ss to entangle further (if I had chanced to touch at all) her
affection. I made an excuse to my father to leave the town, and returned
home."

"Prudent and honourable enough, so far; unlike me,--I should have run
off with the girl, if she loved me, and old Plutus, the rascal, might
have done his worst against Cupid. But I interrupt you."

"I came back when the county was greatly agitated,--public meetings,
speeches, mobs; a sharp election going on. My father had always taken
keen interest in politics; he was of the same party as Sir Miles,
who, you know, is red-hot upon politics. I was easily led--partly by
ambition, partly by the effect of example, partly by the hope to give a
new turn to my thoughts--to make an appearance in public."

"And a devilish creditable one too! Why, man, your speeches have been
quoted with rapture by the London papers. Horribly aristocratic and
Pittish, it is true,--I think differently; but every man to his taste.
Well--"

"My attempts, such as they were, procured me the favour of Sir Miles. He
had long been acquainted with my father, who had helped him in his own
elections years ago. He seemed cordially delighted to patronize the son;
he invited me to visit him at Laughton, and hinted to my father that I
was formed for something better than a counting-house: my poor father
was intoxicated. In a word, here I am; here, often for days, almost
weeks, together, have I been a guest, always welcomed."

"You pause. This is the primordium,--now comes the confession, eh?"

"Why, one half the confession is over. It was my most unmerited
fortune to attract the notice of Miss Clavering. Do not fancy me so
self-conceited as to imagine that I should ever have presumed so high,
but for--"

"But for encouragement,--I understand! Well, she is a magnificent
creature, in her way, and I do not wonder that she drove the poor little
girl at Southampton out of your thoughts."

"Ah! but there is the sore,--I am not sure that she has done so.
Ardworth, I may trust you?"

"With everything but half-a-guinea. I would not promise to be rock
against so great a temptation!" and Ardworth turned his empty pockets
inside out.

"Tush! be serious, or I go."

"Serious! With pockets like these, the devil's in it if I am not
serious. Perge, precor."

"Ardworth, then," said Mainwaring, with great emotion, "I confide to you
the secret trouble of my heart. This girl at Southampton is Lucretia's
sister,--her half-siste