Mary was too much confounded by her cousin's reproaches to be able to reply to them for some time; and when she did attempt to vindicate herself, she found it was in vain. Lady Emily refused to listen to her; and, in haughty displeasure, quitted the room, leaving poor Mary overwhelmed with sorrow and amazement.

There was a simplicity of heart, a singleness of idea in herself, that prevented her from ever attaching suspicion to others. But a sort of vague, undefined apprehension floated through her brain as she revolved the extraordinary behaviour of her cousin. Yet it was that sort of feeling to which she could not give either a local habitation or a name; and she continued for some time in that most bewildering state of trying, yet not daring to think. Some time elapsed, and Mary's confusion of ideas was increasing rather than diminishing, when Lady Emily slowly entered the room,

and stood some moments before her with

out speaking.

At length, making an effort, she abruptly said" Pray, Mary, tell me what you think of me?"

" I

Mary looked at her with surprise. think of you, my dear cousin, as I have always done."

"That is no answer to my question. What do you think of my behaviour just

now ?"

"I think," said Mary, gently, "that you have misunderstood me; that, open and candid yourself, almost to a fault, you readily resent the remotest appearance of duplicity in others. But you are too generous not to do me justice—”

Ah, Mary! how little do I appear in my own eyes at this moment; and how little, with all my boasting, have I known my own heart! No! It was not because I am open and candid that I resented your engage

ment with Colonel Lennox; it was because I was-because-cannot you guess ?"

Mary's colour rose, as she cast down her eyes, and exclaimed with agitation, "Nono, indeed!"

Lady Emily threw her arms around her : "Dear Mary, you are perhaps the only person upon earth I would make such a confession to-it was because I, who had plighted my faith to another-I, who piqued myself upon my openness and fidelity-Ihow it chokes me to utter it! I was beginning to love him myself!-only beginning, observe, for it is already over--I needed but to be aware of my danger to overcome it. Colonel Lennox is now no more to me than your lover, and Edward is again all that he ever was to me; but I what am I-faithless and self-deceived!" and a few tears dropped from her eyes.

Mary, too much affected to speak, could only press her in silence to her heart.

"These are tears of shame, of penitence, though I must own they look very like those of regret and mortification. What a mercy it is that the chemist's magic art' cannot 'crystalize these sacred treasures," said she with a smile, as she shook a tear drop from her hand; "they are gems I am really not at all fond of appearing in."

"And yet you never appeared to greater advantage," said Mary, as she regarded her with admiration.

"Ah! so you say; but there is, perhaps, a little womanish feeling lurking there. And now you doubtless expect-no, you don't, but another would-that I should begin a sentimental description of the rise and progress of this ill-fated attachment, as I suppose it would be styled in the language of romance; but, in truth, I can tell you nothing at all about it.".

Perhaps Colonel Lennox" said Mary, blushing, and hesitating to name her suspi cion.

No, no-Colonel Lennox was not to blame: There was no false play on either side; he is as much above the meanness of coquetry, as-I must say it as I am. His thoughts were all along taken up with you, even while he talked, and laughed, and quarrelled with me. While I, so strong in the belief that worlds could not shake my allegiance to Edward, could have challenged all mankind to win my love; and this wicked, wayward, faithless heart, kept silent till you spoke, and then it uttered such a fearful sound! And yet I don't think it was love neither l'on n'aime bien qu'une seule fois; c'est la première;'-it was rather a sort of an idle, childish, engrossing sentiment, that might have grown to something stronger; but 'tis past now. I have shown you all the weakness of my heart-despise me if you

will."

"Dearest Lady Emily, had I the same skill to shew the sentiments of mine, you