"Did you observe the new actress, Villetta ?" Lord Vahl said, at breakfast the next morning, as he scanned the announcement of the theatricals.

"Yes, I just caught a glimpse of her."

"Is she not a love? I am annoyed they have said so little about her; and that imbecile A. told me she was barely passable, not equal to the phoenix of last season.'

"I am of his opinion," rejoined Villetta; "but how very unsteady your taste is ! — positively worse than the weather; there is no reckoning upon it for ten minutes together."

"Now that is too bad, Villetta, for you ought to remember I always did admire that sort of stamp."

"I am glad you are reconciled to flaxen ringlets, however," Villetta resumed, putting a comb in her wilderness of curls, which had fallen on her shoulder.

"I detest light hair," said Vahl; "but Villetta, chère, I remarked that Montague the sage is enamoured! We shall have him kneeling to the tragic muse at the theatre, instead of sermonising."

"What a strange taste you both have! You neither of you have any notion as to what constitutes loveliness." Then taking away his newspaper, and pet Persian cat, she left him to deprecate her mauvais goût, and to overset the whole paraphernalia of chocolate, in vainly seeking for the departed Morning Post.

CHAPTER V.

That eagle's fate and mine are one,
Who, on the shaft that made him die,
Espied a feather of his own,

Wherewith he wont to soar so high.

WALLER.

THERE was a party of sixteen at Darmaya House. The Duke's carriage was to take Mrs. Montague, Ellen, and Baptiste. Lorevaine went in his vis-à-vis alone; they were the last except himself. He paused on seeing Ellen's unusually pale countenance; she had spontaneously thrown her anxious glance towards the door, and their eyes met. Lady Belnovine instantly took Lorevaine's glove was off, and a display of jewels up to the full short sleeve, attracted his notice. But the

6

arm; her

simple forget me not' blue ring was on the

fore-finger, resting on his trembling arm.

"Do you recognise my cadeau ?" Ellen heard her inquire. "It is mine; it was thine," she subjoined playfully.

“How cruel!" Ellen almost exclaimed aloud, and had spontaneously started from her seat, and was advancing onward, though without any plan --but probably she would have made Lorevaine master of the whole circumstance, of why she had exchanged it—when he gave her a look so nearly allied to scorn, that she readily accepted the proffered arm of a young man who had collected the scattered flowers of her dropped bouquet. Montague, who was also waiting to conduct her to the dinner-table, was pushed aside by Lord Vahl, as he passed Miss De Lastre's arm through his own in triumph.

When they were all arranged, he began considering how he could give himself the personal distinction of immediately obliging this young élève of the public; and he pitied the hauteur which he plainly saw was directed towards his protégée from her next neighbour Lord Darmaya.

"There ought to be a more generous equality between the high and low-born," Lord Vahl

said. "It is a sad mistake that we make in society when distinctions give birth to rudeness. I would give respect and adoration to talent and beauty in preference to rank, were I the arbiter of the laws of society."

"I dare say you are quite right," Ellen replied; "but I have not been much into any society, and am totally ignorant of its customs." "But you are coming out next month, are you not ?"

"I suppose so," she timidly rejoined.

He then spoke of the stage, naming all the leading characters of the period; made comparisons between the old and new performances ; imitated Liston, and praised Matthews; gave her to understand that he had often acted at private theatres himself, and how much he should like to see her in Juliet. "The scornful man," said he, looking at Lord Darmaya, "will even sympathise for one so superior. You will be the original of all you undertake.

"I am not sufficiently read in Shakspeare, or indeed in any plays," she blushingly replied, "to remember any passage, however prominent."