nterview I have described in my last pages. "Copenhagen again-and he seems quite dispirit

, evasively; "my father was not willing for me to marry before I had attained my

ntil then, by some caprice of yours. You will be at the head of your own house too, after that ceremony takes place, which Claude is so impatient to have over. Evelyn would go to England for a time under such circumstances, for she will not oppose your views-your father's will was made

ation, truly!"

to-day, Miriam. I cannot

the, I refer you to your son. I

ou, which, he was loath to acknowledge or explain, but which in your womanly candor you will reveal at once, and tell me all a

t nothing between me and Claude; we unders

ing, significant of my engagement. His chameleon eyes seemed to emit sparks of phosphorescent fire, as if every one of the dull-yellow

attached to my son, Miriam Monfort, and that you

o deceive you now. Again I beg to refer you to him for all expl

hat girl," he soliloquized, "who knew so well, from the first, what our intentions were; to

ill not hear her slandered. Certainly, if propriety ever assumed female fo

pocrisy; you do not love that woman-have little right to; yet you praise and

nnot say one word more on the subject of your son than I have said, without his own consent. As to our marriage, let me t

l, I honor your emotion; don't be ashamed of it. Claude is to blame, no doubt; but the poor fellow suffe

my head

ew shortcomings, now and then, in one of our faulty sex. You lived so long with a man who was almost perfect, t

ly-more affectionately to Claude Bainrothe than at this moment. If I can serve him in any way, but one, he may always command me. Let him go for the present to Copenhagen, I implore you; it will be best for him-for all of us. He will know his own mind b

he be the man I think he is, he will make all clear to you at last, for I am sure he is incapable of any act radically wron

r was in his mottled eye, and it stirred me strangely. It was as if a snake should weep, and

f some sort between father and son from the time of this call an

lacid, polished expression was laid aside, for one of unqualified displeasure. He was pale as ma

for such a purpose. He went too far in his anxiety to conciliate malice, and allay an evil temper. This is all that can be imputed to him. Be reasonable, my dear girl! you are alone in the world; we are your truest friends. It shall be our study-mine, as well as his-to guard your life from every care, every anxiety even-precaution so necessary in

sure. She could not-did not know that I overheard them. You must do

c one on your part, under the circumstances, for Evelyn, we all know, is, excuse me my dear, the devil, when fairly aroused. Now, as to this overhearing of yours-might not your mind, laboring under recent coma, and a sort of mental mirage as it were, have had a te

aken, Claude's own admissions confirm. He denied nothi

still, I perceive-as to the accusations brought against him; suppose you

, proudly; "and I must entreat that from this hour, Mr. Bainrothe, this sub

d stiff-necked resolution! If I were Claude Bainrothe, I should lay heavy damages against you in the courts of law, for your unjustifiable evasion of a formal contract-one your father sanction

f law-painful exposure of any kind. I cherish for him, however, even yet, too much regard and respect to believe him capable of such proceedings. The idea

r these words, girl! if not now, years hence," he said; "the seed of your in

our unmanly threats. Evelyn must protect me henceforth from any further contact with you, however, until I am of age to take in hand my

r. There was a sealed note for me in his handwriting, under the massive paper-weight on the table, when I entered it again, w

first to atone. I cannot think, from what I know of you, that you will be long in following my example. Let us forgive one another. Fate has thrown us tog

y hands of the whole transaction from this hour, supposing that

er, truly an

BAINR

ently my deep disgust of his insupportable behavior to respond kindly, at that time, to any overture of Mr. Bainrothe's

and holding on such occasions secret conclaves with her invariably in the library. Whenever we met casual

k he met and joined Evelyn frequently, and even by appointment in her long walks, he never

an exception to this rule of avoidance was made by both father and son, who

was heart-felt on this occasion. Old feelings came back to me so vividly that night, and my own dear father seemed so visibly recalled by the presence once more of our unbroken

times, in the course of his visit, with

Evelyn afterward that "no woman of thirty could have carried off matt

ing; you were afraid of yourself, my dear, that was evident, and ashamed, as you ought to have been, of your capricious conduct to poor Claude, who shows, however, as uncompromising a

