Thaddeus understood the incredulity couched under these words. So did Lady Tinemouth.

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However," rejoined she, "be satisfied, Mr. Constantine, that I believe you sincere."

The count bowed.

"Fie, Lady Tinemouth!" cried the lady, "you are partial; nay, you are absurd; did you ever yet hear a man speak truth to a woman ?”

"Lady Sara!" replied her ladyship, with one of those arch glances which seldom visited her eyes, "where will be your vanity if I assent to this?"

"In the moon, with man's sincerity." Thaddeus paid little attention to this. dialogue. His thoughts, in spite of himself, were wandering after the figures of Somerset and his father.

Lady Tinemouth, whose fancy had not been quiet about him, since the hour inwhich chance introduced him to her acquaintance, observed his present absence. without

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without noticing it. Indeed, the fruitful imagination of Maria Egerton had not lain still. She declared, "that he was a soldier by his dress! a man of rank, from his manners; an Apollo in his person; and a hero from his gallantry!"

Thus did Miss Egerton describe him to Lady Sara Roos; "and," added she, "what convinces me, that he is a man of fashion, he has not been within these walls, since we told him, that we should take it as a favour."

Lady Sara was eager to see this handsome stranger. Having previously determined to drop in at Lady Tinemouth's, under some excuse or other, every morning, until her curiosity was gratified, she was not a little pleased when she heard his name announced.

Lady Sara was married; but she was young and beautiful also, and she liked that her power should be acknowledged by others besides her husband. The instant she beheld the count Sobieski, she formed

formed the wish to entangle him in her chains. She learnt, by his pale countenance and thoughtful air, that he was a melancholy character, and, above all things, she sighed for such a lover. She expected to receive from one of his cast, a tenderness, a devotedness; in short, a fervent, wild, and romantic passion, which would feed on her sighs, and its own fires, to eternity. Thaddeus appeared to her to be the very creature of whom she had been in search. His abstraction, his voice and eyes, the one so touching, the other so neglectful of any thing but the ground, were irresistible, and she resolved from that moment (in her own words) "to make a dead set at him."

Lady Tinemouth, not less pleased with this second view of her new acquaintance, than she had been at the first, directed her discourse to him, accompanied by all that winning interest so endearing to a liberal heart. Whilst she was speaking, Lady Sara, who never augured well to the suc

cess of her fascinations, when the countess addressed herself to any of her victims, tried every means in her power to draw aside the attention of the count. She played with her ladyship's dog; but, that not succeeding, she determined to strike him at once with the elegance of her figure. Complaining of heat, she threw off a large green velvet mantle, which she wore, and, rising from her chair, walked towards the window.

When she looked round to enjoy her victory, she saw that this manoeuvre had failed like the rest; for the provoking countess was still standing between her and Thaddeus. Almost angry, she flung open the sash, and, putting her head out of the window, exclaimed in her best modulated tones,

"How d'ye do?"

"I hope your ladyship is well this fine morning!" was answered in the voice of Pembroke Somerset.

Thaddeus grew pale, and the countess

feeling

feeling the cold, turned round to ask Lady Sara to whom she was speaking. "To a pest of mine, my dear," returned she; and, then stretching out her neck, she resumed, "But where, in the name of Heaven, are you going, Somerset, with all that travelling apparatus ?"

"To Deerhurst; we are going to take Lord Arun down. But I keep your ladyship in the cold. Good morning."

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My compliments to Sir Robert. Good bye! good bye!" and, waving her white hand, until his curricle was out of sight; when she turned round, her desires were gratified, for the elegant stranger was standing with his eyes fixed on that hand. But, had she known, that, for any cognizance they took of its beauty, they might as well have been fixed on vacancy, she would not have pulled down the window, and reseated herself with such an air of triumph.