"Hate you! Lady Hamlet Vernon--hatred and Lady Hamlet Vernon are two words that cannot by any accident be connected together." "Ah! would that your words were as true as they are courteous," she replied mournfully; "but courtesies, alas! _imply_ an interest that they do not mean. Do not, however, let me detain you, Lord Albert; it rains"-- As he still lingered at the door of the carriage, which they had reached, and in which she now entered, he added, "You will at least give me leave to enquire for you to-morrow?" which was all he had time to say, as the carriage was driven rapidly away. Lord Albert returned to his room, with a confusion of images chasing each other in such quick succession through his mind, that though he resumed his pen to finish his letter to Lady Adeline, he found it difficult to do so; and he was conscious that the few words which he added were in such a different tone, and so little in keeping with the previous part, that he finished abruptly, and, folding and sealing his letter, closed the box that contained the miniature, and throwing himself back in his chair, mused in vacancy of thought till slumber was overpowering him. Without once adverting to Lady Adeline's book, he hastened to lose in sleep the feeling of dissatisfaction which had so suddenly possessed him. On the following morning, when Lady Hamlet Vernon arose, feeling little of the accident of the preceding evening, and having taken particular pains with her toilette, she cast a glance of complacency at her reflected image in the mirror, and, descending to her boudoir, placed herself on a sofa, spread with embroidered cushions, folded a velvet _couvre-pied_ over her feet, ordered a table stored with books to be placed within her reach, on which also rested a guitar and a vase of flowers, and gave way to a train of reflections and feelings unaccountably called up by the occurrences of the previous evening. Lady Hamlet Vernon was a person who had read, and did read, at _times_; but in the present instance, when calling for her books, she intended no farther use of them beyond casual allusion to their contents, and what their appearance might avail to give an interest in regard to herself.