o presides over the choir,"
said the priest, going out.

"Accept by all means, Mademoiselle Valerie. It will be an introduction
for you as a music-mistress, and very advantageous."

"I agree with you," replied I, "and I like singing sacred music."

The priest returned with a gentleman, who told me that he had listened
with great pleasure to my singing, and begged, as a favour, that I would
sing him a solo, which he had brought with him.

As I could sing at sight, I did so. He was satisfied, and it was agreed
that I should come on Saturday, at twelve, to practice with the rest of
the choir. The following Sunday I sang with them, and also sang the
solos. After the service was over, I received three guineas for my
performance, and was informed that a similar sum would be given to me
every Sunday on which I sang. My voice was much admired; and, when it
was known that I gave lessons, I very soon had engagements from many
Catholic families. My charges to them were moderate, five shillings a
lesson of one hour.

The next channel was through Monsieur and Madame Gironac. He
recommended me to a gentleman whom he taught, as a music-mistress for
his sisters and daughters, and she to all her various customers and
employers. I soon obtained several pupils by her exertions. The third
was from an intimacy I had formed with an acquaintance of Madame
Gironac, with a Mademoiselle Adele Chabot, who was of a good French
family, but earning her livelihood as a French teacher in one of the
most fashionable schools in Kensington.

Through her recommendation, I obtained the teaching of the young ladies
at the school, but of her more hereafter. The fourth channel was
through the kindness of Mr Selwyn, the lawyer, to whom I shall now
again revert. I had several visits from Mr Selwyn after I had left
Baker Street, and on one of these he informed me, that upon the proofs
of Lionel Dempster's identity being examined by the legal advisers of
Mr Dempster, of Yorkshire, they were considered so positive that the
aforenamed gentleman immediately came to terms, agreeing to give up the
property to Lionel, provided, in consequence of the great improvements
he had made, he was not come upon for arrears of income arising from it.
That Mr Selwyn advised this offer to be accepted, as it would prevent
any exposure of Lady R--, and the circumstances under which Lionel had
been brought up, from being made public. Lionel had written to say that
h