om of his agonised imagination she became to him even an object of
hatred.

Poor Ferdinand Armine! it was the first time he had experienced the
maddening pangs of jealousy.

Yet how he had loved this woman! How he had doated on her! And now they
might have been so happy! There is nothing that depresses a man so much
as the conviction of bad fortune. There seemed, in this sudden return,
great wealth, and impending marriage of Henrietta Temple, such a
combination, so far as Ferdinand Armine was concerned, of vexatious
circumstances; it would appear that he had been so near perfect
happiness and missed it, that he felt quite weary of existence, and
seriously meditated depriving himself of it.

It so happened that he had promised this day to dine at his cousin's;
for Glastonbury, who was usually his companion, had accepted an
invitation this day to dine with the noble widow of his old patron.
Ferdinand, however, found himself quite incapable of entering into
any society, and he hurried to his hotel to send a note of excuse to
Brook-street. As he arrived, Glastonbury was just about to step into a
hackney-coach, so that Ferdinand had no opportunity of communicating his
sorrows to his friend, even had he been inclined.

CHAPTER III.

_In Which Glastonbury Meets the Very Last Person in the
World He Expected, and the Strange Consequences_.

WHEN Glastonbury arrived at the mansion of the good old duchess, he
found nobody in the drawing-room but a young man of distinguished
appearance, whose person was unknown to him, but who nevertheless
greeted him with remarkable cordiality. The good Glastonbury returned,
with some confusion, his warm salutation.

'It is many years since we last met, Mr. Glastonbury,' said the young
man. 'I am not surprised you have forgotten me. I am Digby; perhaps you
recollect me?'

'My dear child! My dear lord! You have indeed changed! You are a man,
and I am a very old one.' 'Nay! my dear sir, I observe little change.
Believe me, I have often recalled your image in my long absence, and I
find now that my memory has not deceived me.'

Glastonbury and his companion fell into some conversation about the
latter's travels, and residence at Rome, in the midst of which their
hostess entered.

'I have asked you, my dear sir, to meet our family circle,' said her
Grace, 'for I do not think I can well ask you to meet any who love you
better. It is long since you have seen Digby.'

'Mr.