sary's lead; nothing can be more despicable; nothing can be a greater proof of imbecility of mind-humph!" Then, seating herself, she began to exercise her fan with considerable activity. "This bas been the most disagreeable day I ever spent in this house, girls. I don't know what's come over you, but you are all wrong! my petticoat's ruined; my pocket's picked at cards;--it won't do, girls-it won't do-humph!"

“I am sure, I can't understand it,” said Miss Grizzy, in a rueful accent; "there really appears to have been some fatality

"Fatality!-humph! I wish you would give every thing its right name. What do you mean by fatality?" "I declare-I am sure-I-I really don't know," stammered the unfortunate Grizzy.

"Do you mean that the spilling of the custard was the work of an angel?" demanded her unrelenting friend.

"Oh, certainly not."

"Or that it was an evil one tempted you to throw away your ace there? I suppose there's a fatality in our going to supper just now," continued she, as her deep-toned voice resounded through the passage that conducted to the dining-room; "and I suppose it will be called a fatality if that old Fate," pointing to Donald, "scalds me to death with that mess of porridge he's going to put on the table-humph!

No such fatality, however, occurred; and the rest of the evening passed off in as much harmony as could be expected from the very heterogeneous parts of which the society was formed.

Chapter xj.

O thoughtless mortals, ever blind to fate,

Too soon dejected, and too soon elate,

Sudden these honours shall be snatch'd away!

What virgins these in speechless woe
That bend to earth their solemn brow?

POPE.

T1

GRAY.

HE family group had already assembled round the breakfast table, with the exception of Lady Juliana, who chose to take that meal in bed: but, contrary to her usual custom, no Lady Maclaughlan had yet made her appearance. All was busy speculation and surmise as to the could-be cause of this lapse of time on the part of that hitherto most perfect of morning chronometers. Scouts had been sent ever and anon to spy, to peep, to listen; but nothing was brought back but idle guesses and shallow conjectures. It had, however, been clearly ascertained that Sir Sampson had been heard to cough and find fault with Murdoch in the dressing-room, and Lady Maclaughlan to humph! in her sternial tone, as she walked to and fro in her chamber. So far all was well. But for Lady Maclaughlan still to be in her chamber twenty minutes after the breakfast-bell had rung-'twas strange 'twas passing strange !

"The scones will be like leather," said Miss Grizzy, in her most doleful accent, as she wrapped another napkin round them.

"The eggs will be like snow-balls," cried Miss Jacky, warmly, popping them into the slop-basin.

"The tea will be like brandy," observed Miss Nicky, sharply, as she poured more water to the three tea spoonfuls she had infused.

"I wish we saw our breakfast," said the laird, as he finished the newspapers, and deposited his spectacles in his pocket.

"It is rather hard to be kept starving all day for that- ," said Mr Douglas, as he swallowed a slice of cold beef, that carried the conclusion of the sentence along with it.

At that moment the door opened, and the person in question entered in her travelling dress, followed by Sir Sampson; Philistine bringing up the rear, with a large green bag and a little band-box under his arm.

"Good morning, dear Lady Maclaughlan! Good morning, dear Sir Sampson! We are all delighted to see you-we were beginning to get a little uneasy, for you are always so punctual !-but you are in charming time-neither too soon nor too late," immediately burst as if from a thousand voices, while the sisters officiously fluttered round their friend.

Humph;" quoth the lady.

"I hope your bed was warm and comfortable? "I hope you rested well?

"I hope Sir Sampson had a good night?" immediately burst as from a thousand voices.

bed was very

"I rested very ill; my uncomfortable; and Sir Sampson's as yellow as a duck's foothumph!"

Three disconsolate "Bless me's!" here burst forth. "Perhaps your bed was too hard?" said Miss Grizzy "Or too soft?" suggested Miss Jacky.

"Or too hot?" added Miss Nicky.

"It was neither too hard, nor too soft, nor too hot, nor too cold," thundered the lady, as she seated herself at the table; "but it was all of them."

"I declare, that's most distressing," said Miss Grizzy, in a tone of sorrowful amazement. "Was your head high enough, dear Lady Maclaughlan?"

"Perhaps it was too high," said Miss Jacky. "I know nothing more disagreeable than a high head," remarked Miss Nicky.

66

Except a fool's head--humph!

"Now my weary lips I close;

Leave me, leave me to repose."

And she betook herself to the business of the morning with the air of one who was determined to utter no more till that was despatched. There was something so portentous in the tone and responses of their oracle, that, inquisitive as the sisters were, still they were not so pertinacious in their curiosity as King Odin: for once on a time, therefore, all three were silenced in a breath, and a pause of mute consternation ensued.

Soon, however, the sound of a carriage broke the solemn stillness, and set all ears on full stretch, when presently the well-known pea-green drew up. "Dear me! Bless me! Goodness me! shrieked the three ladies at once. "Surely, Lady Maclaughlan, you can't-you don't-you won't-this must be a mistake?"

"There's no mistake in the matter, girls," replied their friend, with her accustomed sang froid. "I'm going home; so I ordered the carriage; that's all— humph!"

"Going home!" faintly murmured the disconsolate spinisters.

"What! I suppose you think I ought to stay here and have another petticoat spoiled; or lose another half-crown at cards; or have the finishing stroke put to Sir Sampson; or see you all turned into Bedlamites— humph!"

"Oh, Lady Maclaughlan ! was three times uttered in reproachful accents.

"I don't know what else I should stay for: you are

not yourselves, girls; you've all turned topsy-turvy. I've visited here these twenty years, and I never saw things in the state they are now-humph?"

"I declare it's very true," sighed Miss Grizzy ; "we certainly are a little in confusion,—that can't be denied."

"Denied! why, you might as well deny that you ever were born! "

"Oh, Lady Maclaughlan!" exclaimed Grizzy, in great trepidation; "I'm sure nobody would ever deny that!

"Can you deny that my petticoat has been ruined?” "It will dye," said Nicky.

"So will you," thundered the lady, proceeding in her interrogatories. "Can you deny that my pocket has been picked of half-a-crown? Can you deny that Sir Sampson has been half poisoned? Can you deny that you have all been very disagreeable?”

"My Lady Maclaughlan!" gasped Sir Sampson, who had hitherto been choking under the affront put upon his complexion,-"I-I-I-am surprised-I am shocked-I won't suffer this-I can't stand such"

-and pushing away his tea-cup, he rose, and limped to the window. Murdoch now entered to inform his mistress that "every thing was ready."-"Steady, boys, steady! I always am ready," responded the lady in a tone adapted to the song. "Now I am ready-say nothing, girls-you know my rules.-Here, Philistine, wrap up Sir Sampson, and put him in.-Get along, my love. Good bye, girls; and I hope you will all be restored to your right senses soon."

"Oh, Lady Maclaughlan!" whined the weeping Grizzy, as she embraced her friend, who, somewhat melted at the signs of her distress, bawled out from the carriage, as the door was shut, "Well, good bye, dear girls, and may ye all become what ye have been; and