liancy!" exclaimed he, walking away. Emily, laughing, turned to Matilda, Why fo abstracted, my dear; are your "was juft thinking, that the wit which "cannot fhine without a foil, is fome"times a dangerous acquifition." Here the entrance of Lady Frances, accompanied by Lenox, interrupted the converfation. He was elegantly dreffed:never did he appear more fafcinatingmore beautiful to the eyes of Matilda; fhe fuppreffed the ftruggling fighs that arose in her bofom, called to Maitland for a glafs of lemonade, and received it from him with the utmost apparent fatisfaction. Lenox feated himself next to Lady Frances, whom he had engaged for the firft fet, which being concluded before their entrance, Captain Montague, who had engaged her ladyship for an ensuing dance, came up, and Henry was left to himfelf. Matilda, whofe agitation increased, declined the offer of a young nobleman's hand, and Maitland, with Emily Grofvenor, had joined the dancers. When Henry approached he hefitated for a few moments, as if afraid to fit down, and in a faltering voice addreffed Matilda : "Can I intreat "I " If you please, Mr. Lenox," faid Matilda, interrupting him, we will wave all c fubjects relative to paft events." "Has Mr. Maitland," faid he, colouring, "engaged fo much attention as to "exclude every other confideration " from your mind?” “No, fir, he "has not made me forget that there is a Lady Frances Delvin." « Fatal name," he uttered with a fuppreffed tone of voice. Matilda arofe. Stay a little-but a little--" faid he, "why " were my letters from Portugal treated "with fuch contemptuous-fuch cruel "filence?"Here he was interrupted by Lady Grofvenor, who came to introduce a partner to him, fuppofing it was that prevented him from dancing;— heexcufed himfelf-Matilda, in the mean time, departed-and for the remainder of the night he had no opportunity of fpeaking to her. CHAP. XV. La fin couronne de les œuvres. A numerous party, the following day, were invited to dine at Lord Delvin's, whither the General with Henry were preparing to go, when a meffage arrived from his lordship, requefting the immediate prefence of the General alone. In about two hours, he returned in visible agitation, feated himfelf, and continued. I 6 for Henry ven for feveral minutes filent. tured to demand the caufe of his anxiety; when, to his inexpreffible joy, he was informed, that Lady Frances had eloped with Captain Montague from Lady Grofvernor's; that her father had not discovered their flight until the following morning, when to pursue the fugitives would be too late. Respect for his grandfather made Henry conceal his real fentiments under the mafk of chagrin and disappointment. The latter, with the utmost kindness, bade him banifh from his thoughts one who had proved herself fo unworthy of his affection; that the firft wifh of his heart was to fee him connected with a lady, whose merit would render him happy; and that, if he fhould fix his choice on fuch a perfon, a flight inferiority of rank |