The sentiments with which Horace Holmes regarded Mrs. Haviland were of a mixed kind. He had learned rightly to estimate her supremacy in the household before he had seen her; and when he knew her, he soon perceived that Julia was a woman whose supremacy was not likely to be successfully disputed anywhere. He saw that her affection for Madeleine, though genuine and active, fell short of the passionate solicitude of maternal love; he thought her evident blindness to the state of his feelings implied that, even where her manner might not appear to mean it. He was so vehemently in love with the beautiful girl that he had no power to conceal the fact, and he had no such knowledge of the world and society as to understand that, to the other people in the house, he was merely an artist, and that some among them simply regarded him as a drawing-master; while no one took the least notice of his demeanour, or cared how he disposed of his time and his feelings. On the whole, so complete was the delusion caused by the passion to which he yielded himself utterly, that it required but little exertion to induce him to persuade himself that in Julia he should find, if not a decided friend, at least an opponent not to be dreaded very much. In all this extraordinary confusion of mind, which would seem an impossible kind of insanity if one did not know that such things are, there was no distinct plan of action, there was only the irresistible sway of passion, aided by lamentable ignorance of that phase of the world in which he now found himself.

when the termination of his stay at Meriton approached.

6

Madeleine took it for granted that Mr. Holmes would habitually reside in London. Everyone who had not a place in the country lived in London. Madeleine, though but imperfectly acquainted with the manner of life of any persons out of her own position in society, had never heard of artists having places,' and especially in the case of one who combined the function of a drawing-master- even to the irresistible Miss Burdett - she thought it most improbable. So it followed, as a matter of course, that Horace Holmes must live in London, which was very pleasant. He could be constantly with them; he was such a nice fellow; how much she should like Verner to know him; how much she wished her uncle and aunt had not made it such a point that she was not to be announced as engaged.' She would have liked to talk to Mr. Holmes about Verner, and the pleasure she anticipated in bringing them together one day and seeing them friends, if it were only that he might know how different a man Verner was from Herbert Bingham, how incapable of that cold arrogance the exhibition of which towards the artist had so often made her cringe with shame and pain.

6

All this time there was one name frequently spoken among themselves, one visitor whose presence was looked for by the Havilands; and that name, uttered in the presence of Horace Holmes, the possibility of that presence mentioned before him, would have awakened him from the delusion of the present, would have saved him He admired Mrs. Haviland. Her still re- from the danger of the future. But no one markable beauty did not produce much spoke to him of Hugh Gaynor. Herbert effect upon him; he was too much in love Bingham never condescended so far towards with Madeleine's bright, lovely face to have this young man, whom 'nobody knew,' as to much attention to spare for the well-pre- talk of his travels, and the companion he served, matured beauty of a woman so was so little capable of appreciating; and much older; but he understood how hand- Madeleine cherished the thought of Hugh some, dignified, and gracious she was, and chiefly in regard to the engagement which he recognised, in her independent but pol- was so dear and so silent a subject, and ished manner, and in the indifference to thus she never spoke of him. Fate was opinion which, without any harsh or unpleas-working in this tangle of circumstances, ant self-assertion, her bearing conveyed to an observer, a spirit congenial to his own. Nothing approaching to intimacy had established itself between Horace Holmes and Mrs. Haviland, but he had perceived more than once that she observed him closely and silently, and his fancy, engrossed, like all his mind, in the one subject of contemplation, had beguiled him with the idea, into whose composition hope entered largely, that this silent observation had much of sympathy. So far in his dangerous and fatal delusion had Horace Holmes advanced,

and so ruled the chapter of accidents that the one warning which must have effectually sufficed for the arrest of the young man's desperate course was withheld.

