y kingdoms. At that period the descendants of
your Isabel shall reclaim the honours to which my services, and perhaps
my death, will ensure them a renewed patent."

The Doctor complied with Evellin's wishes, thinking the youth and
extreme impetuosity of Eustace rendered him unfit to take arms for a
cause which required coolness and experience, and which zeal,
unrestrained by such adjuncts, was likely to injure. He promised to use
every effort to direct the youth's studies and guide his judgment, to
consider him as his son, and Isabel as his daughter. "She is a worthy
singular girl," said Evellin, "but I have little fear for her; not that
I love her less; but she is one of those safe useful beings whose active
and benevolent character always secures friends, and whose self-controul
and indifference to their own ease make them comfortable in every
situation."

It was determined by the gentlemen that the young people should be kept
in perfect ignorance of Evellin's rank, but since it seemed prudent to
increase the number of living witnesses of his identity, Mrs. Mellicent
was admitted into their counsels. Though a woman, and an old maid, she
belonged to that extraordinary class of people who can keep a secret;
and I must do her the justice to say, that she never directly or
indirectly betrayed her trust. And whenever she reproved the girls for
what she called rompish tricks, which, she insisted, were very
unbecoming in young ladies, she constantly endeavoured to look at
Constantia as expressively as she did at the 'brown bird of the
mountains.'

All that now was wanting was the return of Williams, for which the
impatience of Evellin increased every hour.--During this period of
suspence, the family were surprised one morning by a visit from Sir
William Waverly, who came to inquire after the Doctor's health, and to
condole with him on the destruction of his library. He earnestly advised
him to apply for indemnification, and offered his services at the
ensuing assizes. Nothing could be more friendly than Sir Williams's
manner, or more liberal than his promises; but it unluckily happened
that Mrs. Melicent, than whom no judge was ever more attentive to facts
and dates, as well as to collateral circumstances, discovered that the
polite Baronet, ere he paid this visit, had just time to hear of the
King's victory at Edgehill, which event she was severe enough to
believe, brought to recollection the loss sustained by his worthy