Let it not be supposed that Harry was too sure of success, in thus looking forward to his marriage with Jane as no very improbable event. Since he had appeared in the family as her suitor, her manner had been encouraging. There were blushes and moments of embarrassment which looked very favourably; and had he been obliged to proclaim all his hopes, he would have confessed that the same flattering signs had been observed by him in Paris, and had contributed not a little to increase the warmth of his own feelings. There was now a rival in the field, and one by no means to be despised; but, although young de Vaux was good-looking, agreeable, and very much in love, Jane did not seem disposed to smile upon him. To do her justice, she was no coquette; she was too indolent by nature, to labour very hard to secure several conquests at the same time. Miss Graham was very much admired, however, and was generally proclaimed the beauty of the season; while Harry soon began to feel the vanity of the favoured man. But if she were a beauty, Adeline was a belle; a pretty, and a rich belle, moreover, and Miss Taylor's train of admirers was much larger than that of Miss Graham. So numerous indeed were her followers, that she was seldom seen alone. If she visited, it was with an attendant beau; if she were walking in Broadway, she had generally one on each side of her; and at a party she was always talking to half-a-dozen young men at a time. Miss Adeline was, undeniably, a very popular belle. But all this homage was sometimes attended with difficulties: one morning she wrote an urgent note to her friend Jane, requesting that she would come to see her, for she was unwell herself, and wanted advice in a momentous affair. The sympathising Jane had no sooner appeared, than Adeline exclaimed, {sic} "I am so perplexed, that I really don't know what to do! You must decide for me." "How can I help you? What is the matter?" inquired Jane. "Why you know to-night is Mrs. Thompson's great ball, and I am going, of course; though I have a very bad cold." "Yes, you are really quite hoarse." "No wonder! I have been so pestered by serenades for the last fortnight, that I have not had one good night's rest. I had to get up and show myself at the window, until I caught one cold after another." "Perhaps you had better not go to-night." "You may be sure I shan't stay at home unless I have to keep my bed; I am already engaged for five dances. But just look at the centre-table." Jane turned her eyes towards the table, which was covered with flowers. "How beautiful they are!" she exclaimed, going to look at them. "One, two, four, six bouquets!--Where did they all come from?" "Don't ask me; I am sick of the very sight of flowers!" "This, with the variegated camellias, is beautiful!" "Yes, it's pretty enough; but what shall I do with it?" "Why, take it to the party this evening, of course." "No, indeed; it came from Mr. Howard, and I can't endure him."