couple of hours of social companionship without the mortifying help of cards, games, or music; what resource is there for a species of intercourse from which such occupations are necessarily banished where there is no rallying point, no neutral ground, on which these soidisant friends can meet and parley? The details of the garden, the farm, or the village, cannot interest those who are engrossed by the more exciting pleasures of the metropolis; still less, perhaps, can the denizen of the country enter into those worldly pursuits which, when contemplated from that degree of distance, equally precluding being drawn into their vortex and blinded to their frivolity, must astonish, even revolt those whose hours follow each other in the ordinary quiet duties and occupations of home; I while their London friends, on their part, are naturally provoked by a degree of indifference to the affairs of the world, which they may impute to narrowness of mind, or an affectation of superior wisdom and sanctity. Thus a meeting, from which both parties probably anticipated much pleasure, necessarily ends in disappointment and ennui. The charms of the fresh verdure and of the perfumed air, the extraordinary beauty of the foliage, (which extraordinary beauty, by the way, is noticed every successive year as a fresh miracle in nature,) are soon discussed; and after a walk round the small parterre, and collecting a nosegay formed of the owner's choicest plants, which is probably laid aside and forgotten long before the visit is over, little more remains to be said or done, not half enough, at least, to fill up the two necessary hours to be passed while the horses are rested, and the servants made tipsy at the next ale-house. Even luncheon, that great restorative to mind and body on such occasions, fails to occupy the hoped-for portion of time, till at length the London visiter, no longer able to endure the endlessness of the last half-hour, looks at her watch, thinks it must have stopped, that there must have been some mistake about the carriage, and, begging leave to ring the bell, in a tone of impatience orders it to come round directly. Thus the friends part with, perhaps, still greater mutual satisfaction than they originally met; and, equally exhausted by the vain attempt at being agreeable, the one soon falls asleep in her carriage, and the other over her book on the sofa. There can be no doubt that Theresa saw Lord Launceston's carriage drive away with as much delight as was ever experienced by any such unfortunate owner of a villa when thus dismissing a London friend, and certainly with much more satisfaction than Mrs. Hopkins could have conceived it possible for any one to feel on the departure of a carriage, which could boast of an earl's coronet on the panels. "Thank heaven they are gone!" exclaimed Theresa, as with restored vivacity she lightly sprung up stairs ; " and I trust it will be many a day before we are again so favoured by such right honourable visiters; at all events it will be many a day before I shall forget their unkindness." "Theresa," said Miss Trevelyan, looking her gravely in the face, 66 are such sentiments right, do you think?” "I don't know whether they are right or wrong, but surely they are natural ! "And it is for that very reason that suspicious of them," said Miss Trevelyan. member what we this very morning read? we should be "Do you re "Oh, yes! I remember quite well," replied Theresa, with quickness; "but surely such grave rules have little to do with morning visits and visiters; and I do not see why I am bound to be civil to those, who are not only not civil to me, but positively unkind." "Because," said Miss Trevelyan, "we are to return good for evil." Theresa did not again reply; and, after a moment's pause, going up to her friend with an altered look and manner, “Ah, Treevy !” said she, "it is not every one who can be like you even if they try-which, perhaps, I do not; but may I not at least say that I hope Lord Launceston and his daughter will not again soon come to make us quarrel, and to make you look grave at me!" And so saying, putting her arms round Miss Trevelyan's neck, she looked in her face with such a winning smile, that her disarmed monitor could not find it in her heart to chide one so lovely, so fascinating. CHAPTER III. Oh! but madam, that is the very reason that it was believed at once; for she has always been so very cautious and reserved, that every body was sure there was some reason for it at the bottom. School for Scandal. As summer advanced, Miss Trevelyan became nervously anxious for news of her home-bound brother. The post was now a daily object of intense interest; preparations were already made in the house for his reception, and Theresa's imagination was busily at work picturing to herself that guardian who was to supply to her the place of a father. One day, after a long walk with her usual companions, the maid and the little dog, she on returning home saw a hack chaise at the door, and fat John waddling backwards and forwards with luggage. She hurried on, eagerly inquiring who was arrived? "Who! why the Colonel, to be sure," said John, grinning from ear to ear. "The Colonel!" repeated Theresa: "do you mean Colonel Trevelyan, my guardian ?" 