her own conduct will best explain itself." Then, commanding all his fortitude to bear the trial, with as much composure as he could assume, he entered Lady Eltondale's drawing-room. She received him with that grace by which she was so peculiarly distinguished, and with an air of unembarrassed kindness, that might have deluded one more experienced. To his inquiries for Selina she replied, with an air of perfect candour, "She is gone to take a drive with Mrs. Sullivan; I postponed mine," she continued, with a gracious smile, "as you had promised to call on _us_; but, you know, Selina is very young, and London sights are quite new to her. We must all make allowances for the heedlessness of youth," added she, in a tone of compassion. "When I answered Frederick's question, whether her character was as perfect as he remembered her person promised to be, I reminded him that 'most women have no characters at all;' and prepared, him for her volatility, which is indeed her principal, if not her only fault. She too is prepared for----" Mordaunt could not bear to hear the sentence finished. "Is not that my uncle's curricle?" said he, starting up, and going to the window. His fair hostess used no further effort to prolong his visit; and as soon as politeness permitted, he took his leave, with feelings which, if Lady Eltondale could have understood, even she perhaps would have pitied. Meantime Selina proceeded towards Somerset House. It was a delightful day; and the rapid motion of the carriage, the gaiety of the streets, and even a faint hope that she might, perhaps, meet Mordaunt in her drive, all contributed to raise her spirits. At last, as the carriage experienced a momentary stop in Bond-street, Selina heard her own name pronounced by a voice not unfamiliar to her ear, and hastily turning to the speaker, she recognized Mr. Sedley. To inquire where she resided, where she was going, and whether he might join the party, was the occupation of a moment. It was settled, that he and Webberly should walk to Somerset House, as, exclaimed the latter half aloud, "Egad, it is too bad to be boxed up here with my mother and sisters, even for the sake of the heiress." "Vell," said his mother, as she expanded her ample petticoats over the small space she had hitherto permitted him to occupy, "I'm sure that's a good riddance of bad rubbish at all events; not but Jack's a good-natured feller as ever lived, though he has sadly muffled me, to be sure." They reached Somerset House before Mrs. Sullivan had fully arranged her draperies, and before Selina had time to express half her regrets at hearing Miss Wildenheim had been left in the country, but not before the gentlemen arrived to hand them out of their carriage. Here Selina's attention was delightedly engaged in examining the various specimens of her favourite art, with which she was surrounded. Nor could the outrageous compliments of Webberly, the vociferous vulgarity of his mother and sisters, or the easy vivacious