beam of tenderness softened the brilliancy of his penetrating eye, that seemed to dart into her very soul. She coloured, and returned his half salute with one still more expressive of indignant pride; and, with increased vivacity, renewed her conversation with Lord George Meredith. Mordaunt did not visit their box the whole evening, though Lord Osselstone staid in it for some time, occasionally smiling, and sometimes even calling forth Selina's observations on the scene, to her so replete with novelty and attraction: while once or twice following the direction of her unconscious glance, his eyes were directed to an opposite box, where Augustus seemed to be evidently renewing his devoirs to the pretty Miss Webster, to whom, as Selina thought, he had been so unnecessarily civil at Lady Eltondale's assembly. At last, as the closing scene was almost finished, and the Viscountess was preparing to leave her box, escorted by Sir James Fenton, the door was suddenly opened by Sedley, who came to attend Selina to her carriage; she gave a smothered sigh as she thought "Augustus would once have done the same," but accepted the proffered civility, after having introduced him to Lady Eltondale; who was already well acquainted with him by name, as Frederick Elton's friend and correspondent, and therefore she thought him a most desirable attendant on Selina. Thus escorted, they hastened to their carriage, and drove without delay to join another crowd, at the Duchess of Saltoun's ball. And here Selina was, as usual, admired, followed, and flattered. Lord George Meredith and Sedley had both engaged her, before they left the Opera, to dance; and as it was one of her favorite amusements, she quickly entered into all the gaiety that surrounded her, with that vivacity which is so natural to youth, and so peculiarly belonging to her character. Mordaunt, for the moment, was forgotten; or if his image intruded on her mind, it rose as a dark cloud, that threw a gloomy shade on her present pleasure, and served but to make her turn to the joys of dissipation with increased avidity, as an antidote to its saddening influence. Is it to be wondered at, that a girl so totally inexperienced as Selina was, should yield a little to the many temptations that now surrounded her? Without any calm, steady friend, whose sobered reflection would have served as a counterpoise to her natural volatility, she found herself suddenly transported from the deepest shade of retirement to the brightest blaze of fashion. Her youth, her beauty, her fortune, all conspired to place her in the foremost rank of praise.--All the young men professing themselves her admirers, all the women her friends.--Could she for a moment doubt their sincerity being equal to her own? And could it be supposed, that, believing their truth, she should be wholly insensible to such unexpected adulation? CHAPTER VI.