Madame Lucetti continued, with a tone of more real pique, as having gallantly raised her hand to his lips, he made another attempt to proceed “Are you never to be again allowed to attend my petits soupers ?"

"Oh, go, dear Carlo, if you like ;" poor Aline murmured-wearied at this delay.

With plea

But Angelo gaily exclaiming : sure, with pleasure, any other day, bella Signora, but now I beg you, let me carry this poor, pale lily home"-we were at length suffered to depart.

Aline's head rested silently on her husband's bosom, for the most part of the drive home. I parted from them at the door, after receiving warm and grateful thanks from both, for the exertions I had made in their service.

It all seemed to me, when I laid my aching head on my pillow, a strange bewildering dream. The gay glittering scene in which I had been that night the sounds which

VOL. I.

my ears, closed as I had deemed them to be for evermore to the voices "of singing men

and singing women," had been drinking in with irresistible delight!

CHAPTER XX.

"And thou dost mask thy grief the while
With scornful sneer and bitter smile."

L. E. L.

"GUESS who I have seen to-night, little Ada,” whispered Lord Mervyn, as, following her mother, he was leading the young Miss Seyton through the crush room of the Opera House at the close of the evening's performance.

"Who?" cried the girl, lifting her eyes curiously to his countenance.

"Yes!-and talked to in this very house!" he continued.

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Any body that I know very well?"

"Yes, some one you did know very well, ever since you were born."

"But why cannot you tell me at once who it is ?" Ada said impatiently.

"Well!-if you like;" replied Lord Mervyn; "but perhaps you had better not mention it to your father and mother-I have seen your sister, Aline."

"Aline!" exclaim ed Ada, pausing in her strong surprise, her youthful countenance blanching with the emotion this information called forth. "But really, Lord Mervyn ?" "Yes, really!"

They had by this time reached the door, and Lady Adelaide looking back, enquired with a smile-with what dire intelligence Lord Mervyn was dismaying her daughter's mind.

He laughed and handed the beautiful girl into the carriage after her mother.

"What was it, Ada," Lady Adelaide continued, as they drove on, "in Lord Mervyn's

communication, that seemed to frighten you so

much?"

Ada hesitated.

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Nothing, Mamma! at least. I had better not tell you what it was-you might be angry -for it was about poor Aline."

"Ah! then indeed you had better not tell me-it is very improper Lord Mervyn mentioning the subject. I desire you will never allow him to do so to you again."

And Lady Adelaide relapsed into displeased silence.

But the mischief was done, and for the future Ada Seyton did not go to the Opera with thoughts of music uppermost in her mind. They were divided with the idea of the beloved sister who might be also there, and often, had she dared, would she have put the question to her previous informer Lord Mervyn, who, having received a little lecture on the subject from Lady Adelaide, did not for some time volunteer to relieve her curiosity on that point.