nephew in the course of their drive to Newcastle on the following morning. Mrs. O'Donnell served for a text to Mr. De Cressy's discourse: he assumed that she was a specimen of the class from which his nephew had selected his bride, and he urged the necessity of maintaining the system of exclusiveness against which Kathleen inveighed. His advice had greater weight with Lord De Cressy, because he admitted that there was nothing in Kathleen herself to offend the most fastidious taste: she was rather wilful in maintaining her prejudices, or principles, as she chose to call them; but this might be amended by judicious management. Judicious management when Kathleen's heart was yearning for love and confidence!

A difference might be felt, rather than defined, between Lord De Cressy's open opposition and the gentler but more systematic endeavours with which he now strove to wean her from the interests and associations to which she clung. He did not interfere with her occupations in the village or the school; these are in modern days quite compatible with fashion and high breeding. They read and discussed the same books; they walked and drove, and went into society together; and he ceased to cavil at her words, and seemed to rely on the tact and refinement which he had no cause to doubt.

Kathleen would have taken increasing delight in such intercourse, if its charm had not been marred by the consciousness that all was done upon system. She might forget it for a time, but not when a letter came from Edward Lisle, and Lord De Cressy studiously forbore to express any interest in its contents beyond a careless inquiry after Walter. Or when he obtained the earliest information that the O'Donnells were again ex

pected to pass a few days at the Vicarage, and fixed upon the same week to offer a visit to Mrs. Wilbraham. Kathleen's strong affections were not thus to be trained and tutored into forgetfulness, and her heart swelled with indignant feeling at the attempt. As the time of their return to London approached, she was chiefly occupied with the anticipation of unrestrained intercourse with her sister, and, notwithstanding Lord De Cressy's efforts to make their stay at Holdinghame agreeable, she left it without regret.

CHAPTER XXVII.

From the ingrain'd fashion
Of this earthly nature,
That mars Thy creature;

From grief, that is but passion;
From mirth, that is but feigning;
From tears, that bring no healing;
From wild and weak complaining,
Thine old strength revealing,
Save, oh save!

M. ARNOLD.

PARLIAMENT met on the second of February, and on the first, the De Cressys arrived at their house in Carlton Gardens. Their coming had been eagerly anticipated by the young Lisles, in whose estimation Uncle Lionel was a still more important personage than Aunt Kathleen. Walter wished for advice respecting his carving; Cecil had magnificent expectations of driving about London in Lord De Cressy's cabriolet; and Mary hoped that he would remember her partiality for Nettle. So the warmth of their greeting was damped by a certain sense of disappointment when Kathleen entered the room, just before tea-time, accompanied neither by Lord De Cressy nor by Nettle.

"It is Aunt Kathleen, mamma," said Walter, and it was hard for Kathleen to believe that the information was needed. The relations between the mother and son were in some measure changed, and Walter was ever on

the watch to return the care of which he had so long been the object. Kathleen remarked, that when her sister rose hastily to meet her, Walter also raised himself on his couch, to draw aside some obstacle in her path, although the pain of the exertion drove the colour to his temples.

"Dear Agnes! so it is indeed all darkness," said Kathleen, unable to suppress the words, nor the tears wrung from a full heart.

"And it has

"Your coming is a pleasant bit of sunshine, which I can feel, if I cannot see," replied Agnes. taken us by surprise

has it not, Walter? We did not

expect you till after dinner."

"Lord De Cressy said that it would not be worth while to have the carriage out again to-night," said Kathleen, "so I came on here at once, leaving him at the Club. Dinner is nominally seven; but I need not hurry back, for I daresay he will be late."

"You must not take it for granted," said Agnes, "lest you reverse the natural order of things, and make the husband wait for the wife. Now that we have had a glimpse of you, our talk may be reserved for tomorrow."

"But I do not see how we are to meet to-morrow," replied Kathleen, in a tone of annoyance. "I had planned that the children should go to Carlton Gardens, to see what they could of the gilt coach and cream-coloured horses, and then I might have brought them back, and spent the afternoon with you. But Lionel thinks that I ought to go to the House, which will take up the whole day; the carriages will not be available for anything else, and the servants will be busy unpacking, and not able to look after the children."

"As they know nothing of the plan, they will not be disappointed," said Agnes; "I am glad that you are going to the opening of Parliament, which I imagine to be the gayest of all sights. Who is to take you?"

"Lady Etherington, I believe. Sophy wrote about it before we left Holdinghame," Kathleen answered, in the same spiritless manner. Her sister did not directly

remark on it, but she asked presently

"How is she looking, Walter? Rather tired with her journey, I suppose."

"No, mamma, she looks as well as ever quite stately, in a velvet cloak trimmed with such beautiful fur."

Kathleen's smile cost her an effort, for the contrast between her costly dress and that of Agnes and her children was very oppressive. The children, especially, looked more poverty-stricken than before, for though Walter did what he could to supply his mother's place, the loss of her watchful superintendence was very apparent; the collars were more apt to be tumbled, and the hair untidy.

Agnes would not suffer her sister to linger beyond the appointed time, but she followed her out of the room, that they might speak a few words apart, answering her inquiries about Walter, and anxious to know what Kathleen thought of him.

"I cannot return the compliment of saying that he looks very well," replied Kathleen, "yet he is better than Edward's report had led me to believe. I wonder when I shall see Edward."

"Next time you come, I hope," said Agnes; "he is late to-day, as he had to take some papers to the City after office hours."