n easy visiting distance, while Herbert sat by,
wondering how persons, so little known to each other, could have so many
things to say, and so many topics which seemed mutually interesting.
For so it is; they who are ignorant of the world and its habits, can
scarcely credit the great extent of those generalities which form food
for daily intercourse--nor with what apparent interest people can play
the game of life, with but counterfeit coinage. He listened at first
with astonishment, and afterwards with delight, to the pleasant
flippancy of each, as in turn they discussed scenes, and pleasures, and
people, of whom he never so much as heard. The "gentillesse" of French
manner--would that we had a name for the thing in English--imparted
to Kate's conversation a graceful ease our more reserved habits rarely
permit; and while in her costume and her carriage there was a certain
coquetry discernible, not a particle of affectation pervaded either her
opinions or expressions. Travers, long accustomed to the best society
of London, had yet seen scarcely anything of the fascination of foreign
agreeability, and yielded himself so insensibly to its charm, that an
hour slipped away unconsciously, and he totally forgot the great object
of his visit, and lost all recollection of the luckless animal he
had attached to the door ring--luckless, indeed, for already a heavy
snow-drift was falling, and the day had assumed all the appearance of
severe winter.

"You cannot go now, sir," said Herbert, as Frederick rose to take
his leave;--"there's a heavy snow-storm without;" for the boy was so
interested in all he heard, he could not endure the thought of his
departure.

"Oh! it's nothing," said Travers, lightly. "There's an old adage--'Snow
should not scare a soldier.'"

"There's another proverb in the French service," said Kate, laughing, as
she pointed to the blazing hearth--"'Le soldat ne tourne pas son dos au
feu.'"

[Illustration: 199]

"I accept the augury," cried Frederick, laughing heartily at the witty
misapplication of the phrase, and resumed his seat once more.

"Cousin Kate plays chess," said Herbert, in his anxiety to suggest a
plausible pretext for delaying Frederick's departure.

"And I am passionately fond of the game; would you favour me so far?"

"With pleasure," said she smiling; "I only ask one condition, 'point
se grace'--no giving back--the O'Donoghues never take or give
quarter--isn't that so, Mark? Oh! he's