ever
rendered to assuage pain for one trick of that flattery with which my
Lady captivated them. Will all the poetry of poor Nelly's heart shut out
the memory of graces associated with the vanities of fashion? Will all
Kate's dutiful affection exalt those household drudgeries in her esteem,
the performances of which will henceforth serve to separate her more and
more from one her imagination has already enshrined as an idol?"

"You take the matter too seriously to heart, Grounsell," said Sir
Stafford, smiling.

"Not a bit of it; I 've studied symptoms too long and too carefully not
to be ever on the look-out for results. To Lady Hester, this visit is
a little episode as easily forgotten as any chance incident of the
journey. But what an event is it in the simple story of their lives!"

"Well, well, it cannot be helped now; the thing is done, and there 's
an end of it," said Sir Stafford, pettishly; "and I confess I cannot see
the matter as you do, for I have been thinking for two days back about
these Daltons, and of some mode of being of service to them, and this
very accident may suggest the way. I have been looking over some old
letters and papers, and I 've no doubt that I have had unintentionally,
of course a share in the poor fellow's ruin. Do you know, Grounsell,
that this is the very same Peter Dalton who once wrote to me the most
insulting letters, and even a defiance to fight a duel, because a
distant relative bequeathed to me a certain estate that more naturally
should have descended to him. At first, I treated the epistles as
unworthy of any serious attention, they were scarcely intelligible,
and not distinguished by anything like a show of reason; but when from
insult the writer proceeded to menace, I mentioned the affair to my
lawyer, and, indeed, gave him permission to take any steps that might be
necessary to rid me of so unpleasant a correspondent. I never heard more
of the matter; but now, on looking over some papers, I see that the case
went hardly with Dalton, for there was a 'rule to show cause,' and an
'attachment,' and I don't know what besides, obtained against him from
the King's Bench, and he was actually imprisoned eight months for this
very business; so that, besides having succeeded to this poor fellow's
property, I have also deprived him of his liberty. Quite enough of
hardship to have suffered at the hands of any one man and that one, not
an enemy."

"And would you believe it, Onslow,