the young lady and to myself, that I should make all further doubt
impossible. I shall, therefore, put an end to it at once, by leaving
town to-morrow.'

Lady Clonbrony, breathless for a moment with surprise, exclaimed,
'Bless me! leave town to-morrow! Just at the beginning of the season!
Impossible!--I never saw such a precipitate, rash young man. But
stay only a few weeks, Colambre; the physicians advise Buxton for my
rheumatism, and you shall take us to Buxton early in the season--you
cannot refuse me that. Why, if Miss Broadhurst was a dragon, you could
not be in a greater hurry to run away from her. What are you afraid of?'

'Of doing what is wrong--the only thing, I trust, of which I shall ever
be afraid.'

Lady Clonbrony tried persuasion and argument--such argument as she could
use--but all in vain--Lord Colambre was firm in his resolution; at last,
she came to tears; and her son, in much agitation, said--

'I cannot bear this, mother! I would do anything you ask, that I could
do with honour; but this is impossible.'

'Why impossible? I will take all blame upon myself; and you are sure
that Miss Broadhurst does not misunderstand you, and you esteem her,
and admire her, and all that; and all I ask is, that you'll go on as you
are, and see more of her; and how do you know but you may fall in love
with her, as you call it, to-morrow?'

'Because, madam, since you press me so far, my affections are engaged
to another person. Do not look so dreadfully shocked, my dear mother--I
have told you truly, that I think myself too young, much too young,
yet to marry. In the circumstances in which I know my family are, it is
probable that I shall not for some years be able to marry as I wish.
You may depend upon it that I shall not take any step, I shall not
even declare my attachment to the object of my affection, without
your knowledge; and, far from being inclined to follow headlong my own
passions--strong as they are--be assured that the honour of my family,
your happiness, my mother, my father's, are my first objects: I shall
never think of my own till these are secured.'

Of the conclusion of this speech, Lady Clonbrony heard only the sound
of the words; from the moment her son had pronounced that his affections
were engaged, she had been running over in her head every probable and
improbable person she could think of; at last, suddenly starting up, she
opened one of the folding-doors into the next apartment, and