earl, then?" inquired Mrs. Fitzgerald.

"By reputation, only, my dear," said Mrs. Wilson; "but that is enough to
convince me a friend of his must be a worthy character, if anything were
wanting to make us your friends."

The conversation was continued for some time, and Mrs. Fitzgerald saying
she did not feel equal just then to the undertaking, but the next day, if
they would honor her with another call, she would make them acquainted
with the incidents of her life, and the reasons she had for speaking in
such terms of Lord Pendennyss. The promise to see her was cheerfully made
by Mrs. Wilson, and her confidence accepted; not from a desire to gratify
an idle curiosity, but a belief that it was necessary to probe a wound to
cure it; and a correct opinion, that she would be a better adviser for a
young and lovely woman, than even Pendennyss; for the Donna Lorenza she
could hardly consider in a capacity to offer advice, much less dictation.
They then took their leave, and Emily, during their ride, broke the
silence with exclaiming,--

"Wherever we hear of Lord Pendennyss, aunt, we hear of him favorably."

"A certain sign, my dear, he is deserving of it. There is hardly any man
who has not his enemies, and those are seldom just; but we have met with
none of the earl's yet."

"Fifty thousand a year will make many friends," observed Emily, shaking
her head.

"Doubtless, my love, or as many enemies; but honor, life, and religion, my
child, are debts not owing to money--in this country at least."

To this remark Emily assented; and after expressing her own admiration of
the character of the young nobleman, she dropped into a reverie. How many
of his virtues she identified with the person of Mr. Denbigh, it is not,
just now, our task to enumerate; but judges of human nature may easily
determine, and that too without having sat in the parliament of this
realm.

The morning this conversation occurred at the cottage, Mr. and Mrs.
Jarvis, with their daughters, made their unexpected appearance at L----.
The arrival of a post-chaise and four with a gig, was an event soon
circulated through the little village, and the names of its owners reached
the lodge just as Jane had allowed herself to be persuaded by the colonel
to take her first walk with him unaccompanied by a third person. Walking
is much more propitious to declarations than riding; and whether it was
premeditated on the part of the colonel or not, or whether he was af