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that each and all of his London visitors who from time to time favoured him with their company, that they departed full of admiration, and not a little astounded with so aristocratic a residence.

Letitia saw things through a different medium. Though endowed with no exalted faculties of perception, she beheld with uneasiness, the feverish excitement and altered character of her husband. She had remonstrated, she had besought, she had wept at those London visits, she had essayed by every means in her power to terminate them -but in vain. Her father, whenever she hinted at the question, silenced her objections, and at length, like many wives browbeaten into dumb repinings, she was coerced into the semblance of resignation, and compelled to hold communion with her hidden sentiments and stifled apprehensions. She saw that his laughter was often the forced hilarity made to deceptively float over the latent depths of care, and not unfrequently she could read in his uneasy features, the disturbing pangs which of late she was con

vinced had rankled in his bosom. But there were opposites in his demeanour inexplicable, as he would at another time appear happy without the trace of a turbulent reflection. "My love," said he one day to his wife,

46

on my return from town, the Count de Puffendoff accompanies me, to honour us with his presence for a week. I hope, my dear, you will give orders that the entertainment shall be worthy of Elleringay, and suited to so distinguished a guest."

"I will make the best arrangements in my power, James," replied Letitia unconcernedly.

"I know you will, 'Tishy--I know you will," affectionately returned her partner. "That may be one's duty which is not

one's will."

"How am I to interpret your meaning? -why speak you thus? Is it not to your approval that I ask so dignified a personage as the Count to our house? He is an individual of whose acquaintance both you and myself ought to feel proud-more, 'tis in his power to befriend me much."

"As your wife, I will receive your friends with cordiality, but, James, as your wife, I had rather see you at home happy and contented, than in thus continually having visitors."

"You talk nonsense, my dear girl, you talk nonsense. When I return to Elleringay, I require some little change-some social companionship, after the distraction and harass of business and its anxieties."

"The comfort and serenity of domestic peace ought to be preferable."

"Come-come, you are inclined to be pettish with me to-day. Good morning, Tishy, good morning. I trust when I return, you will be in better humour.”

Inglis felt some difficulty in restraining his temper, and with something of an inward pleasure placed his foot in the carriage now waiting to convey him to the Cross Roads' Inn. There was an inly reminding monitor which reproved him for his neglect, and told him that he was not acting according to the declarations he had made. But alas! he had got into the vortex, and he now

VOL. II.

R

must float or sink with the tide on which he had chanced his destiny; he felt as if his fate hung poised between the blue ethereal of happiness above, and the misery and mischance of a Tartarus below!

CHAPTER XII.

“In person tall, a figure form'd to please,
If symmetry could charm deprived of ease;
When motionless he stands, we all approve―
What pity 'tis the thing was made to move.

*

Big with pride,

Assumes the pompous port, the martial stride.”

CHURCHILL.

"Quit thy state—

All equal are, within the Church's gate.”
HERBERT'S TEMPLE.

WITH a woman's penetration, Mrs. Inglis fully noticed the inattention of her husband, and it is not to be wondered at, that the natural susceptibilities of her sex were stung by the increasing coldness of neglect. She might, as she had done, remonstrate, but

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