no merit in going into society unless we talk it well over in private life.'

Ellen readily acquiesced; and when Norah was established in a great arm-chair, she nestled at her feet: So comfortably,' she said, 'that I don't see why we should go to bed at all.'

'Ah! Nelly,' said Norah, lightly, 'you are coming on. At the Cottage, you used to disappear, like Cinderella, at half-past ten, because Anne ruled that it was your bed-time.'

'But this is holiday-time,' said Ellen: 'I shall slip into my old ways quite naturally when we go home; only there is no need to think of them just now.'

'And do you expect Anne to be much shocked by our proceedings?'

'I don't know,' said Ellen, more thoughtfully: 'I must write to her to-morrow.'

'You must not be uneasy,' said Norah: 'write away about what interests you, remembering that I am responsible for all irregularities. It will do Anne good to be startled out of her propriety; and, by the time we go home, she will be prepared for your coming out as a decided character.'

'But that is not my line at all, Norah. I am not sure that decision is always right, nor even pleasant. Colonel Oliphant is often quite disagreeable.'

'No, not disagreeable.

There is wonderful

firmness in the expression of his mouth; and I doubt if he has a very good temper, but his manner is very courteous and pleasant.'

'He can say very rude things however. I

don't think you heard all that passed between him and Lord John.'

'Oh! that is nothing: I thought the two friends were very pleasant together. Lord John must be at least nine years younger than Hugh Oliphant; so he looks up to him with respect, and rather likes to be bullied by him than otherwise. He is very agreeable; and so, in spite of the portentous Lady Olivia, her plain daughter, and prosy husband, you will allow that I was justified in complimenting the Captain on his pleasant dinner.'

'Yes,' said Ellen: 'I was sometimes amused, and never much frightened. There is great safety in multitude.'

CHAPTER VII.

When I approach

Her loveliness, so absolute she seems,
And in herself complete, so well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say
Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best:
All higher knowledge in her presence falls
Degraded.

Paradise Lost.

HE next day was rainy, and Ellen devoted the

THE

greater part of the morning to the composition of her letter to Anne. It was a laborious and not a very successful production; for Ellen was more intent on dotting her i's and crossing her t's than on giving any graphic account of their proceedings, which were little likely to meet with her sister's approbation. Comments on the news from Rose Cottage, and a long message to Aunt Kate from Phil, respecting the management of his ferrets, filled up the greater part of the letter; and her ride with Phil, as well as the Aymers' dinner-party, were disposed of in a single line.

A tutor, who had been engaged to give the two boys the instruction necessary to prepare them for an English school, was announced at twelve o'clock; and Norah went down to establish them in the dining-room, and to keep Phil in order, who was disposed to ape the shy and awkward

gestures of the pedagogue,' so that Ellen was alone when Captain Aymer entered.

'This rain is most distressing,' he said. 'I have been watching the clouds the whole morning, in hopes that it would clear; and at last Hugh advised my coming to see you now, and said that he should look in later.'

Ellen, who had already discovered that Hugh had not unlimited patience for his brother-in-law's conversation, was amused by this cool method of transferring him to them; and she imagined with what satisfaction he must now be drawing his chair to the fire, and settling himself to the undisturbed enjoyment of his book.

'Mrs. Kerr,' Captain Aymer repeated on Norah's entrance, 'I have come to condole with you. This rain is most unfortunate.'

'We have come for a month,' replied Norah; ' and it would be unreasonable to expect an uninterrupted succession of fine days in your English climate.'

'Very true,' said Captain Aymer, brightening up; that had not occurred to me before. But how distressed we should have been if you had only come for two or three days.'

Norah assented, and then rose and walked to the window. 'Oh dear! this rain makes me yawn. Can you give us no hopes of a storm, Captain Aymer? It would be new to Ellen, and quite a pleasant excitement.'

The glass was very low, Captain Aymer said, which might mean wind, but he hoped that some better amusement might be devised; perhaps

Lord John Oakleigh might call.

This was a

more interesting subject than the weather, and Norah asked where he was staying.

'With a Mrs. Lewis, somewhere in Kemp Town. Lady Calton and his sisters are there also. They came in for this dance of Lady Mary's, as Houghton Court is twelve miles' off; rather far for an evening drive.'

'And what does the family consist of?' said Norah.

Captain Aymer was very willing to impart his information. 'I scarcely know how many are in the school-room; but there are two daughters out in the world, who are very bright and popular. Lord Houghton, the eldest son, is married, and very little at home; and they are all devoted to this young man, and spoil him, Hugh says, but I think him very delightful, the only one of Hugh's fine friends whom I thoroughly like.'

'He is certainly pleasant,' said Norah, perceiving, however, that his chief merit in Captain Aymer's eyes was due to his having dropped into habits of intimacy, since he was unable to suppress a certain irritation towards 'the fine friends,' whose society Hugh so openly preferred to that of the Aymers' immediate acquaintance.

'They are a most charming family,' he continued. 'We rarely see the old Marquis in Brighton; but Lady Calton and the Ladies Oakleigh come in for all the best balls. We must arrange an expedition to Houghton Court, which is one of the show places.'

And Captain Aymer now diverged to an ac