To Ellen she seemed hardly a being of this world, and her young and enthusiastic heart was melted with the tenderest love for one so very far superior to any thing she could have imagined. From this day the St. Aubyns and Cecils spent a great part of their time together, and the highly polished manners of Miss Cecil, her excellent judgment, and fine taste, were extremely advantageous to Lady St. Aubyn. Without losing her natural grace and sweet simplicity, she gradually acquired more of that style which marks both the woman of fashion and the possessor of intellectual knowledge; even her beauty improved with the encreased intelligence of her mind, and the serenity of her heart; for now for the first time she felt entirely happy; scarcely a cloud overshadowed her. St. Aubyn was every day more tender and attentive, and every day expressed himself more pleased and delighted with his choice. Those starts of agitation and gloom which on their first acquaintance had appeared in him so frequently, were now very seldom seen. He received frequent letters from Spain, which he told Ellen were from his friend the Marquis of Northington, who was there in a diplomatic situation, and was engaged in seeking a person, by means of his extensive connections on the Continent, who alone could unravel some mysterious circumstances of the most material consequence to _him_. "But when found," said St. Aubyn, one day when he had by degrees been led to speak on this subject--"when found, if ever that should happen, I know not that he will be prevailed on to disclose what I have every reason to believe he alone can tell. He is a villain!"----(and St. Aubyn's frame shook with the agitation of smothered rage) "and may from motives of fear or revenge add to the other injuries he has done me, by withholding that information which alone can secure _my fame_, perhaps _my life_." He had never before spoken so much or so calmly on this interesting subject; and seeing that Ellen listened with great anxiety, and that at his last words she trembled and turned pale, he added: