"have you seen your lady since you came home? Had you not better go and inquire

for her ?"

But Charles pretended not to hear him, and began to converse with Spencer, while Lady Lennox was describing to Ellinor the impertinence of Mrs Lennox, and Cathe rine was listening to Willoughby.

The Baronet seeing that Clara seemed the only disengaged person of the party, turned to her, and said, "My dear, go up stairs, and inquire how mamma is,-and don't stay, but return quickly and tell me."

Clara did as she was desired, but had not been gone many minutes when they heard the most tremendous shriek, and the next moment Clara rushed into the room screaming,-" Mamma! mamma!-my nose! my nose !"

"What is the matter, Clara ?" said Catherine, snatching her up in her arms. But Clara's only reply was-" Bad mam

ma!"

Sir Thomas, who now thought that Clara

was crying because her mamma was ill, turning to Charles, said, " My dear Charles, I fear Mrs Lennox must be very much indisposed; indeed you had better have some advice. Is she subject to those attacks?"

"Oh, very!" said Charles, carelessly; "but we must hear what Clara is crying for."-And approaching her, he asked why she cried, and who had hurt her?

"It was bad mamma that hurt me!" exclaimed the child, between every sob. "But you should not call her bad mamma," said Catherine, gravely.

"But she is bad," said Clara, with violence.

"But, Clara," again said Charles, "why did she hurt you? You must have been naughty ?"

"No, me not bad-Grandpapa bid me ask how mamma was, and when me went up to her she gave me a great slap on the face, and asked why me was not in bed, and said, she fancied aunt Catherine was

too busy flirting with Major Willoughby to take care of me."

At this Charles bit his lip, Ellinor gave her head a toss, Willoughby looked grave, but gratified, whilst poor Catherine hardly knew how or where to look. Her first impulse was to run from the room, but her good sense soon whispered her how strange this would appear, and, with a complexion which might have put a rose to the blush, she turned to soothe Clara, pretending not to have heard the last part of her speech.

But Sir Thomas, who would not let the matter rest, returned once more to the charge; and to rid himself of these importunities, Charles said he would go himself, and inquire how his lady found herself. But he went no farther than the staircase, where having stood till a proper time had elapsed for his pretended visit, he returned to the drawing-room, saying, that Mrs Lennox was considerably better, and that, as she thought she would soon drop asleep, she begged none of the family would enter her room

that night. This pacified Sir Thomas, and he sat down to supper with a mind more composed and tranquil.

At supper, Catherine tried to avoid sitting next Willoughby, but her mADŒNVTES proved unsuccessful; for just as she had secured a seat at the bottom of the table, as if by the merest chance in the world. Willoughby dropped into one upon the other side of her, while Catherine, who, after the accusation laid against her, still felt embarrassed in speaking to him, thought every moment an age till he took his departure.

In the meantime, Charles, wishing to relieve her embarrassment, good-naturedly volunteered a song, in which he had made but short progress, when a violent peal was rung from the room above, and in a few moments William entered, with a request from Mrs Lennox, that the party would be less noisy. On this, Charles could not suppress a "Devil take it ;" and Willoughby and Spencer, rising immediately, bid the family good night, and quickly took their leave.

"Indeed, Charles," said Sir Thomas, "it was very inconsiderate of you to sing when you knew how much Mrs Lennox was indisposed."

Charles muttered something about not indulging the whims of women, and walked off; while Ellinor, enraged at the sudden breaking up of the party, to show her contempt for Mrs Lennox, hummed a tune the whole way up stairs, her strain increasing in loudness as she passed the chamber of the invalid; and, on entering her own apartment, shut the door with unfeminine violence. Catherine, understanding from Jenkinson that her lady was awake, went in; and going softly up to her, she gently opened the curtain, and hoped she found herself better. But Catherine's kind inquiries met but a scurvy reception; for no sooner did this termagant see who made the inquiry, than she very politely drew the curtain in her face, saying, at the same time, "You must be very anxious, no doubt, to