were wicked; what business had I to indulge them? But, thank God! he is not Francisca's enemy.

Her solitude was broken by the arrival of Henry Conway. She received him with real pleasure, not unmixed with some dread, partly on his account, partly on our hero's; for, in spite of his indifference, she knew that Henry cared for the honour of his family, and that spleen would mix with his contempt for Eustace's project of selfmortification. However, she thought, upon consideration, that she might omit any allusion to this strange proceeding. His brother would not make any minute inquiries respecting the cause of his absence; and as Morton was the only person in his confidence, there seemed little danger of its reaching his ear, except possibly through one quarter, and that, she said to herself with a suppressed sigh, is a friendly one, at least to Eustace. Indeed, she had so much to tell Henry concerning other and more honourable events in our hero's recent history, that she had scarcely time to mention his degradation, which might not continue long, and the announcement of which would come better from himself.

It may strike some readers that Honoria was inconsistent, in not concealing her brother's pertinacious respect for his promise to Rumbold, as

well as his banishment to M-, from a person of Henry's unromantic temper. But the manner in which he listened to the story showed that she was right. If he did not manifest any positive approbation of Eustace's conduct, it was evident that he regarded him with far more respect than before; and once he was even betrayed into expressing a wish that he had been at home to assist in unravelling the plot against him. This proofso Honoria interpreted it, that he was not a worldly man in the worst sense of the word-that though utterly intolerant of enthusiasm, in feeling he could sympathize with virtuous actions-encouraged her to hope that he was not irreclaimable, and that she might even contribute to his happiness. Hitherto she had been contented with abstaining from whatever she knew or guessed would offend him; but now she actually made some cautious attempts to please him. He was desperately lazy, and now and then uttered a fervent wish that he could be relieved from some troublesome occupation. Once or twice she contrived to perform the task without his knowledge. Afterwards, waxing bolder, she volunteered to undertake such. It was some time before he asked her to assist him; but when he had achieved this victory over pride, she observed, with great delight, that he seemed to count upon her help.

She wrote answers to his letters-received reports from an estate of his in Gloucestershire which he never visited-held interviews with his tenantscarried on a correspondence with his steward upon the price of the bushel, the defalcation of rents, and schemes for bettering the condition of the people, for which, as they had nothing to do with Henry, she generally employed her own purse. But the most astonishing proof of his growing respect for her was to come. She had never entered any of the rooms of the house which were set aside for his occupation since he became ruler of them, and they were as much objects of mystery to her as a haunted chamber to any child of three years old. Now he requested her to assist in arranging some pictures and nicknacks which he had brought with him from his tour. The request caused her even less surprise than the proofs which the rooms gave of taste her brother had never acknowledged. Judging from his conversation, you would have supposed him as great a contemner of virtue as of any other thing which interested his fellow-creatures. But his study bespoke a laborious collector: he had inhe rited a splendid library, which he appeared to neglect; but his shelves were full of volumes which had been collected and purchased abroad, many of which could not have been procured with

out considerable trouble; and, stranger than all, which seemed to have been read. His earliest ridicule had been pointed against Honoria in consequence of the admiration she expressed for pictures; but his walls showed that they had been his own rage. Honoria's affection for her brother was strengthened by the discovery of these peculiarities, for what reason I cannot conceive, but that she had a law of kindness in her heart which obliged her love to keep pace with her knowledge. She took a great interest in the smallest subject on which he consulted her; and, in due time, she could perceive the dawn of similar feelings in him. He showed pleasure in her society; talked almost familiarly with her; read passages to her from books; several times asked her to give him some music, and once actually accompanied her on the violin, which he played admirably, though she had no notion that he knew even the name of that or any other instrument. But a servant entered during the performance, and he never repeated it.

CHAPTER III.

Whilst I am bound to wonder, I am bound

To pity too.

SHAKSPEARE.

EVEN this kind of intercourse was so new and delightful to Honoria, that she almost regretted her engagement at Vyvyan Hall. But as Miss Vyvyan, long before she was sufficiently recovered to undertake the journey with safety, showed great eagerness to commence it, Honoria, after many vain attempts to dissuade her, consented. The evening before the day that was fixed for their departure, she came into her brother's library(he was gone out)-to arrange some papers which he had left for her inspection. She had crossed the room, and was about to commence her task, when she raised her eyes, and saw a man sitting on a chair opposite to her. So sudden an appa