k into her hand, and told me that she did recollect something about
it, which was, that the lady whom she remembered, wore a long pair of
ear-rings, of the same make and materials. She could not, however, call
to mind anything else. I remained with the little girl for three hours,
and then returned to London--taking my luggage from the hotel, and
installed myself into the apartments of Major Carbonnell.

The Major adhered to his promise; we certainly lived well, for he could
not live otherwise; but in every other point, he was very careful not to
add to expense. The season was now over, and everybody of consequence
quitted the metropolis. To remain in town would be to lose caste, and we
had a conference where we should proceed.

"Newland," said the Major, "you have created a sensation this season,
which has done great honour to my patronage; but I trust, next spring,
that I shall see you form a good alliance; for, believe me, out of the
many heartless beings we have mingled with, there are still not only
daughters, but mothers, who are not influenced by base and sordid
views."

"Why, Carbonnell, I never heard you venture upon so long a moral speech
before."

"True, Newland, and it may be a long while before I do so again; the
world is my oyster, which I must open, that I may live; but recollect, I
am only trying to recover my own, which the world has swindled me out
of. There was a time when I was even more disinterested, more confiding,
and more innocent than you were when I first took you in hand. I
suffered, and was ruined by my good qualities; and I now live and do
well by having discarded them. We must fight the world with its own
weapons; but still, as I said before, there is some good in it, some
pure ore amongst the dross; and it is possible to find high rank and
large fortune, and at the same time an innocent mind. If you do marry, I
will try hard but you shall possess both; not that fortune can be of
much consequence to you."

"Depend upon it, Carbonnell, I never will marry without fortune."

"I did not know that I had schooled you so well; be it so--it is but
fair that you should expect it; and it shall be an item in the match, if
I have anything to do with it."

"But why are you so anxious that I should marry, Carbonnell?"

"Because I think you will, in all probability, avoid the gaming-table,
which I should have taken you to myself had you been in possession of
your fortune when I first knew you, a