he powers that would willingly
stoop to serve us!'

It was impossible for the Hon. Melville to withhold a slight grimace at
his beef, when he heard this extremely alienized idea of the nature of
a member of the Parliament of Great Britain. He allowed her to enjoy her
delusion, as she pursued:

'No. So much we could offer in repayment. It is little! But this, in
verity, is a case. Silva's wrongs have only to be known in England, and
I am most assured that the English people will not permit it. In the
days of his prosperity, Silva was a friend to England, and England
should not--should not--forget it now. Had we money! But of that arm our
enemies have deprived us: and, I fear, without it we cannot hope to have
the justice of our cause pleaded in the English papers. Mr. Redner, you
know, the correspondent in Lisbon, is a sworn foe to Silva. And why but
because I would not procure him an invitation to Court! The man was so
horridly vulgar; his gloves were never clean; I had to hold a bouquet to
my nose when I talked to him. That, you say, was my fault! Truly so. But
what woman can be civil to a low-bred, pretentious, offensive man?'

Mrs. Melville, again appealed to, smiled perfect sympathy, and said, to
account for his character:

'Yes. He is the son of a small shopkeeper of some kind, in Southampton,
I hear.'

'A very good fellow in his way,' said her husband.

'Oh! I can't bear that class of people,' Rose exclaimed. 'I always keep
out of their way. You can always tell them.'

The Countess smiled considerate approbation of her exclusiveness and
discernment. So sweet a smile!

'You were on deck early, my dear?' she asked Evan, rather abruptly.

Master Alec answered for him: 'Yes, he was, and so was Rose. They made
an appointment, just as they used to do under the oranges.'

'Children!' the Countess smiled to Mrs. Melville.

'They always whisper when I'm by,' Alec appended.

'Children!' the Countess's sweetened visage entreated Mrs. Melville to
re-echo; but that lady thought it best for the moment to direct Rose to
look to her packing, now that she had done breakfast.

'And I will take a walk with my brother on deck,' said the Countess.
'Silva is too harassed for converse.'

The parties were thus divided. The silent Count was left to meditate
on his wrongs in the saloon; and the diplomatist, alone with his lady,
thought fit to say to her, shortly: 'Perhaps it would be as well to draw
away from these people