gallantry of Sedley, divert her from her admiration of them, till Lady Eltondale called to take her home. As the aunt and niece returned, neither of them articulated the name of him, who principally occupied the thoughts of both. But no sooner did they reach Portman-square, than Selina, running hastily up stairs, tossed over the numberless cards that had been left in her absence by the different beaux who had been there the night before, and a sigh escaped her as she became unwillingly convinced, that Mordaunt's only was not to be found. Lord Eltondale seldom joined the circle in which alone his Viscountess condescended to move; and, except in very large assemblies, either at home or abroad, they were seldom seen together. The same undistinguishing kindness still marked his manner to Selina, which she had experienced on her first reception at Eltondale; and he continued to think of her as a pretty, lively, good-humoured girl, but he had neither time nor talent to ascertain whether she was a _happy_ one; indeed he never thought about her, except when she was present; and thus the occasional depression of her spirits, which was so new in the history of Selina's life, passed unnoticed both by the Viscount and his Lady, from the total want of reflection in the character of the one, and the refinement of duplicity in the other. On the evening of the day in which Selina visited Somerset House, she accompanied Lady Eltondale to the Opera. She had never yet been in any theatre. What then were her sensations, when, on the door of her aunt's box being opened, she beheld, at one _coup d'oeil_, the assembled magnificence of the stage, presented in the last act of a beautiful ballet, and that of the audience, which seemed ranged round more to increase than to enjoy the splendor of the spectacle? To those who have beheld such a scene, with as little experience, and as much capability of enjoyment as Selina possessed, no description of its effects would be necessary; and to those who have not, no words could give an adequate idea of her delight. Lady Eltondale's box was soon filled with gentlemen, but nothing had, at first, the power of diverting Selina's attention from the stage, whilst the _naÔvetÈ_ of her remarks, and the varying expression of her countenance, gave her every moment new charms. Amongst the rest Sir James Fenton and Lord George Meredith were most obsequious in their attentions, and loudest in their encomiums. She had just turned her head, to listen to a curious account the latter was giving of his having been once introduced to Mrs. Sullivan and her daughters, and was laughing heartily at his ridiculous imitation of their manners, when her eye caught that of Mordaunt, who was standing in the pit at no great distance. But his fine countenance no longer bore that expression, which she had so fondly treasured in her memory. He stood gazing at her, with a cold, almost contemptuous steadiness: no