of the fair enthusiast; who, accompanying her rhapsody with action expressive as her words, had to repeat her question, "have you such a friend?" before he found recollection to answer her in the negative.

The Count, who had never been used to such extravagant behaviour in a woman, would have regarded Miss Euphemia Dundas as little better than insane, had he not been prepared by Miss Egerton's description; and he now acquiesced in her desire, to detain him another hour; half amused, and half wearied with her aimless and wild fancies. But here he was mistaken, her fancies were not aimless; his heart was the game that she had in view and she determined that a desperate attack should make it hers, in return for the deep wounds which she had received from every tone of his voice, whilst reading the Sorrows of Werter.

Thaddeus spent near a fortnight in the constant exercise of his occupations. In the mornings, till two, he prepared those drawings, by the sale of which, he was empowered to pay the good Mrs. Robson, for the care of his friend. And he hoped, that when the ladies in Harley-street should think it time to defray any part of their now large debt to him, he might be enabled to liquidate the very long bill of his friend's apothecary. Butt he Misses Dundas possessed too much money to think of its utility; they used it as counters; for they had no conception, that to other people, it became the source of almost every comfort. Their comforts came so certainly, that they supposed they grew of necessity out of their situation; and, that their great wealth owned no other commission, than to give splendid parties and buy fine things. Their golden showers being exhaled by the same power of vanity by which it had been shed, they as little regarded its dispersion as they had marked its source.

Hence, these amiable ladies never once recollected that their master ought to receive some weightier remuneration for his visits, than the honour of paying them; and as poets tell that all honours are achieved by much hardihood, so these two sisters, though in different ways, seemed resolved that Thaddeus should purchase his distinction with adequate pains.

Notwithstanding, Miss Dundas continued very remiss in her lessons, she, unrelentingly, required the Count's attendance; and, sometimes not in the most gentle language, reproached him for a backwardness, which she owed entirely to her own inattention and stupidity. The fair Diana would have been the most learned woman in the world, could she have found any fine lady path to the temple of science; but the goddess who presides there, being only to be won by arduous climbing, poor Miss Dundas, like the indolent monarch that made the same demand on the philosophers, was obliged to lay the fault of her own slippery feet to the weakness of her conductors.

As Thaddeus despised her most heartily, he bore ill humour from that quarter with perfect equanimity. But the pretty Euphemia was not so easily managed; she had now completely given up her fancied soul to this prince in disguise; and already began to act a thousand extravagancies Diana, without suspecting the object, soon discovered that she was in one of her love fits. Indeed she cared nothing about it; and leaving her to pursue the passion as she liked, poor Euphemia, according to her custom when labouring under this whimsical malady, addicted herself to solitude. This romantic taste she generally indulged, by taking her footman to the gate of the green in Cavendish Square, where he stood till she had performed a pensive saunter up and down the walk. After this she returned, adjusted her hair in the Madona fashion, because the Count had one day admired the female head in a holy family, by Guido, over the chimney-piece; then, seating herself in some becoming attitude, usually waited, with her eyes constantly turned to the door, till the object of all these pains presented himself. She impatiently watched all his motions and looks, whilst he attended to her sister; and the moment he was done, ran over her own lessons with greater volubility than clearness. This finished, she shut the books, and employed the remainder of the time in translating a number of little mottos into German, which she had composed for boxes, baskets, and other frippery.

One day, when the Count, as usual, was tired to death with making decent sense out of so much nonsense; F

phemia, observing that Diana was at the other end of the room with the honourable Mr. Lascelles, (for Miss Dundas, to give an eclat to her new studies, had lately opened her library door to morning visitors,) thought that she might do what she wished without detection; and, hastily drawing a folded paper from her pocket, she desired Thaddeus to take it home and translate it into what language he liked.

The Count surprised at her manner, held it in his hand. Put it in your pocket," added she, in a hurrying voice, "else my sister will see it, and ask what it is!"

Thaddeus, full of wonder, obeyed her; and the little beauty, having executed her scheme, seemed quite intoxi-cated with delight. When he was preparing to withdraw, she called to him, and asked him when he should see lady Tinemouth.

"This evening, Madam."