The last evening of his stay at Meriton had arrived. It was a soft, sombre autumnal evening, and the departing guests were discussing with Stephen Haviland and Julia their probable movements during the winter. Clementina and Angelina were loud and vehement in their approbation of their uncle's preference for London in the dark winter months. These young ladies had no

thing and anybody importunate. I don't see your tactique, I must say; and whatever it is, you must be very quick and clever about it, for my cousins have become so very fond of me within three days, that I fully expect them to swear eternal friendship, and discover the utter impossibility of existing without me until spring, within the next twenty-four hours.'

rural tastes, and affected an immense love | glee, and with what was, for her, almost for London, as being what they called 'in- malice; for she had experience of Mrs. tellectual head-quarters.' This predilection Haviland's success in getting rid of anytheir parents unhappily did not share, and Mrs. Marsh and her Ned were not to be persuaded into expending more money than they possessed, and abandoning the quiet which they enjoyed in the winter, for the chance of marrying off' Clementina and Angelina at that unlikely season. This parental obduracy was exasperating to the young ladies at all times, but particularly so on this occasion, when the Hon. Mr. Bingham and Captain Medway respectively had told them they should be in town shortly, and had actually uttered some vague politenesses which the active imagination of Angelina and Clementina had freely translated into a declaration that London | now ?' would be intolerable to them unless they She left the luncheon-table early, saymight expect to find the Misses Marsh ing she had to write letters all the afterthere.

There had been little cordiality on the part of Julia towards her husband's nieces to encourage them to make an attempt from which their habitual though unacknowledged fear of her would, under ordinary circumstances, have effectually deterred them; but they were made brave by desperation not only brave, but politic; and they came to the resolution that they would try to enlist Madeleine-whose influence with their uncle's wife, though a favourite grievance, they did not disdain to utilise on occasion - in their interests, and induce her to procure them an invitation to the family mansion in Berkeley-square.

Their paroxysm of affection for you commenced when Herbert Bingham went away, did it not?' asked Julia.

'Yes, aunt,' replied Madeleine, with a very becoming blush.

Do you know where Mrs. Marsh is just

noon.'

Ah, to be sure, she is strong in the matter of correspondence a very complete letter-writer indeed. I shall be sure of the advantage of seeing her, then, if I ask for an interview. What are you going to do?'

Madeleine looked rather puzzled by the seeming irrelevance of her aunt's questions as she replied,

'Papa and I are going to Basing with Mr. Holmes. We had made several plans for an expedition there, but it has never come off; and this is Mr. Holmes's last day, so we are to start at once.'

And Angelina and Clementina?' 'I don't know, indeed, aunt; they are not The sweetness and geniality, the girlish coming with us. They have a sovereign frankness and gaiety, of Madeleine's nature contempt for Mr. Holmes, and profound inwere not incompatible with sound common difference for the picturesque and historisense and very clear perception, and her cal, so they are not coming. Perhaps they cousins were not more distinctly aware of will consecrate the afternoon to the memotheir motives for the sudden tone of friend-ry of Herbert Bingham and Captain Medliness and intimacy which they adopted towards the close of their stay at Meriton, than she was.

way.'

I hope they intend to indulge in that profitable occupation,' said Julia; it will render my plan of action easier and more effective.'

'What are you going to do, aunt?' said Madeleine in her most coaxing tone.

'I don't intend to tell you,' said Julia, smiling. Be off, and be satisfied that you are about to fall to your old place in the gushing young affections of your cousins, and that you will not be asked to persuade me to invite them to London at Christmas. They will remain in Somersetshire very patiently, my dear Maddy, and try what can be done in the way of man-traps there. I am not an adept in any kind of sport myself; but I believe frost and snow are fine times for the bird-catchers. They have a

little shooting and a good deal of skating in Haviland's maid interrupted them. Mrs. those quarters, I understand.'

Madeleine went away puzzled, but submissive and confident; and Julia, having passed a few minutes in deliberation, sent her maid to Mrs. Marsh's dressing-room to inquire whether that lady was very particularly engaged, and to say that if not, Mrs. Haviland wished to see her. Angelina and Clementina were with their mother when Mrs. Haviland's message was delivered to her.

Marsh having replied graciously to her sister-in-law's very unusual communication that she would join her in her boudoir without delay, they were again left alone, and proceeded to discuss the message with eager guesses.

