fice his life with pleasure at that moment, if it would save her the shedding of a single tear.-Go on!" Matilda continued reading with unwearied assiduity, the apparently unaccountable sorrows of Edwin and Laurette, till death mercifully put a period to their woes, and brought her task at the same time to a conclusion, after which Lady Fitz-Patrick consented to undergo one or two pages of Oberlin's Memoirs, remarking, in a not very encouraging tone, that "any thing was better than being left to her own thoughts." Matilda's clear harmonious voice, and the simple unaffected interest with which she now began to read, irresistibly attracted her aunt's attention, who became insensibly affected and touched by the beautiful portrait of Christian heroism which was so touchingly developed in the volume before her, and she listened with a degree of increasing animation which gratified and encouraged our heroine, beyond the most sanguine hopes that she could have entertained of success, and time flew by on its swiftest pinions unnoticed by either of the party, till at length the door was hastily thrown open by Eleanor in full equipment for riding. "Matilda!" exclaimed she eagerly, "here are our ponies at the door! Fly, and get ready to mount." Pray do not interrupt her, Eleanor, we are so comfortable now," said Lady Fitz-Patrick, earnestly. "I have not felt as well entertained for ages, and really wish you would leave us to ourselves." "I scarcely think of riding to-day," added Matilda, in a tone of indifference. "What a strange whim!" exclaimed Eleanor, "you could talk of nothing but our excursion this morning, and I know Lady Amelia expects us both to luncheon. Ah! there is Mr. Leicester waiting on horseback to escort me, and actually Sir Alfred Douglas with him!! that is beyond my ut most hopes; would you believe it, Matilda! and what a splendid horse he is riding! It is the black hunter, Sky Rocket, that we admired so much once, and I told Sir Alfred that you had been proposing to work him in worsteds, as a match for the Turkish Janissary. Good bye! Shall I say that you were too much interested in a novel, to join the party." "No," replied Matilda, colouring; "there will not be any occasion to mention me at all, as I may perhaps never be missed." "Now, Eleanor, set off; for to say the truth, you and your admirers are the greatest bore in the world at present, so pray do not keep them waiting any longer," said Lady Fitz-Patrick. "Matilda and I shall enjoy ourselves exceedingly when you are gone, though the time was formerly when I should have thought myself very ill off to remain behind on such a glorious day as this, and with such a party to join. Well Matilda, you certainly have an odd taste for so young a girl, but your book amuses me better than could be expected, and I know there is nothing you delight in so much as reading." Greatly as Matilda was supposed to enjoy her occupation, she could scarcely suppress a sigh of regret as her pony was led off to the stable, and giving an anxious look from the window, she saw Eleanor gracefully mounting her's, and giving some lively narrative to the gentlemen in waiting, at the conclusion of which Mr. Leicester gazed up and bowed reproachfully to Matilda, but Sir Alfred seemed so occupied in checking his fiery courser, that he merely threw a momentary glance towards the place where she stood, and whether he observed her or not, was a problem which her thoughts were engaged in solving, while her voice was mechanically exerted for the entertainment of Lady Fitz-Patrick during the following half hour, but she was in some degree recompensed for the sacrifice of her morning's amusement, by the warmth with which the invalid thanked her at last, for relieving the oppressive ennui of her sickroom, and by the earnestness with which she entreated her to return often, and always to bring a book, as she thought the one Matilda had selected, was by no means dull, and would do good both to the head and heart. The panic which Dr. Mansfield occasioned to Lady-FitzPatrick about the state of her health, rendered her extremely prudent for some time, and she deserved all the praise she claimed, on account of the strict seclusion in which she lived, and which was rendered far more tolerable than could have been anticipated, by the assiduous and considerate attentions of Lady Olivia Neville and Matilda, who conformed themselves as much as possible to her taste, at the same time that they gradually led her on to feel some interest in that one subject which ever lay nearest to their hearts, and which was connected with all that occupied or interested them. Still, as Lady Fitz-Patrick's cough abated, her courage rose; and when the day of Lady Montague's concert arrived, she allowed herself to be persuaded by Eleanor, that as the weather was mild, and the house only a few doors off, it would be beyond human prudence not to go there, and that it was absolutely necessary she should once more enjoy society, and add to the eclat of her daughter's appearance, by the splendour of her own. That such an imprudent step should ever be contemplated, had never crossed Sir Richard's imagination, till Lady Fitz-Patrick unexpectedly entered the dining-room all radiant with diamonds and smiles, in the most exuberant spirits at the prospect of her speedy release. "Well, Sir Richard, I thought I should surprise you," said she, seeing that he allowed his soup to cool for several minutes, while he fixed a bewildered stare on her splendid ornaments, as if he could scarcely believe the evidence of his senses "The fact is," she added in a tone of girlish vivacity, "I can stand this no longer, and as I can die but once, you may marry again, and see that my successor is as much addicted to flannel and sofas as you please." "I may as well send a hearse to bring you home after midnight," replied Sir Richard, swallowing his dinner with a degree of heedless rapidity, quite contrary to his ordinary rules of gastronomy. "If Dr. Mansfield had prescribed a strait waistcoat he would have done wisely." Lady Fitz-Patrick was rather pleased than otherwise to see her husband so unusually excited, as it seemed a proof of his regard greater than she had anticipated on such an occasion, and she proceeded to the concert in the highest glee, receiving compliments on all sides, which were worded in the terms that are of established custom for ladies who are somewhat on the wane. "I never saw you look younger or better in my life." It was an evening of extacy to the emancipated prisoner, who claimed and received the congratulations of all her numerous friends, among whom she was universally popular. But pleasures are, like poppies spread Or like the borealis race That flit e'er you can point their place, BURNS. BITTERLY did Lady Fitz-Patrick mourn, through many a long and suffering hour, the indiscretion which had led her to Lady Montague's concert, for the prognostics of Dr. Mansfield were too surely realised, and a violent relapse of inflammation on the following day, put a seal to her destiny, and consigned her to a bed of sickness, which there seemed to be no hope of her ever leaving alive. Time passed rapidly on, but each returning day seemed to render that doom more inevitable, for her respiration became painfully oppressed, her cough sounded hollow, and for a length of time she suffered under extreme feverishness, which was accompanied by excessive weakness and occasional delirium. The first object that greeted the eyes of Lady Fitz-Patrick on a temporary suspension of acute agony, was the benign countenance of Lady Olivia Neville, bending over her with a look of affectionate solicitude; and as the exhausted sufferer pressed her hand in token of recognition, Lady Olivia silently kissed her cheek, and quietly resumed her place near the bed; Miss Barbara immediately started forward to claim her sister's attention also, exhibiting an ostentation of grief and anxiety which was plainly intended to impress on Lady Fitz-Patrick the state of imminent |