I like my friends to laugh." Then turning to my aunt he said: "He is too serious. This great place is dull and gloomy to a child-when he is alone here; I remember that; and he seemed to become gloomy.

"Have you dined ?" asked my aunt, in the same tone as before.

"No!-yes!-that is-I beg your pardon, I dined on the road. And now I will wish you good evening, Miss Hastings. I can find my way to Mr. Arundel's apartments, I suppose ?" "Not without a light, I think," said my aunt. "If you will wait a minute, some one will attend you. Ring the bell, Frank."

I ran forward to do so; the stranger instantly moved in the same direction, and did what my aunt had requested. As we came in contact, he laughed again. "Ah, I remember-your name is Frank, too." Then, seeming to recover himself, he said to my aunt: "While I think of it, Miss Hastings, let me beg your acceptance of a bundle of new music they will find among my packages; perhaps you will let me hear some of it to-morrow. I suppose you play and sing a great deal always. Music helps to keep one young. What was that you were saying just now about 'a heresy of half-developed minds'? I am naturally heretical. I believe it is a good thing to be young, for no other reason than that one is young. There is an art in keeping young, independently of that practised to such perfection by a Frenchwoman de trente ans—the art which you at quarante ans practise equally well. Part of the secret lies in your keeping 'the cool sequestered vale of life."

"I think what you mean is simply this: that I live in a pure air, am well lodged, eat the best food, rise early, go to bed early, and lead a tolerably active life, with no undue excitements. These advantages I have had for years; as no one knows better than you."

"Ah! Temperance!—living face to face with nature! You ought to live for ever, and be for ever young, in such a mode of existence."

"It is the true savoir vivre, I believe," said my aunt. "Will you give your orders? Here is Susan."

"Ah! how do you do, Susan ?" Susan dropped a profound curtsey, and said blushingly :

"Very well, thank you, my lord. I hope your lordship is well, and my lady and the young ladies."

"We are all well, Susan. of music for Miss Hastings. Any room will do for me," he added, turning to my aunt. "I beg there may be no trouble about it to-night, as I come so late. Then I want some one to send François to me, here. And though I have dined, I should like to have a cup of coffee when I go up to Mr. Raby's room. What are you going to bed, my little man ?" And he patted me on the head. At a signal from my aunt, I was going to leave the room with Susan. "Good night! good night! I hope we shall see more of each other to-morrow. Your father and I were great friends."

Tell Bennet to give you a bundle

As I went away, I asked Susan who that gentleman was, and was rather astonished to hear that it was the Earl of Carleton.

"Why, Susan, you told me that the earl and countess always came down here in such grand style, and that there was always a week's preparation before they came; that the furniture in the state-rooms was all uncovered, and the carpets put down; and here is the earl come just as if he were any other gentleman-like my papa. I think he has walked from the village, instead of coming with a carriage and four horses, as you said."

"Circumstances alter cases, Master Frank. My lord is an earl, and can do just as he likes, you know. He's not a bit proud, you see; and sometimes he likes to come down in a quiet way, and take us by surprise; and sits, quite affable, in your aunt's room, and says to me, 'Susan, how do you do?' But when my lady is with him they travel in style, I tell you. My lady has a fine spirit, and loves to have everything as a countess should have. When she is here, we all mind our ps and qs, you will see. My lord is very particular, too, some

times. He ain't always as humble as he is to-night, but keeps up his dignity, and insists upon having the best and grandest of everything, as a nobleman should. Any way, he is a real fine gentleman-kind and good to everybody. I like him, with all his odd ways."

"I should like him better without them," said I.

The next evening a message came to my aunt from the earl, begging that she would send me to him and Mr. Raby for half an hour. I was immediately carried off by Susan to have some alteration made in my costume, which I considered quite unnecessary, having now arrived at that period when a boy looks upon dressing as an invention of the evil one.