Could the Honourable Mr. Bingham or the gallant Captain Medway have made an interesting communication to Mrs. Haviland, and have intrusted her with its transmission to either Angelina or Clementina; The ingenuous young creatures had been and was she about to confide it to their giving expression to the indignation and mother? However improbable such a supdisgust with which Madeleine's familiarity position might appear, it was not imposwith Mr. Holmes inspired their well-bred sible; and such a course of proceeding and well-disciplined bosoms. She sympa- would, in the opinion of the two young thised with his tastes in the most open and ladies, be consonant with the retiring modenthusiastic manner; she preferred his so- esty of disposition which had characterised ciety to that of the real, undoubted, accred- the two gentlemen, almost too strongly, as ited gentlemen with whom she was privileged they now felt themselves free to admit. to associate. Angelina and Clementina Mrs. Marsh, though not the wisest of little knew how much of their favourite women, not even the wisest of Havilands, amusement they owed to that incomprehen- did not feel it borne in upon her mind' sible preference. She made herself re- that this was the state of the case. She pulsively conspicuous with him. Their thought the Honourable Mr. Bingham and mother had left the table before it was the gallant Captain Medway would have mentioned; but, would she believe it? found no difficulty in speaking for themMadeleine had actually coaxed her father selves; her maternal heart misgave her - dear Uncle Frank was so lamentably weak-into giving up the whole afternoon to an excursion to Basing for the drawingmaster's pleasure. And Madeleine had positively distressed them by her eagerness to arrange everything, and the display she had made of her knowledge.

concerning the chances in that direction.

who was more good-humoured than her sister, broke the pause of disappointment by offering the next best suggestion.

Perhaps Madeleine has taken some of our hints, and asked Aunt Haviland to invite us in the winter,' she said. That may be it. How delightful if it is! I daresay she feels that she monopolises rather more than her fair share that we are quite as near to Uncle Stephen as she is.'

To Angelina and Clementina nothing seemed impossible except their remaining unmarried; and hardly anything in which their being made love to, in person or by deputy, was concerned seemed unlikely. They saw by their mother's expression that On this point Clementina was particularly she did not share their hopes, and were ineloquent. It was perfectly easy to read-clined to be cross about it; but Clementina, up' such things, and then bring them out on occasion; but she could not understand how men could possibly be imposed upon by such arts. Madeleine had talked as if she had the whole history of the Civil War and the Commonwealth at her fingers' ends; and Uncle Frank and the drawing-master had listened as if she was a living miracle of learning. But, as Angelina sensibly observed, it was the drawing-master's interest to listen with attention, and to appear to be profoundly impressed by Miss Burdett. People of that class always had their own interest in view, and very excusably. Angelina really could not blame Mr. Holmes. Mrs. Marsh commended these sentiments. Mr. Holmes was a young man who had his own way to make in life, and could only make it with the aid of patronage. A recommendation from the Havilands must necessarily have additional weight on behalf of any fortunate mortal obtaining it.

The three ladies had reached this satisfactory stage in their discourse when Mrs.

If Miss Burdett did not realise this fact, she must indeed have been dull of perception; for her cousins did not omit to force it upon her attention very frequently in plain speech and in innuendo, none of which, to Madeleine's credit, did she ever permit to reach the knowledge of Mr. or Mrs. Haviland.

Mrs. Marsh accepted this theory as more feasible than the former, and went to her sister-in-law's room with a cheerful mien.

Julia received her with perfect grace, and immediately assumed an air of intending to have a confidential talk with her,

which almost surprised Mrs. Marsh out of It is difficult to believe that any man that stolid self-possession which was among could be at once so insolent and so stupid the attributes of the Havilands. The table as to propose to a girl who never gave him beside Julia's sofa was strewn with letters, any reason to believe she would accept notes, and cards, and writing-materials lay him; but, on the other hand, I would rathready for use, but as yet unused. Per-er believe Herbert Bingham capable of haps the girls were right after all; two at such stupidity and such insolence, than be least of the letters were in masculine hand-lieve that Madeleine had led him on to prowriting.

After a little preliminary fencing, Julia began with her most benign smile and in

'her sweetest tone:

You have been so kind in taking my place during my illness, Maria, and have had such ample opportunities of observing everything that has gone on down-stairs, that I have ventured to send for you in order to consult you about something that has taken place to my annoyance, or rather to my perplexity.'

pose to her, for the foolish and ignoble pleasure of refusing him. So you see, Maria, I am very glad to have your assurance that Mr. Bingham has been misled by his own conceit.'