"Then," returned she, "tell her ladyship that I shall come and sit half an hour with her to-night; and here," added she, running up to him, "present her that rose, with my love." Whilst she put it into his hand, she whispered in a low voice and you will tell me what you think of those verses I have given you?"

Thaddeus blushed, and bowed. He hurried out of the house into the street, as if by that means he could altogether have gotten out of a dilemma to which he feared all this foolish mystery of Euphemia was only the introduction.

Though the Count Sobieski was of all men in the world, perhaps the least inclined to vanity: yet he must have been also the most stupid, if he had not been convinced by this time, of the criminal attachment of Lady Sara. Added to this disagreeable certainty, he more than hi'f dreaded a similar folly in Miss Euphemia.

Can a man see himself the daily object of a pair of melting eyes; hear everlasting sighs at his entrance and departure; day after day, receive tender, though covert addresses, about disinterested love; can he witness al this, and be sincere, when he affirms, that it is the language of indifference? If that be possible, the Count Sobieski has no pretensions to modesty. He comprehended the dis

Coursing of Miss Euphemia's 'eye,' also the tendency of the love-sick mottos which, under various excuses, she put into his hand; and with many a smile, mixed with pity, he contemplated her childish absurdity.

A few days prior to that, in which she made this appointment with the Count, she presented to him another of her devices, which ran thus:- Frightened love, like a wild beast, shakes the wood in which it hides."

Thaddeus nearly laughed at the oddity of this conceit. "Do dear Mr. Constantine," cried she, "translate it into the sweetest French you can, for I mean to have it put into a medallion, and give it to the person I most value on earth!"

There was something so truly ridiculous in the sentence, that he felt reluctant to allow even Miss Euphemia to expose herself so far; and considering a moinent how he should make any thing so bad better, he said, "I am afraid I cannot translate it literally; but surely, madam, you can do it yourself!"

"Yes, but I like your French better than mine! so set about it."

He had done the same kind of thing a hundred times, and, without farther parley, wrote as follows:

""

"L'amour, tel qu'une biche blessee, se trahit lui meme par sa crainte, qui, fait remuer le feuillage qui le couvre.' "Bless me how pretty!" cried she, and immediately put it into her bosom.

To this unlucky addition of the words se trahit lun meme, Thaddeus was indebted for the present of the folded paper. The ever working imagination of Euphemia, in a moment seized the inserted thought as a delicate avowal, that he was the wounded deer which he had substituted in the place of the wild beast; and as soon as ne arrived at home, he found the effect of her mistake, in the packet which she had given him with so much secrecy.

When he broke the seal, something dropped out and fell on the carpet. He took it up and blushed like scarlet, on finding a gold medallion, with the words that he had altered for Miss Euphemia, engraved on blue enamel. With an agitated hand, he next looked at the envelope; it contained a copy of verses, with this line written at the

top.

"To him who will apply them."

On persuing farther, he found them to be Mr. Addison's beautiful translation of that ode of Sappho which runs :

"Blest as the immortal Gods is he
"The youth who fondly sits by thee,
"And hears and sees thee all the while,
"Softly speak and sweetly smile.

"'Twas this deprived my soul of rest,
"And raised such tumults in my breast,
"For while I gazed in transport tost,
"My breath was gone, my voice was lost

"My bosom glow'd; the subtle flame
"Ran quick through all my mortal frame ;
"O'er my dim eyes a darkness hung ;

66

My ears with hollow murmurs rung.

"In dewy damps my limbs were chill'd ;
My blood with gentle horrors thrill'ḍ !
"My feeble puise forgot to play,

Ifainted, sunk, and di'd away!"

"EUPHEMIA.”

Thaddeus threw both them and the medallion together on the table, and sat for a few minutes, considering how he should extricate himself from an affair so truly farcial.

He was thinking of at once giving up the task of attending either of the sisters, when his eyes falling on the uncomplaining but melancholy features of his poor friend, he exclaimed, 66 no for thy sake, gallant Butzou, I will brave every scene however repugnant to my feelings!"

Well aware from observations on Miss Euphemia, that the seeming tenderness, which had prompted an act so wild and unbecoming, originated in mere caprice, he felt no hesitation in determining to return the things in as handsome a manner as possible, and by so doing at once crush the whole affair. He experienced no pain when forming these resolves; because he saw that not one impulse of