical meeting! He spoke of Dr. Shrapnel to Tuckham, and assuredly

e of his leaving Miss Denham

e to leave her something, and he might easily

with handing her t

cals and infidels, I don't wonder.

unmatched in sincerity, superior in ability, soon to be equal in power, to

oney for that,

' said B

o stand forty or fi

ot be half

els, I rate the o

and juries of tradesm

al pr

er his mouth and ahemed. 'I

. I'd make it

have i

ling

, if it's to be a consistently Radical Journal, at law with everybody all round the year. And by the time it has won a reputation, it will be undermined by a radicaller

thought, for

te enough fr

gh if there's not

!' quoth M

en, sir; and it's fear of the dange

tary Opposition. 'Well, you start your paper, we'll

good men fo

of weight. They're prejudiced, I dare say. The Journals which are commercial speculations give us a guarantee that t

do it,' sa

agreed with th

ic spirit, I

. 'We put different const

could summon for a vent in society to his offended common sense; 'the better

ld charge agai

where you won't do much with them. Compare them with the Yankees for shrewdness, the Spaniards for sobriety, the French for ingenuity, the Germans for enlightenment, the Ita

nterest in their country. At present they have next to none. Our governing class is decidedly unintelligent, in my opinion br

he soundest foundation for a civiliz

per to be called

' Beaucham

nd turned the leaves of

ted Tuckham. 'The g

ame for a paper

o the vices of the rich- to money-getting, spen

p. No, no; you haven't hit the disease. We want union, not divisi

ction shoul

it d

entrance diverted thei

for Beauchamp shone bu

it. Mrs. Grancey touc

said. 'You have been

ficer in

roisnel, a very old frie

amp re

n everlastingly wear t

ink it detes

over in

I know you, for defendi

he not come ove

elative

h ladies, relatives or other, they prefer the simplicity o

re that M. de Croisnel chan

tain Beauchamp. He was in too great a hurry to c

t hap

o said, to shift the burden of it: 'The French are not so jealous o

ourse he is excuseable,

bruise on yours. Was M

n camp

. He is not an Imperialist;

medals, I have been told

e stay in England

o d

y short. Somebody informed me of their having been

f a cup,' she said mildly, to spare the poor hand its betrayal of nervousness,

his pocket, then talked of the book to Cecilia's cousin; and leaving a pa

nduct Mrs. Grancey

stairs. 'He fibs charmingly. I could not help drawing him out. Two days! Why, my dear, his French party were

ain Beauchamp's clever

is your room,

t is the room I like. Are

e that Captain Beaucha

clutches of a gossip, s

e as marble, with dark long eyes, the most innocent look in the world, and a walk, the absurd fellow says, like a statue set gliding. No doubt Frenchwomen do walk well. He says her eyes are terrible traitors; I need not quote Palmet. The sort of eyes that would look fondly on a stone, you know. What her reputation is in France I have only indistinctly heard. She has one in England by this time, I can assure you. She found her match in Captain Beauchamp for boldness. Where any other couple would have seen danger, they saw safety; and they contrived to accomplish it, according to those horrid talebearers. You have plenty of time to dress, my dear; I have an immense deal to talk about. There are half-a- dozen scandals in London already, and you ought to know them, or

ngratitude had anythi

ci

er room and dres

canning, and had condescended to approve of. On the two pages where the paper-cutter was fixed she perceived small pencil dots under certain

: but: accu

cored the margin of the sentences containing his dott

uch means of communication. The next instant Cecilia

the evening her

ings undiscoverable by my poor facultie

ed Cecilia; 'and I am as much at a loss as you to under

here he accused the pretended physi

book?' said

n his youth, and unhappy about her, as her father had said. Seymour Austin was not one to spread the contagion of intrigue!

ss, he believes he has won. I've heard an oculist say that the eye that doesn't blink ends in blindness, and he who won't bend breaks. It's a pity, for he's a fine fellow. A Radical daily Journal of Shrapnel's co

st. She had no defined

ht, very tired, coughing and complaining of the bitter blow

le,' he said to Cecilia, after d

l me, dear papa?' said s

to Austin. As to my consent, knowing what I do, you will have to tear it out of me. Here's a country perfectly contented, and that fellow at work digging up grievances to persuade the people they're oppressed by us. Why shou

r arms round his

men who are crazy about Nevil Beauchamp. She spoke to me of the "pleasant visit of her French friends," and would have enlarged on it, but Romfrey stopped her. By the way, he proposes Captain Baskelett for y

erhaps exaggerated the pre

ould do you goo

ght,'

arly in the morning, before there is a ch

Bevi

cannot endure a se

a world of pac

reakfast will be

be off early, as you s

week in

reatly, papa, though he

ur impatient men who burst with everything

s the key of an enigma concerning Seymour Austin, whom, she imagined, possibly she had not hitherto known at all. Her curiosity to pierce it faded. She and her maid were packing through

lear-eyed perception of his aims and motives.-'I am rich, and he wants riches; he likes me, and he reads my weakness.'-Jealousy shook her by fits, but she had n

to a vacated