on those who are poor, and who have no means of serving in any way the interests of their panegyrists. When the carriage came, and the commissioner was sufficiently refitted for conversation, the count repeatedly expressed his earnest wish to become acquainted with that Mr. Percy and his family, to whom his countrymen had been so much obliged, and of whom he said he had this morning heard so many interesting anecdotes. The commissioner had not been present when the count saw the picture of Caroline, nor indeed did he enter into Mrs. Falconer’s matrimonial designs for her daughter Georgiana. The commissioner generally saw the folly, and despaired of the success, of all castle-building but his own, and his castles in the air were always on a political plan. So without difficulty he immediately replied that nothing would give him more pleasure than to introduce the count to his relations, the Percys. The moment this was mentioned, however, to Mrs. Falconer, the commissioner saw through the complacent countenance, with which she forced herself to listen to him, that he had made some terrible blunder, for which he should have to answer in private. Accordingly the first moment they were alone, Mrs. Falconer reproached him with the rash promise he had made. “I shall have all the difficulty in the world to put this out of the count’s head. I thought, Mr. Falconer, that you had agreed to let _those_ Percys drop.” “So I would if I could, my dear; but how can I, when Lord Oldborough persists in holding them up?--You must go and see them, my dear.” “I!” cried Mrs. Falconer, with a look of horror; “I!--not I, indeed! Lord Oldborough holds up only the gentlemen of the family--his lordship has nothing to do with the ladies, I suppose. Now, you know visiting can go on vastly well, to all eternity, between the gentlemen of a family without the ladies having any sort of intimacy or acquaintance even. You and Mr. Percy--if it is necessary for appearance sake with Lord Oldborough--may continue upon the old footing; but I charge you, commissioner, do not involve me--and whatever happens, don’t take Count Altenberg with you to the Hills.” “Why not, my dear?” “My dear, I have my reasons. You were not in the gallery at Percy-hall this morning, when the count saw that painted glass window?” The commissioner begged an explanation; but when he had heard all Mrs. Falconer’s reasons, they did not seem to strike him with the force she desired and expected. “I will do as you please, my dear,” said he, “and, if I can, I will make the count forget my promised introduction to the Percys; but all the time, depend upon it, your fears and your hopes are both equally vain. You ladies are apt to take it for granted that men’s heads are always running on love.” “Young men’s heads sometimes are,” said Mrs. Falconer.