To the ear of Lord Spoonbill there was something exceedingly graceful and musical in the tone with which this language was uttered. There is indeed an indescribable beauty in the accents of a grateful mind fearful of having offended its benefactor. His lordship was aware of his mother's feelings on the subject of the probable loss of Penelope, and his lordship was himself also fearful of losing her. But he did not use the language of harshness under that apprehension, he sought rather to retain her by kindness of expression. Assuming therefore an unusual tenderness and considerateness of manner, he took the young lady's hand, as if unconsciously, but in truth designedly, and holding the hand with sufficient firmness to prevent it being withdrawn, but not so as to excite suspicion or thought of intentional seriousness, he said: "I am very sorry that anything which the Countess may have said, has given you uneasiness; but my mother has a peculiar earnestness and hastiness of manner, that you have mistaken for anger. No one can ever be offended with Miss Primrose." There was a little pause, during which Lord Spoonbill endeavoured to catch a glance of the expression of Penelope's countenance, without appearing to make any particular observation; and, in this short pause, Penelope almost sighed. Lovers delight to hear sighs, and Lord Spoonbill was especially pleased at this symptom of emotion in Miss Primrose. Retaining her hand therefore, and softening his tone down to deeper tenderness, he continued: "The Countess no doubt will be sorry to lose you, if the return of your father necessarily involves that condition. But let us hope that may not be the case." Having thus spoken, his lordship pressed the young lady's hand more emphatically, and sighed. Now, by rights, Penelope should at this have started up, and suddenly withdrawing her hand, knitting her brows, advancing three steps backward and darting a look of indignation at his lordship, should have exclaimed, "Unhand me, my lord; what is the meaning of this language?" But Penelope neither did nor said anything of the kind. For the word 'unhand' was not in her dictionary, and she had been too long acquainted with Lord Spoonbill to expect that he should be able to explain the meaning of all he said. There was also another reason why the young lady did not thus express indignation and astonishment; namely, that having no suspicion of the views or intentions of his lordship, she did not observe or rightly interpret his language and his sigh. In addition to this, it may be also supposed that the expectation of her father's arrival had some influence in rendering her unobservant of everything else. Emboldened by the unresisting manner in which Penelope listened to his conversation, his lordship proceeded to speak less equivocally, and grasping with both his hands the still unremoved hand of Penelope, and assuming a look and tone of tenderness, he said: