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twirling his dark moustache with a gravity which threw his fair cousin Constance into a fit of laughter.

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And, gracious Heavens!" resumed Edward Basinstoke, "what emulation and contention there would be for a smile, or for a look of approbation!"

"Fearful, indeed," replied St. Edmunds.

"Suppose that in the meantime, Cécile, you were to give us a little music," interposed Lady Helen, apparently not much pleased at the tone the conversation was assuming.

"Perhaps you will kindly excuse me for tonight, Lady Helen: I have such a shocking head-ache, and I dare say Constance, who plays so well, will be good enough to devote herself for me."

"That I certainly must decline doing, dear Cécile. Nothing could possibly justify me in inflicting upon our London cousin such wretched performance as mine, instead of your beautiful playing.".

Just then, sundry premonitory exclamations gave warning that Sir Charles's slumbers were coming to a close, and, a moment afterwards, he

had assumed his accustomed seat at the tea

table.

"You are uncommon silent and gloomy here it strikes me," said he: "are we not to have a little music to-night ?"

"I have already requested Cécile to play," answered Lady Helen; "but either my wish does not appear to her a sufficient motive, or she thinks that we are requiring of her more than we are entitled to ask."

"No, in truth, Lady Helen," cried Cécile earnestly; "and if you really desire it, you will find me most anxious to obey. What shall I play?"

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Anything that you will condescend to select ?"

Without noticing the asperity with which these latter words also were utttered, Cécile moved at once towards the piano. At first, no one rose to follow her, but ere many minutes had elapsed, the three younger members of the family had drawn close to her again, as if magically attracted within her sphere. She had chosen merely a simple and plaintive German melody, little known, perchance, in

what is styled the musical world; but so exquisite was her touch, so deeply and perfectly modulated was every tone, both of the motive itself, and of her own self-inspired variations, that each listener remained entranced, as it were, in some heavenly vision, until he was suddenly and rudely cast back into the dreary regions of reality, when the wizard sounds were hushed into cold, lifeless silence.

"Oh! it cannot be over!" exclaimed Edward and St. Edmunds together. "Will you

not play it once more?"

"Certainly, if you wish it; or perhaps you would like to hear another by the same author ?"

"More than I can say," replied St. Edmunds. "What is his name?"

"His name is Ernest Reinhold, and, if I mistake not, it will soon be well known to fame, for he feels what he composes.

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Notwithstanding more than one effort on her part to escape, it was nearly half an hour ere the fair prisoner could be released from her gentle thraldom at the piano, nor indeed would she have been suffered then to depart, if a signal from Lady Helen had not made all

parties aware that the usual hour for withdrawing was already past.

During a few minutes more, the young Viscount lingered on by Sir Charles and Edward, discussing with them how he could best employ the ensuing day, while they would be unavoidably engrossed by the unwelcome care of stemming the adverse tide which had set in against their county influence. An expedition with the keeper after some partridges, and outlying hares, having been finally determined upon, he retired to his rest, vowing that, after all, the life at Redburn was not quite so slow as he had pronounced it to be; a most judicious recantation, mainly inspired, no doubt, by the bright glance and sprightly conversation of his lovely cousin.

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CHAPTER IV.

THE SAINT'S PENANCE.

AND well indeed might Constance's beauty have imparted an unforeseen charm to her favourite abode and to the very atmosphere which pervaded it. Nor think you, critical reader, that, if we thus allude, as we shall, more than once, to that beauty-to those beaming blue eyes; to that exquisitely chiselled nose, upon which the skin cannot surely have been drawn so tight without some extraordinary process of nature, well worthy of being exhibited at the World's Fair; to sundry other exterior perfections, in fine-we have no graver and more important tribute to pay to the fair maiden's attractions. Not only is her disposition as

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