g temperament, even had you done anything for
me to forgive: but I am not aware that you have."

"No; nothing for you to forgive, in the light of an offence to
yourself; but much, perhaps, to prevent your being willing to regard
me as a personal friend. We're not only first cousins, Fanny, but are
placed more closely together than cousins usually are. You have neither
father nor mother; now, also, you have no brother," and he took her
hands in his own as he said so. "Who should be a brother to you, if I
am not? who, at any rate, should you look on as a friend, if not on me?
Nobody could be better, I believe, than Selina; but she is stiff, and
cold--unlike you in everything. I should be so happy if I could be the
friend--the friend of friends you spoke of the other evening; if I
could fill the place which must be empty near your heart. I can never
be this to you, if you believe that anything in my past life has been
really disgraceful. It is for this reason that I want to know what you
truly think of me. I won't deny that I am anxious you should think well
of me:--well, at any rate for the present, and the future, and
charitably as regards the past."

Fanny had been taken much by surprise by the turn her cousin had given
to the conversation; and was so much affected, that, before he had
finished, she was in tears. She had taken her hand out of his, to put
her handkerchief to her eyes, and as she did not immediately answer, he
continued:

"I shall probably be much here for some time to come--such, at least,
are my present plans; and I hope that while I am, we shall become
friends: not such friends, Fanny, as you and Judith O'Joscelyn--friends
only of circumstance, who have neither tastes, habits, or feelings
in common--friends whose friendship consists in living in the same
parish, and meeting each other once or twice a week; but friends in
reality--friends in confidence--friends in mutual dependence--friends
in love--friends, dear Fanny, as cousins situated as we are should be
to each other."

Fanny's heart was very full, for she felt how much, how desperately,
she wanted such a friend as Kilcullen described. How delightful it
would be to have such a friend, and to find him in her own cousin! The
whole family, hitherto, were so cold to her--so uncongenial. The earl
she absolutely disliked; she loved her aunt, but it was only because
she was her aunt--she couldn't like her; and though she loved Lady
Selina, and, to a