r; the rich relation on whose allowance she lives
is Sir Miles St. John."

"Whew! my own poor dear little cousin, by the father's side! Mainwaring,
I trust you have not deceived me; you have not amused yourself with
breaking Susan's heart? For a heart, and an honest, simple, English
girl's heart she has."

"Heaven forbid! I tell you I have never even declared my love; and if
love it were, I trust it is over. But when Sir Miles was first kind to
me, first invited me, I own I had the hope to win his esteem; and since
he had always made so strong and cruel a distinction between Lucretia
and Susan, I thought it not impossible that he might consent at last to
my union with the niece he had refused to receive and acknowledge. But
even while the hope was in me, I was drawn on, I was entangled, I was
spell-bound, I know not how or why; but, to close my confidence, while
still doubtful whether my own heart is free from the remembrance of the
one sister, I am pledged to the other."

Ardworth looked down gravely and remained silent. He was a joyous,
careless, reckless youth, with unsteady character and pursuits, and
with something of vague poetry, much of unaccommodating pride about his
nature,--one of those youths little likely to do what is called well in
the world; not persevering enough for an independent career, too blunt
and honest for a servile one. But it was in the very disposition of such
a person to judge somewhat harshly of Mainwaring's disclosure, and not
easily to comprehend what, after all, was very natural,--how a young
man, new to life, timid by character, and of an extreme susceptibility
to the fear of giving pain, had, in the surprise, the gratitude, the
emotion, of an avowed attachment from a girl far above him in worldly
position, been forced, by receiving, to seem, at least, to return her
affection. And, indeed, though not wholly insensible to the brilliant
prospects opened to him in such a connection, yet, to do him justice,
Mainwaring would have been equally entangled by a similar avowal from
a girl more his equal in the world. It was rather from an amiability
bordering upon weakness, than from any more degrading moral
imperfections, that he had been betrayed into a position which neither
contented his heart nor satisfied his conscience.

With far less ability than his friend, Ardworth had more force and
steadiness in his nature, and was wholly free from that morbid delicacy
of temperament to which susc