and light in her movements as Ellen herself-then that old nurse with the new baby-then Ellen, smiling as usual; and last of all, Sir Charles got upon the box, followed by the Viscount!! and then off they drove as fast as the horses could carry them. My eyes and mouth continued wide open long after they had turned the corner into Park Lane. I was at my wit's end; at sea without a rudder. What could all this possibly portend? The little boy was left behind too! and all the servants, with the exception of one of the lady's maids, and Sir Charles's own man. Could it be that Ellen was going to be palmed off upon the poor deceived Viscount? But why then should they go out of town to be married? why had not I seen the least glimpse of a lawyer, or any preparation for a trousseau ? and why did the new baby go with them? that could not be of much use at a wedding. No, that could not be it. Where could they be going? I passed a restless day, a sleepless night. The next morning I grew desperate, and was on the point of sallying forth in my cap and dressing gown, to knock at the door of the deserted mansion, and demand satisfaction of the butler, when who should I pounce upon at the door, but my old friend General Crosby. It was devilish unlucky, but I was obliged to ask him up. "I intended to call on my friends, the St Legers, over the way, this morning," said he, "but I find they are gone to Portsmouth." "To Portsmouth, are they? that's very curious," said I, interrupting him. "Do you know the family?" asked I, with something like agitation. "I have known Sir Charles St Leger all his life; he married Fanny Spenser, a daughter of Admiral Spenser." "Good God!" 66 Why are you surprised?" asked he gravely. Why, General, I must be candid with you; truth and honour compel me to a disclosure, which, I am sure will, as a friend of the family, cause you exceeding pain." The general was now surprised in his turn. "Good heavens!" he ejaculated, "Nothing has happened to MIS Murray or the child, I hope.' "I don't know who you mean by Mrs Murray," I replied, with great seriousness. "It is of Lady St Leger and her sister that I am about to speak." And I then told him every circumstance of guilt, with their corroborating proofs, to which I had been so unwilling a witness; I told him all without disguise; to all of which he listened, as I thought, very calmly, apathetically indeed, considering he was a friend of the family; but on the conclusion of my recital, to my great dismay, he arose, put on his hat, and looking at me sternly, said, "Sir. the lady whom you have thus honoured by so great a "Is Lady share of your attention is not the intriguante you suppose, is not the paramour of Sir Charles St Leger, but is no other than his wife and my god-daughter. I wish you, Sir, a good morning." "Wife! god-daughter!" I repeated in a faint. voice. " But, General, for God's sake, one instant: the elder lady ?" St Leger's elder sister, the wife of the gallant Captain Murray, whose absence on service she has been some time lamenting. His ship has arrived at Portsmouth, and they are all gone to meet him." He had reached the door; I was in an agony; my hair stood on end;"One word more: the Viscount?" "Is Captain Murray's elder brother. And before I take my leave, permit me to wish you a better occupation than clandestinely watching the actions of others, of misinterpreting the actions of an amiable and virtuous lady, and traducing the character of an estimable man, whose refinement of feeling you have neither mind to understand nor appreciate. Sir, I wish you again a good morning." What would I not have given at that moment of shame to have been on my travels down the bottomless pit! Anywhere rather than on the first floor at Brook street. I was positively at my wits' end. I hung my head, completely abashed, discomfited-I had nothing to say, absolutely not word—and was thoroughly ashamed of myself and my ingenuity. Had I possessed a tail, I should have slunk off with it hanging down between my legs, in the manner I have seen a discomfited dog do: but I had no such expressive appendage, and I could only ejaculate to myself at intervals, during the whole of the next three days "God bless my soul! what a false scent I have been on! And for a bachelor gentleman too, not at all given to invention! Yet how was I to guess that a wife could be in love with her husband? There is some excuse for me after all. God bless my soul!" P. S. The St Legers are returned-Capt. Murray is with them -French blinds are putting up all over the house, "Othello's occupation's gone," can't stand it-off to the continent. Monthly Mag. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. WHEN the breeze of a joyful dawn blew free In the silken sail of infancy, The tide of time flowed back with me The forward-flowing tide of time; True Mussulman was I and sworn, Anight my shallop, rustling through Often, where clear stemmed platans guard The boat-head down a broad canal The sloping of the moonlit sward Of breaded blooms unmown, which crept A motion, from the river won, I entered, from the clearer light, Imprisoning sweets, which, as they clomb Of good Haroun Alraschid ! Still onward; and the clear canal Above through many a bowery turn Wandered engrained. On either side Of good Haroun Alraschid. Black-green the garden bowers and grots A sudden splendour from behind Dark blue the deep sphere overhead, So, leaping lightly from the boat, In marvel whence that glory came Upon me, as in sleep I sank In cool soft turf upon the bank, Entranced with that place and time, Thence through the garden I was borne- And deep myrrh thickets blowing round Thick rosaries of scented thorn, Tall orient shrubs, and obelisks Graven with emblems of the time, Right to the carven cedarn doors, In inmost Bagdat, till there seem'd Of night new-risen, that marvellous time, Of good Haroun Alraschid. Then stole I up, and trancedly Six columus, three on either side, With inwrought flowers, a cloth of gold, Sole star of all that place and time, ALFRED TENNYSON. |