66

of a moment, come up stairs to my room, and I

will speak with you."

He followed his father, and entered the library, where the servant, having perceived their approach, had already lighted the candles and stirred up the fire. But whatever was the reason, Mr Dalton had not been a minute in the room ere he said abruptly, and in a tone of some agitation,-" No, Reginald, it won't do here-it won't do just now. Another time will do betterGood-night-good-night." And so the Vicar retired to his bed-chamber.

CHAPTER VII.

THE old Squire and Mrs Elizabeth were both of them early risers; at least, in comparison with the general fashion of their degenerate age. She in her woollen gloves and strong shoes, and he in his green frock and short gaiters, were severally astir by eight o'clock; and they met by accident in the flower-garden, before a single glimpse of day-light had been permitted to enter the chamber of their hosts.

"Good-morrow to you, sister," said the Squire; "have you seen any thing of Barbara this morning ?"

"No; but I saw her maid," answered Mrs Betty; "and I take it, upon the whole, she has had a better night than we expected. Poor thing! the meeting must have been a severe shock-I

"Lord bless me, Betty," quoth Mr Dalton, "how sentimental you all are ? I think that pretty young fellow might have been enough to remind you how many years are gone."

"And to be sure so he did, brother; but what of that? I'm sure cousin John, man though he be, and married though he has been, was just in as great a flurry; ay, greater if the truth were known; at least, he shewed it more."

"No, no, Betty-there was an awkwardness

you

know at first-hang him, that was all his own fault for keeping away from us so long-but you must own that before any body else joined us he was quite himself. Poor fellow! I can't help being sorry for him. It must have been something very deep that produced such an effect on him. But I wonder what infatuation it was that made him in such a hurry for a wife-If he had only waited"

66 Only waited! which of you is it that will wait?-You're all alike in these matters, brother -so hot, so sudden, so boisterous-and then the

moment you meet with the least check, off you go in a pet, forsooth. Nothing but sulks, sulks, sulks ! O! you may say what you will, but the men have, in their own style, just as much vanity as we have-and of a far more disagrecable sort, too, I think."

"Do you think it was vanity that made him marry the girl? Every body said she was uncommonly pretty, I allow that."

66

Vanity!-what else could it be?-or prideyou may give it whichever name you like the best. He was one of the lords of the creation, you know, and how should he forgive such an insult from one of us?-Would any body have expected such condescension ?-What! be so humble as to ask a second time, with the chance of being refused a second time !"

"Pooh, pooh, Betty-you told me yourself long ago she would have taken him the second time."

"Yes, and I don't deny that I said so-But I told you at the same time, if you please to remember, that we are all of us a great deal too good-natured-'tis our weak point-our foible.”

"Ha! ha! Betty; upon my word, it makes me laugh to hear you speak so-you, Betty Dalton, you that have refused more coaches-and-six in your time than"

66

Nay, nay, Dick-none of your joking." "There was Sir Benjamin Blount, Bettywhat made you refuse him? Tell the truth now

for once."

"O, the sad rakish man! Why do you mention him, brother?-Poor Sir Benjamin! I believe there was something good about him, after all."

"Good about him? No, that's too tender by half, Betty. Blount was always a Whig."

"A Whig! well, and what then? Lord! when will you men be done with these foolish politics? You're all mad, I think. Do you really suppose that a Whig may not make as good a husband as a Tory, even although he do not drink quite so much ?"

"Come, come, Betty, none of your personality, if you please; I'm sure we had not much more than a bottle a-piece. Wait till they give us