estioned, calmly, in reply. "You have shown more

play mischief-maker, and, if Mr. Basil Bainrothe with his diplomatic talents could do nothing to mend the diffi

nation of the breach between Claude and myself. It is irrevocable; but I am sorry to see him so resentfu

every one, as you hold them, nor yet counted causes

e?" I questioned, with a fl

rt acquit you?" sh

God who reads all hearts, and to whom I am n

wn so independent, Miria

th of my fathe

elegated allegiance it see

are concerned. As to my acts, I hope never to com

e Bainrothe, improved, will return within a year, probably, and all may st

e for all, make up your mind, definitely, to let well alone, f

the "indomitable Evelyn," as my father often had called her, pla

this severe and sudden trial was far more b

om feeling the whole extent of the wound I had received; but with reaction came that dull, dumb, aching of the

es of anguish, which reproduces itself wherever wounded pride underlies concealment, or wh

. My heart lay like a stone in my bosom, and the gloss had dropped from life, and the glory

hip. I compelled myself to teach Mabel, and pursue my own stud

ssing to me, and which I confided to no one, not even that excellent physician who

repeatedly risen and crossed the room, and touched an article on the opposite side, to compel my better ju

t to gain further ascendency, I might fall back into habitual lethargies, and, remembering what Dr. Pemberton had said, I

of a fountain, to the ear of my Creator. I have thought sometimes that, in this persistent wrestle of mind with matter, enduring so many weeks and months, so ma

he said when I was recovering: "There is some favorable change at work in your constitution, Mir

m, dear doctor, I suppose," I

agara, and the Northern cities, for a few weeks, next month, and I want you to go with me, in aid of this effort of yours. Quite alone, with Charity as sole attendant. My niece will be with me-a good, quiet girl, you know, so

make strange acquaintance, under the circumstances. My deep mourning must be respected, you know, and-" I hesitated; loo

e value of this outlet of feeling, to one sit

that it would be better for you both that she should stay here. Mrs. Austin seems ne

ery good, indeed.

of wife and husband for a time, to save the life of one or the other; of mother and child even. Every time you fall ill, I believe Mrs. Austin gains strength and energy at your expense. She absorbs your nervous fluid. It was from this c

u are full of such vagaries-always were-but there is not anothe

would like to taste it. My old West Indian patient keeps me well supplied. I fancy to nib

the word right;" and I l

king across the waters, and to rest myself a little, improve my Gallic pronunciation, and get the fashi

. But what takes the Stanburys abroad? I have

e sure, and Laura is just as foolish about him as her mother! By-the-by, she is to be married, they say, to that young Prussian nobleman, who was there so much last winte

d! You are becoming quit

mwood, in any event, like some old folks.

must have been associatin

not pungent, he is self-sustaining and independent; but, remember, I count on you absolutely, next week. One trunk apiece and no bandboxes or baskets. A green-sil

revived, like a plant that had been newly tended and watered after long neglect. For the poor girl had been making a slave of hersel

uite this many years over twenty-one, and was going to emigrate with her husband to Missouri, and to settle in the thriving young town of St. Louis, fast gr

nd pride to hear what trials she had surmounted alr

e that he had drifted fast to destruction, and sometimes she reproached herself for not having held to him through thick and thin. It was just pos

, eagerly. "Were you sure

as true to me-howev

Carry Grey! A woman should bear every thing but inf

or a woman's happiness, Miss Monfort-so experience tells us. What I mean is, perhaps he might have reformed had I not bro

ndividual courtesy. This is a theory of mine which as yet I have had no opportunity to put in practice, for I hav

y young. Let me give you my advice on this subject before you form any attachment: keep your af

flown," I thought, sadly; but I thanked her

ks, plate, and jewels, such as her simple means could have ill afforded. I felt that I could not have devised any means more sure to gratify her worthy uncle, to whom such gi