'Mr. Bingham!' repeated Mrs. Marsh, in a tone of incredulous wonder. Mr. Bingham proposed to Madeleine, and she refused him?

'O dear yes,' said Julia calmly, and studiously averting her eyes from the ludicrously-expressive countenance of Mrs. This did not sound promising; but Mrs. Marsh. He did indeed; and, more than Marsh signified her readiness to advise Mrs. that, he would not take her very decided Haviland, as graciously as was compatible"No" for an answer, but has thought with the necessity for its being perfectly understood, that to be asked for advice was so natural in the case of a Haviland, that it could never be regarded in the light of a compliment.

The case is this,' said Julia, carelessly turning over as she spoke the letters in masculine handwriting: I am as fond of Madeleine as any woman can be of a girl whose mother she is not. But I sometimes think it requires the instincts of a mother to guide a girl aright, and the quick perception of a mother to discern precisely how things are with her. These I do not possess; and I fear Madeleine may have suffered by my want of them.'

I am sure you are very kind to Madeleine,' said Mrs. Marsh stiffly. She did not want to talk about Madeleine; all this was very unpromising.

proper to address a long letter to me, requesting my interference, and setting forth the advantages which he has it in his power to offer Madeleine, with exasperating selfcomplacency. I am delighted to know that Madeleine did not flirt with him; but I could hardly bring myself to pity him if she had done so. The idea of any man recommending himself to any woman by dwelling on the advantage it would be to her to marry him! And the idea of its being an advantage to any woman to marry the worthy son and living image of Lord and Lady Bredisholme!'

Having said all this in order to give Mrs. Marsh time to recover herself, Mrs. Haviland now paused for her reply. But Mrs. Marsh had not recovered herself, and the sole response she made was to repeat, in a bewildered tone, Mr. BinghamMr. Bingham proposed to Madeleine!'

I hope I am, Julia continued, with unabated sweetness; but still I cannot be I can fancy his letter dictated by the quite so good a judge in matters affecting unsurpassably-noble Viscountess herself; her future happiness as I wish to be, and I he is so careful to assure me that his parhope you, who know so well what true ents will entertain no objection to this allimotherhood means, will advise me. Mad-ance; and, in short, cannot for the life of eleine has never appeared to me at all in clined to be a flirt; has she to you?'

I cannot say she has,' returned Mrs. Marsh, startled by the suddenness of the question into greater candour than she would have deliberately exhibited.

him take naturally to pleading, and abandon patronage. I feared I should have to lecture Madeleine about this affair; but now I am so reassured by what you tell me, that I think I shall just answer the letter briefly, and say nothing to her about it.'

I am glad to have such an assurance from you,' Julia said, 'because I feared It is a very extraordinary business, and Madeleine might have been to blame in the I cannot understand it,' said Mrs. Marsh, matter I am about to consult you upon.' with rapidly-rising indignation in her tone. Mrs. Marsh tried hard to look full ofI certainly did not observe any especial wisdom, but only succeeded in looking full attention to Madeleine on the part of Mr. of mingled curiosity and disappointment. Bingham.'

a Burdett, and I am very much afraid, sadIly afraid, she always will be.'

So saying, Mrs. Marsh flounced out of the room with a rude and angry energy which the lamented Selina herself could hardly have emulated successfully. Julia smiled, thought for a little, smiled again, then rang her bell, and directed that Miss Burdett should be sent to her on her return - which was done.

'Did he?' said Julia, in a tone of the most provoking simplicity. Well, perhaps he did. It is a pity he did not know better than to give me trouble by proposing 'I don't think you will find the affection to Maddy. I was as much surprised as an- of Angelina and Clementina very overpownoyed when I opened his letter this morning, Maddy,' said Julia to the young girl, ing; I thought I had exhausted the catalogue of fools of that particular kind in the instance of Captain Medway.'

who came into her boudoir looking more than usually bright and beautiful. And then Mrs. Haviland told her niece the parJulia was lying back on her sofa now, ticulars of her interview with Mrs. Marsh. carefully examining the edge of her pocket-Madeleine looked rather dismayed. handkerchief, and not suffering her eyes to stray in the direction of Mrs. Marsh, who was staring at her, speechless. The silence becoming rather awkward, Julia said, with a charming assumption of confusion,