he called prudence, was his besetting sin, and the birth of a son furnished him with a plausible pretext for following his natural propensity.

"We have now a son," said he to Fanny, one afternoon, with a countenance full of caution and care, whose expression she had learned well to decipher—“ I am not very young; we must lay up something for him; I must provide for you, Fanny, in case of my death."

"I'm sure

"Never think of me," said Fanny ; I shall have enough; let us enjoy what we have while we can enjoy it."

"That will never do, Fanny," said John; “indeed, it would be very wrong, now that we have a son, poor little fellow! This is a very expensive house; every person here lets his house, excepting ourselves."

Fanny, though not particularly clever, saw the point John was aiming at; and she justly concluded, that if John was naturally a narrow man, of which she had long had her suspicions, she could not make him generous; and felt that she got more of her own way by letting him take his, than if she had followed the example of her late mistress, Lady Plaguemylife, who never agreed with her lord, except from a spirit of refined contradiction.

"Well, I am ready to do whatever you wish," said Fanny, as she sat down to sew, aware that

John would not divulge his plans in a hasty manner, being a man slow of apprehension, and prolix in speech.

"I was thinking

"Well," said Fanny.

-" said John.

"I was thinking," again repeated he, "that this house, that is to say both floors, would let well during the summer months. We might get £2, 10s., if not £3 per week for it."

It required a little reasoning to convince Fanny of the propriety of this measure; but seeing no likelihood of driving it out of John's head, she was persuaded to submit to John's opinion. The house was accordingly vacated, and a servant hired for the purpose of letting the lodging, who consequently became servant to the tenant, according to the reigning customs of Seafowl.

Some characters are best defined by negatives, and such was John Chesterfield's. He was not a clever man ; he was not a deep man; he was not a brilliant man; he was not an eccentric man; he was not a remarkable man; he was not an odd man; but he was a pawky man, a cunning man, a crafty man, a long-headed man, what in Scotland is sometimes called "an auld sneck-drawer." But he knew not that "a good understanding have all they who fear the Lord;" on the contrary, his "He's a wise man who takes care of

motto was,

concern.

himself." The woman he had hired to keep Pine Cottage possessed precisely the same sentiments with himself. Janet Holdfast, as Mrs Chesterfield used to remark, and John, were tarred with one stick; they were birds of a feather, who both thought more of how to serve themselves, than how to serve the Lord; for their hearts were unconverted, and in their natural darkness. Janet Holdfast, therefore, closed readily with John's terms; for it was a dull season of the year, and she trusted to her wits for making her own of this John Chesterfield, like the celebrated peer of the same name, was remarkably fair spoken; but the words of the one were as much words of course as the words of the other. John, therefore, not being troubled "with any compunctious visitings," gave Janet Holdfast a character, in his own legible hand-writing, as a woman remarkable for her honesty, to which praise she thought herself fully entitled; for she never in her life had opened a lock, or taken money; and plate, and wine, and clothes, were safe in her custody. Her dishonest gains were by little and lesser pilferations; and, as Dr Chalmers observes, she was one of those who would break the commandments of God for a very slight temptation, and preferred going to hell in a small way. She made, what she termed her own, of the fat of meat, of coals, of tea,

7

and of the deductions given to her by dishonest tradesmen, for which those who trusted to her management were sure to pay.

66

They are rich, and I am poor," said she, "they will never miss it; they ought to live according to their fortune and rank in life. These are only my just perquisites, of which I am the best judge; Mr Chesterfield recommends me as an honest woman, and so I am. I hate shabby mean ways of looking after trifles." With these principles she entered upon her new domain-with the power committed to her by John Chesterfield, of letting the house for as much as it would bring, though not under the sum of £2, 10s. per week.

CHAPTER XX.

"With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty."

SHAKSPEARE.

JANET HOLDFAST had now been in possession of Pine Cottage for about eight days. Many had looked at it; but still "Lodgings to let” remained at the window. Her sinking hopes began to revive, as Mr Malfort and his daughter opened the little gate, and stepped up to the door. Janet opened the door with a smiling aspect, and a low curtsey.

"Pray, sir," said she, “do you wish to see the house?"

"I believe, my good woman, we need not give you the trouble," replied he, "unless the rent is likely to suit us.”

"Oh, sir, I assure you the rent is quite reasonable,” replied Janet; "if other things suit, I am sure we shall not quarrel about that; walk in, if you please; walk in, here is an excellent airy parlour, and a bed-room, almost as large, adjoining it,

R