us of them more effectually. When they can, under the cover of night, entice them to the water's edge, and there are no lookers on, they take care that they shall not return to disturb the peace, having discovered that the beef is excellent, and the humps are delicious."

66

They are picturesque looking animals," said Charlotte; "but if the natives will turn them loose, it is a pity they should not provide them with more suitable pasturage than the public streets."

"When I was a griffin,"* returned Montressor, “I, and some of the boys in the buildings, got a magnificent sulky old fellow, with one short thick horn standing out, the other twisted downwards to his eye in some of his desperate conflicts. With the assistance of our Mussulman servants we enticed him into the compound, shut the gates, and baited him with our dogs. But we were soon obliged to make a hasty retreat, his bellowing, I suppose, apprised

* A term applied to those who have not been a day or a year in the country.

his Hindoo friends of what was going forth; and they assembled so tumultuously that we feared they would have pulled the house about

our ears."

While Mr. Montressor was giving Miss Percy the history of his bull-baiting, Mr. Russell was reading a note just brought to him from the Adjutant-General, in answer to his inquiries into the particulars of the action in which Colonel Howard had been engaged; but it was merely a confirmation of the official statement as given by Captain Bowlow. After handing the note to Charlotte, and observing, "it is perfectly satisfactory," he sent it to Mrs. Russell, who was equally well pleased with its contents, having not the least suspicion that any of their family had further cause of interest. In course of the morning all the gentlemen who made up last night's party, called to pay their respects; and Charlotte had the satisfaction to hear from Mr. Fortescue (who had received a letter by that morning's dawk, from a friend on the spot), that both the wounded officers were doing well; and as their services for the present could be of

no further use, he believed that as soon as they were sufficiently recovered to travel they would obtain leave to visit the Presidency for change of air.

It was evident to Charlotte that Fortescue was much interested in the information he was giving her; and yet there was a distance and reserve in his manners which, until last night, she had never before observed. He carefully avoided any allusion to the knowledge which, under the influence of excited feelings, he had then betrayed; and spoke of the interest it was natural Miss Percy should take in an action in which her uncle had been engaged, and her shipmates suffered. "I shall be happy," he added, with a look of misery, "if, from time to time I shall be enabled by means of my correspondents to bring you further good accounts of our friends, May I beg, Miss Percy, that you will present my best compliments to Mrs. Russell? and say how rejoiced I am that she has not suffered from the fatigues of last evening; and also to Miss Elizabeth, who, I trust, by to-morrow will be perfectly recovered."

His visit was short, his manners unusually grave, and his bow even lower than usual as he withdrew, and left Charlotte at liberty to ruminate upon what could occasion the change, and on her sister's fate, which seemed to be now drawing to a crisis. Rousing herself, however, from the abstraction into which she had fallen, she hasted to her dear invalid to communicate the intelligence she had just received, and talk over with her the probability of Captain Bently's speedy arrival in Calcutta.

CHAPTER X.

For ever running the enchanted round,
Passes the day, deceitful, vain, and void;

As fleets the vision o'er the formful brain,

This moment hurrying wild th' impassioned soul,
The next in nothing lost.
THOMSON.

MR. RUSSELL having passed almost his whole life in India, had in his official capacity much intercourse with the natives, and opportunity of becoming personally intimate with many of them, for whom he felt friendship and esteem. Making allowance for the prejudice of their education, several possessed considerable learning; though for want of motive in its acquirement, or object in its direction, it is, generally speaking, a mere unproductive ornament to the possessor, like the family jewels, much too heavy for ordinary use. He had pleasure in pointing out to his young friends (who took more in