impatient with Lady Sara, he found himself obliged to say,

"I am sorry that I must urge your ladyship to honour me with your commands, for it is already past the time when I ought to have been with the Miss Dundasses."

"Yes," cried Lady Sara, angrily, “Miss Euphemia told me as much; but Mr. Constantine, as a friend, I must warn you against her arts; as well as against those of another lady, who would do well to correct the boldness of her manner."

"Whom do you mean, madam?" interrogated Thaddeus, surprised at her warmth, and totally at a loss to conjecture to whom she alluded.

"A little reflection would answer you," returned she, wishing to retreat from an explanation, yet stimulated by her double jealousy to proceed; " She may be a good girl, Mr. Constantine, and I dare say she is; but a woman who has promised her hand to another, ought not to flirt with

you.

you. What business had Miss Egerton to command you to wear an English dress? But she must now see the danger of her conduct, by your having presumed to obey her."

$6

Lady Sara!" exclaimed the count, much hurt at this speech, "I hardly understand you; yet I believe I may venture to affirm, that in all which you have just now said, you are mistaken. Who can witness the general frankness of Miss Egerton, or listen to the candid manner with which she avows her attachment to Mr. Montressor, and conceive that she possesses any thoughts, which would not do her honour to reveal? And for myself," added he, lowering the tone of his voice, "I trust, the least of my faults is presumption. It never was my character to presume on any lady's condescension; and if dressing as she desired, be deemed an instance of that kind, I can declare upon my word, had I not found other mo

tives

tives besides her raillery, my appearance should not have suffered any change.

"Are you sincere, Mr. Constantine?" cried Lady Sara, now smiling with plea

sure.

"Indeed, I am; and happy, if my explanation have met with your ladyship's approbation."

"Mr. Constantine," resumed she, "I have no motive but one, in my discourse with you; friendship." And, casting her eyes down, she sighed profoundly.

"Your ladyship does me honour."

"I would have you regard me with the same confidence that you pay Lady Tinemouth. My father possesses the first patronage in this country; therefore I have it a thousand times more in my power than she has, to render you a service."

Here her ladyship overshot herself: she had not calculated well on the nature of the mind she wished to ensnare.

"I am grateful to your generosity," re

plied Thaddeus; "but on this head I must decline your kind offices. Whilst I consider myself the subject of one king, though he be in a prison, I will not accept of any employment under another who is in alliance with his enemies."

Lady Sara discovered her error the moment he had made his answer; and, in a disappointed tone, exclaimed, "Then you despise my friendship!"

"No, Lady Sara; it is an honour far beyond my merits and my gratitude to Lady Tinemouth must be doubled, when I recollect, that I possess it through her means.'

66

I

Well," cried her ladyship, "have that as you will; but I expect as a specimen of your confidence in me, that you will be wary of Euphemia Dundas. know that she is artful and vain, and finds amusement in attracting the affections of men; and then, notwithstanding her af fected sensibility, she turns them into a subject for laughter."

VOL. II.

K

"I thank

"

"I thank your ladyship," replied the count; "but in this respect, I think that I am safe, both from the lady and myself.' "How?" asked Lady Sara, rather too eagerly, "is your heart?"-She paused, and looked down.

No, madam;" replied he, sighing as deeply as herself, but with his thoughts far from her, and the object of their discourse; "I have no place in my heart to give to love. Besides, the quality in which I appear at Lady Dundas's, would preclude the vainest man alive, from supposing, that such behaviour from any lady to him, could be possible Therefore, I am safe; though I acknowledge my obligation to your ladyship's caution."

Lady Sara was satisfied with the first part of this answer. It declared that his heart was unoccupied; and as he had accepted her proffered friendship, she doubted not, but that when assisted by more frequent displays of her fascinations, she could destroy its lambent nature, and,

in