66 Ay, miss, the guardsman as you calls him ;" for John did not hear very distinctly. Theresa's heart began to beat with awe and anxiety. "And has Miss Trevelyan seen him?" she inquired. "Seen him! why, Lord bless you, she has been in such a taking, crying and sobbing, for all the world as if she was sorry he was come back; but she is more pacified now, and they are together on the settee in the parlour, talking about everything." Theresa entered the house, and stepping softly past the door of the drawing-room, bounded up the stairs to her own apartment, where she anxiously watched and listened, expecting every minute to be sent for; but a full hour passed and no summons came. Theresa did not like neglect any better than her neighbours; and at last growing mortified at being so totally disregarded, she determined on inquiring whether Miss Trevelyan had been informed of her return home. She therefore opened her door in order to go in search of John, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs made her instantly stop, as she had by this time worked herself up into such a state of nervous agitation at the prospect of the much-longed-for, yet dreaded, meeting with her guardian, that she was terrified at the idea of falling in with him unawares. The footsteps advanced-and Miss Trevelyan appeared. "Oh! there you are," said she to Theresa, "I was coming in search of you, for Frederick is anxious to be made acquainted with his adopted daughter." "This is Theresa flew up to her friend, giving her a kind kiss of congratulation on her brother's safe return. Miss Trevelyan's cheek was still wet with tears, her whole frame still shook with emotion. "We had almost forgotten you," said she, smiling, as she drew Theresa's arm within her's. "We have had so much to say to each other, so many painful subjects to revert to; but that is all over now, and I trust nothing but comfort and happiness is in store for us all.” And again Miss Trevelyan pressed Theresa's hand, as if wishing to identify her with the pleasurable feelings of the moment. They had by this time reached the door of the drawingroom, when Theresa involuntarily fell back. very awful," said she, drawing a long breath and shrinking behind her friend. Colonel Trevelyan had advanced towards the door to greet his ward, and was familiarly approaching her, when on seeing Theresa, he also stopped short. In the hurry and agitation of the meeting between the brother and sister, after a separation of so many years, Theresa had, as Miss Trevelyan confessed, been scarcely thought of or mentioned, and in consequence of Colonel Howard always designating her as "the child," Colonel Trevelyan had, like his sister, (previously to her first interview with her at Miss Birch's,) pictured to himself a raw, uncouth school-girl. Startled at now beholding so very different an object from what he had expected; his hand, which had been protectingly extended towards his adopted daughter, fell on beholding her, and he unconsciously drew back with feelings of awe and admiration. Theresa, on her part, was certainly not less surprised than her guardian, when, instead of a middle-aged person, like her father, whom she had prepared herself to see, the rapid glance which she now took of the object before her, showed her a tall handsome military-looking man, seemingly not much past thirty. "On his bold visage, middle age Had slightly pressed its signet sage; For a minute both the guardian and ward stood immoveable, as if equally at a loss how to accost each other, till Miss Trevelyan, with a playfulness of manner not common to her, took her brother's hand, and placing Theresa's in it, Why, how shy and frightened you both look;" said she. "I see I must act as master of the ceremonies, and go through the regular forms of introduction, in order that you may begin your acquaintance." Theresa's hand was kindly pressed by Colonel Trevelyan, but she drew it hastily away without even looking in his face, and continued during the remainder of that day unusually taciturn, appearing wholly occupied with her own thoughts, or her work, from which her eyes were scarcely ever withdrawn ; while Colonel Trevelyan, on his part, taking advantage of their intent application, allowed his to wander in admiration over her beautifully carved features, the exquisite contour of her head, and the graceful long white throat which supported it. On leaving the drawing-room at bed time, Miss Trevelyan followed Theresa to her own apartment, her kind heart prompting her to even more than wonted tenderness towards her young friend, in order to convince her that this new interest could not supersede that which had now for above a twelvemonth sweetened her existence; for, having observed Theresa's unusual abstraction, she feared she might have been visited by some such feelings. 66 Well, Theresa," said she, "I hope you and my brother will soon become good friends, and that you will not continue to find him so awful as he appears to be at first sight." D |