d neither can do the work of the other gracefully. He an

go to Europe for some years. Laura would be married in Paris, if at all. Every thing depended on some investigations Mr. Gerald Stanbury was to make in person as to the character and position of her betrothed. "For a Prussian nobleman may be a Prussian boot-black for aught I know," he obse

to Washington, Boston, and Saratoga Springs, then at their acme of fashion. Mr. Bainrothe, who had by this time glided back into his old

nd how perfectly I managed, without a conscious effort, to set a limit to h

ere was a controlled ardor in his expression of face and even in his demeanor that I could not reconcile with his posit

opinion of him, my sentiments toward him-he surely would not dare-!" I could not even in my own heart finish out a conjecture that dyed m

tenderness in his manner, when, distasteful as he is to me, his arm, his protection, have seemed to

er experience, and the idea he so carefully instills is ever present to me-st

Evelyn. But what, after all, is beauty? Plainer women than I are loved a

against all approaches? Why should I seal my soul away in endless gloom,

he had carried his injustice and perfidy toward me, but for the loquacity of Lieutenant Raymond, a young adorer of mine, who revealed to me, the very evening bef

it possible, although confirmed by Mr. Bainrothe's manner. A rival of his age and experience, possessed too of such physical attractions, and such charm of

re you speaking?" I asked, coldly; "you hav

ight have enlightened me long ago, as well as his devoted one-but a man in love is blinder than the blindest bat even! He is the

d my feelings evidently, for he said, earnestly: "I am sorry to have caused you so much pain, Miss Monfort! I was premature, I have been indiscreet in my remarks. Your engagement is surely no conc

ght, or might not, have resulted to his advantage. He probably staked but little feeling in the enterprise-I certainly none at all.)-"I am not angry with you, Lieutenant Raymond, nay, grateful rather for your impulsive homage, which I regret not to be ab

arcely understand you! You surel

sentence as he probably might not have done. "Answer me truthfully, honorably, as you are a gent

ing things. I-I-cannot recall any thing positive or definite. I cannot, indeed. He never spoke to me on the subject at all. There was only an expression at time

entleman's true reluct

swathed in flannel bandages, hobbling feebly along, followed by a youth (a relation, probably, bearing a camp-stool) and a dingy little terrier-dog, on his way to the pool of Bethesda?" As if he knew that he was the object of our attention, th

fashion, certainly! This old man keeps a little one-horse book-store

crony of mine. But I have other reasons for asking you to remark him now. He is old, diseased, and poor; yet, just as good and honorable as he is, I would rather put my hand in his as betrothed or married a thousand-fold, than become the wife of Bas

nded, I was assured, by my own impetuosity, but I acknowledge this engagement is very generally canvassed and believed at Saratog

her one or the other, the loathed or the loathing! O papa, papa! why was I ever placed in hands like these? It must be so sweet, so delightful, to trust and love one's associates, whether natural or accidental!

" he said; "will you not bid m

e near me, you will come freely to my house. I shall be mo

d myself? Is it for another's sake you have felt so very indignant? Forgive a sailor's frankness, and a

e. I am probably destined to walk through life alone, and, like many better women, to live for t

elinquished its eager hold, and fell listlessly to his

rsely, "far more than you will e

I trust. The world is fair before you, Mr. Raymond; this much let me counsel, and the counsel is drawn from experience: do not surr

ose, blushing among its leaves and peerless in grace, sweetness, and expression. She had her sainted mother's great blue, soulful eyes, with finer features and more brilliant coloring, and her father's gleaming teeth and clustering hair, "brown in the shadow, gold in the sun," falling, like his, over a brow of sculptured ivory. I was not alone in my appreciation of her loveliness. It was a theme of universal remark. Even Mr. Bainrothe, who could never forgive my father f

d. You surpass Evelyn as rubies do garnets, or diamonds aqua marine, or sapphires the opaque turquoise. You do, indeed

it away; "I have an artist's eye, and can admire beauty

," I said, bowing coldly, smiling very bitterly

in his eyes, in the most audacious way, "have nearly disappeared, have they not? I think I understoo

above my heart, "as are some other impressions; never allude to them a

ehavior at this period, and of the humiliation to which his pre