orably looked on."

"Will you give me a chair, sir?" said she, in a voice which, though
barely above a whisper, vibrated with intense passion. Linton hastened
to fetch a seat, his whole features glowing with the elation of his
vengeance. This passed rapidly away, and as he placed the chair for her
to sit down, his face had resumed its former cold, almost melancholy
expression.

"I hope you are not ill?" said he, with an air of feeling.

A glance of the most ineffable scorn was her only reply.

"It is with sincere sorrow that I inflict this pain upon you,--indeed,
when I heard of that unhappy yacht excursion, my mind was made up to see
Lord Kilgoff the very moment of his arrival, and, on any pretence, to
induce him to leave this. This hope, however, was taken from me, when
I beheld the sad state into which he had fallen, leaving me no other
alternative than to address yourself. I will not hurt your ears by
repeating the inventions, each full of falsehood, that heralded your
arrival here. The insulting discussions how you should be met--whether
your conduct had already precluded your acceptance amongst the circle of
your equals--or, that you were only a subject of avoidance to mothers of
marriageable daughters, and maiden ladies of excessive virtue. You have
mixed in the world, and therefore can well imagine every ingenious turn
of this peculiar eloquence. How was I--I who have known--I who--nay,
madam, not a word shall pass my lips in reference to that theme--I would
only ask, Could I hear these things, could I see your foot nearing the
cliff, and not cry out, Stop?--Another step, and you are lost! There
are women who can play this dangerous game with cool heads and cooler
hearts: schooled in all the frigid indifference that would seem the
birthright of a certain class, the secrets of their affections die with
them; but you are not one of these. Born in what they would call an
humbler, but I should call a far higher sphere, where the feelings are
fresher and the emotions purer, _you_ might chance to--fall in love!"

A faint smile, so faint that it conveyed no expression to her eyes, was
Lady Kilgoff's acknowledgment of these last words.

"Have you finished, sir?" said she, as, after a pause of some seconds,
he stood still.

"Not yet, madam," replied he, dryly.

"In that case, sir, would it not be as well to tell the man who is
lingering yonder to leave this? except, perhaps, it may be your desire
to have a witne