to bind and to loose, I should use my utmost endeavour to insure her that last solace. In this, I performed a clear and imperative duty, but, I sincerely trust, with every possible regard to Mr. Lewis's feelings."

"So the consequences have most clearly testified ; but these, I suppose, must appear entirely unworthy of concern to a person who is acting upon so distinct and exalted a mission from above."

"I have received no sort of mission from above, I firmly believe, Lady Helen, and it is this persuasion which has enabled me so conscientiously to give and to keep my pledge of never interfering with the creed of others. As for the consequences to which you are alluding, the blind bigotry of those who so wantonly assailed us, must alone remain accountable for them."

"I hope that you hear that, Sir Charles: we are the bigots, the assailants, and so forth. However, as you say nothing, I suppose that you agree to that."

"Do I, by G-!" cried the Baronet, whose long-smouldering feelings were now beginning

to kindle. "I'll tell you what it is, Miss Cécile, once for all, I am very happy to have you here, and to do what I can for you; but I have other concerns than yours in the world, and other people's interests to provide for. I dare say it appears a very small matter to you that my position in the county should be forfeited, through your agency, and that I should be hooted, mobbed, and pelted up to my very house-door. I take another view of it, I can tell you, and consider that I might have expected some better requital from you."

"What! gratitude, consideration for heretics and infidels, on the part of the truly faithful! My dear Sir Charles, what can you mean?" observed Lady Helen.

"The immense debt of gratitude which I owe shall be paid to the utmost of my ability," replied Cécile, trembling more violently than before, but not with anxiety now; "and where no gratitude is due, I trust that God will give me patience to endure, and charity to forgive. As yet, I have believed, my dear uncle, that, in accepting your kind protection, I was acting in accordance with your wishes. From the hour

that I should think otherwise, I should endeavour to relieve you at once from a truly unprofitable burden."

Oh, indeed! and what might then be your destination, may I ask?" interposed Lady Helen.

“It matters little, I should say, so that it be honourable and independent."

"To be sure, I had quite forgotten. What an interesting and romantic case it will be: driven, like a martyr, by the tyranny and persecution of her relatives, to earn her bread for herself! And all this, my dear," continued Lady Helen, addressing her spouse, "because, as you so truly said just now, there are other concerns in the world than her's, and because we venture occasionally, yet very rarely, to offer a few words of advice with the experience of another generation."

"Very presumptuous, to be sure," resumed the Baronet: "still, we must take that liberty sometimes, and Cécile has quite sense enough to see, when she has recovered her temper, that we are, after all, performing our duty towards her. But whom have we here? Mr. Lewis,

as I am alive, and right glad I am to see him!"

Sir Charles corroborated this exclamation, by moving forward heartily to greet the young incumbent.

"Most happy indeed am I to see you!" repeated he, "and to tell you how deeply Lady Helen and I regret what occurred this morning."

"And you may well add," interposed Lady Helen, "how truly annoyed and concerned we are, that any one belonging to us should have been connected with so unbecoming a proceeding. All that I can say is, that, had she been any child of mine, she should have entreated your forgiveness upon her knees."

"And so I will kneel to him, if it be required!" exclaimed the over-excited Cécile; "not to claim forgiveness where there has been no offence, but to adjure him that he should tell the whole truth, which he so well knows. I appeal to you, Mr. Lewis; did you find me, this morning or ever, unmindful of all that I owe, both to your feelings and to your sacred character? If you have a word of reproach or

reproof to utter with regard to my conduct to-day, pray let it not remain unsaid."

"I, Miss Basinstoke ?" replied the perplexed clergyman. "I really cannot conceive to what you are alluding. Nothing could exceed the courtesy and kindness I met with from you, in circumstances the saddest and most embarrassing. My only regret can be, that our efforts might not be united in the same cause."

'And I can affirm too," said St. Edmunds, at length overcoming his hesitation to join in a conversation which, after all, had reached him more through accident than by design, "I can affirm, too, that Miss Basinstoke most scrupulously abstained from using any influence over the mind of that poor girl, whose own determination was most clearly shown throughout."

'Ah, indeed! so much the better!" exclaimed the relenting Baronet. "Come, shake hands, Mademoiselle, and, since it has been all so well meant, let's hear no more about it; only, for Heaven's sake! another time, where a priest is really wanted, don't let the message be sent in any of our names. That's all right, so we need not advertise in the Times' yet—eh ?”