“Ah, she is very charming!” thought her mother, while she said-- “You have passed a delightful evening, Clara.” Clara started and looked up. The radiant smile instantly died away, and replying coldly-- “Very passable, I thank you,” she rose, and taking a light from the table, left the room. Mrs. Gregory sighed deeply; and, leaning her forehead against the cold window-pane, stood lost in painful thought, till many stars were set, and the embers on the hearth grew white and cold. She for whom she thus sorrowed, meanwhile, flew to her chamber and, wrapping her shawl about her, sat down to her writing-desk and scribbled these lines-- “A word with thee, dearest Bel, before I sleep. Oh! if you could have been with me to-night! A little select party at Mrs. Hall’s, and such a delectable evening! All our choice spirits were there, and one entirely new star. A “real, live” star, too, Bel, unquestionably the most elegant man that ever wore a mustache. Oh, you should see him! So _distingué_! Neither M----, nor Monsieur de V---- is a _circumstance_ to him! I cannot conceive where Mrs. Hall found him; but she is always the first to introduce strangers--the only polite woman in town, I think. I suspect, however, that he is a friend of Frank, who has just returned from his winter’s residence in the south. “They kept me at the piano half the evening; and this exquisite ‘_Don Whiskerando_’ accompanied me--so sweetly!--with the flute. Under a perfect cannonade of entreaties he consented to sing, too; although he would be persuaded to nothing but a _duett_ with your humble friend. The richest barytone. “He will be here to-morrow, and I would give the world if my Bel might be here also! Oh! I forgot to tell you my hero’s name is Brentford--did you ever hear it before? “Do you not think Ellen Morgan an envious thing? Good night, love--dream of your Clara! “Oh, one word more. Don’t you think _ma chére mère_ must have an active mind to keep her up till this time, to observe my arrival? Oh, Eve, thou art undone! “I hope all she saw and heard was satisfactory to her. I suppose she expected that I should continue the conversation after I came in, for she kept so whist, that I was not aware of her presence till she discovered herself by the sagacious observation-- “‘You have had a charming evening, dear,’ in such an insinuating tone! Aweel!” CHAPTER V. One morning, a few days after the evening of the last chapter, Mrs. Gregory--on entering the breakfast-room--found her husband reading a letter.