"What's

Why can't I go as I am?" I remonstrated. the good of putting on a clean collar and all that rubbish?" "Fie, Master Hastings!" exclaimed Susan. "Look at these dirty little paws! Are they fit for Mr. Raby or my lord to touch, do you think? Ah! you used to be a very nice clean little gentleman; you are quite altered since you have been allowed to go scampering about, and climbing trees, and getting into mud and dirt with all the tag-rag and bobtail! I wonder your aunt allows it. I can't abear such ways! It ain't at all genteel. There you are, not minding a bit what I say! Now, stand still, there's a good boy, and let me comb out your hair. You never keep that tidy now. It's just as bad as any other young gentleman's; and it used to look as beautiful as print. Ah, Master Hastings, you are turning just like all other boys! Stand still, sir! There, now you look as a little gentleman should! Don't go flying along the corridor like mad; and, whatever you do, don't keep poking your tiresome little fingers up into your curls. They look very nice now." And she dismissed me with a kiss of approval for submitting to that most painful sacrifice of a little boy's life, the sacrifice to the Graces-and the kiss was followed by a sigh for my defalcation from my old habitual worship of that fair triad. She watched my progress along the south corridor, to make sure that I did not disorder my curls by running, and nodded kindly to me when I laid my

hand on the lock of the door which communicated with Mr. Arundel's apartments. Good Susan! She was rather more anxious about the visit I was about to pay than I was myself.

In the ante-room I found François musing over the fire. "Pauvre petit! he murmured, as I went up to him; and he kissed me in his French fashion on both cheeks.

"I have come to see the earl and Mr. Arundel," I said; "they have sent for me. Am I to go in there?" and I pointed to the door of Mr. Arundel's study.

"Oui, oui, mon ami," he said softly, but so mournfully that I asked,

"Is there anything the matter, François ? Is Mr. Arundel ill again?". And I believe I turned pale with a vague fear of that unknown disease.

"Non, non! milor se trouve très bien. Vas, mon petit !— go to him. Je vais t'ouvrir la porte." He rose, and opening

the door, I passed into the room.

My attention was immediately drawn to the two brothers, as they stood side by side before the fire. Now that I saw the earl divested of overcoats and attired in a dressing-gown of dark red velvet, which hung around him in ample folds, I was struck by the dignity of his appearance. He was a very handsome man, in the prime of life; but not much like his picture, except about the eyes. They still retained somewhat of their sunny, joyous light; but the other features were prouder, harder, stronger;—there was the look of a sovereign, it might be of a tyrant, in the haughty but refined upper lip. The face was capable of much variety in expression. Sometimes it was stern; at other times sad; often sarcastic; seldom tender; most frequently it wore that look of anxiety and care for some mere earthly interest which is so common among men of high station in the world; a look very different indeed from the grave and earnest one seen in the faces of men whose minds are habitually filled with lofty thoughts having nothing selfish for their basis. The Earl of Carleton had lived in and for the world, but he had a soul which the world could not satisfy; nor, in consequence, make entirely its own. He was

F

high in office, and honoured among men. His ambition grew by what it fed on; but I have seen him look, and that not seldom, as if he were saying to himself, "What profit hath a man of all the labour that he taketh under the sun!" But he never gave the thought words, and acted always as if it had never entered into his heart. He had the power to crush misgivings and regrets. Intellectually the Earl of Carleton was, if not a giant, a well-trained athlete, and delighted in exercise. He had a vein of humour, which came out occasionally in conversation. He was considered a good talker; and though, from all I can learn, he was given to contemptuous sarcasm against women, there was not a man in London more fêté by them. Judging from my own observation, I should say that Lord Carleton had a natural liking for cultivated female society; at all events he shone brilliantly in it, for all his poco curanteism. His tastes were not simple, though he loved simplicity by way of change;-it then assumed the form of a luxury. Inactivity was not congenial to him, but sometimes he would take to idleness and repose, as a man surfeited with the taste of costly wines will call for pure water; but he is sure to go back to the wine again. Thus it was that Lord Carleton sometimes came down suddenly, and without any parade, to spend a few days at his ancestral seat, and took pleasure in putting up with inconveniences which, in general, he would think it impossible to submit to. He was a disappointed man. He had no son, and his brother had

none.

One of the things that made me like Lord Carleton, long before I was old enough to make these observations on his character, was his strong attachment to his brother. The friendship between them was of a powerful and peculiar nature, and will be spoken of hereafter; but I remember being impressed by many evidences of it on the earl's part, during the evening which I am reverting to, but the memory of which is so painful that I shrink from it. As it was of importance to the story I have undertaken to relate, I must give the reader a brief account of what occurred then.