pointment which pleased me more from the kindness which had made the selection, than from the idea of any pleasure he would take in changing his own country for one so widely different from it. I was, however, greatly astonished to learn that Prince Peter, himself, had requested that my son may be the officer chosen for that place; and I further heard that my son was, of all the ducal officers he had seen, the one most esteemed by the Prince. Certainly no similarity, of character existed between them.

Melusina was nominated first Lady in waiting to the Princess-at which I was, of course, not surprised, the appointment being a natural one, considering the place she had so long filled.

Miss Temple was to be more immediately attached to the person of the Princess, as Ladysecretary-a post, as you know, very necessary in the little courts of German Princesses, and by them imported into Russia, or wherever else they form alliances.

This last nomination was the only one which

gave me unmixed satisfaction: it was a honourable promotion for Miss Temple, who entirely deserved it; and at the same time an agreeable arrangement both for herself and for the Princess, to whom she was devotedly attached. It had been the only special request made by Thekla to her father on the present occasion.

Some other inferior appointments were made amongst the humbler portion of the household-of which, Clärchen Kraus and her husband were to form a part; the former to be one of the Princess's needle-women, and the husband to be included in the stable department.

One of the Duke's own chamberlains was to accompany the Princess, and to return after a short stay with the married couple at St. Petersburgh or Moscow.

Among the persons I have mentioned, Conrad and Miss Temple were characters of such sterling worth and steadiness, that I felt I could depend upon their conduct-whether towards the Princess or others, with the utmost security.

Not so with regard to Melusina; I had been long studying the character of that young lady, and I had not yet unwound all the threads of her complex disposition. Many times had I fancied myself mistress of her motives in some instances, as of her probable conduct in others; almost as often had I found myself mistaken, and forced to re-commence the difficult and intricate analysis. One of the most intricate parts of Melusina's conduct for a stranger to unravel, was the true degree of confidence, or otherwise, which existed between her and her mother. That she was a true and clever pupil of her worldly mother's courtly and intriguing school, there could be no manner of doubt; yet she differed exceedingly from that school in much of her practice. Each had a high temper. The daughter was far from being always obedient, or on good terms with her mother—yet they seemed to pursue a common game. Countess von Söhran had the most polished and high-bred manners; which her daughter, a con

summate actress, had the power of imitating to perfection, though she did not always chose to do so. In this point she unwarily raised the mask from her true character, and proved to those who saw her as closely, and watched her as narrowly as I did, that her outward polish might sometimes be, and often was, mere hypocrisy. Melusina could also adopt the manners of a romping school-girl, or of a provincial young lady-not only as a tour de force to show her own talent of adaptation, but as occasion may tempt her, for her own amusement, or to mystify the new arrivals at X-. I have seen her wilfully pass for stupid, when she had no object to gain.

I cannot conceive the Countess-Mother capablé of such tricks at any age: in her all was smooth, snake-like, courtly flattery, and hypocrisy, which never betrayed itself, though circumstances now and then left it in default. Self-command and an untiring desire to make use of others for her own purposes, with a selfish neglect of their interests and feelings wherever they crossed her

secret designs; these always appeared to me the leading features of her character. And now, indeed, she strained all her powers of flattery and adulation to fascinate both Conrad-who had reappeared in society-and myself. I did not trouble myself to analyse her motives: I appreciated her character too well to doubt for a moment that she had some interested object in view.

Conrad and Melusina were again to be thrown into each other's society, and I was sure she set a price upon my good opinion-or rather, my good word-for her daughter, which I doubt if that wayward young lady did herself. I schooled myself, therefore, to meet their subtle manœuvres; and though I willingly praised Melusina's talents and devotion to the Princess, I would not be led into saying, what an admirable wife she would some day make to my son, as I saw was expected of me. In the meantime, reluctant as I was to think of it, I was gradually accustoming myself to the con