'Why, Ralph, how cold you are! you'd just been dreaming. I heard-'

'No, Slasher, no! I heard a voice.'

Slasher thought he saw through it all.

'Give us your paw, old boy, and come along; blow me if you're not cold! We never are to wake you, that's an adage, but this is beyond a joke, ha, ha!' He looked Ralph closely in the face, and then said, 'Why, what's up? been-oh, I see, cold evening after a hot day-affects me sometimes; dry 'em up, that's a good chap; women about-ha, ha !'

Ralph felt too stupid to say anything; but, hoping he had not been observed, walked fast to the dining-room, where he met Lady Gertrude, who, in the kindest of sweet voices, inquired after him, and expressed a hope that his appetite was as good as his patience.

CHAPTER XXVII.

There's nought, no doubt, so much the spirit calms

As rum and true religion.'-BYRON.

'SERMON do you call it? lecture on-on free-thinking and rationalism, rather,' said Hard-hand Tappem, Esq. M.P., the moment Ralph entered the drawing-room arm-in-arm with the Viscount. I call it unorthodox, unsound, and subversive of the proper relations between class and class, and man and man. What say you, Getorl?'

Being thus appealed to, the rubicund M. A. said he thought, with all due deference to their noble host, that, viewing the matter from a broad point of view, it would be quite as well if the clergy did not travel out of their sphere to attack 'class interests,' which, in the main, and on the whole, worked, he presumed, for the Old Countree's good.

'Well, you see,' joined in Sir Watt Scroughem, 'I don't say one thing I don't say another. Maybe they do-maybe they do not. But there they are! working, and at work. Let everybody live, I say, and--take life as it comes. I meet my friend Maxwell' (Maxwell and Clencher here both grinned, and Sir Watt grinned back again); "he says, "I've nothing but a mine onDirector means 500l. per ann., two-fifty shares given in, and your Name, Sir Watt, in exchange." Well, we don't fall out' (extra grins from the Parasites, which were cordially returned). Turns up trumps-I make a pile-if not, I can't lose-if anybody does, it's their look-out, not mine! And I'm no worse than others if

6

I thus let my name serve me, in spite of all we've heard to the contrary to-night !-ha, ha!'

'Exactly, Sir Watt,' chimed in the hard-visaged M.P.; 'and not only so, but it's flying in the face of an all-wise Providence to run down "existing institutions !" Then there's Class and Class, and Man and Man, and Landmarks and Stability, and Foundations of Society, and Sound Progress, and—and—'

Being very much out of breath, the M.P. stopped. Major Laysayfairean having remarked that he thought that such things were always much better left to take their chance; and Colonel Groovite having informed the company, that he thought any great sweeping change in that respect might be productive of disastrous consequences upon Society,' Ralph, being forbidden to excite himself, first bit his lips, then his fingers, and finally did nothing else.

6

Freddy was by her side, and was, he afterwards confessed, 'tho happy!'

The scar upon the brow of the Bungaland young soldier glowed whiter than ever. It looked portentous; and as he sat behind Lady Beatrice, adoring her, and envying others by turns, she avoided Harry's gaze, for it appeared to bode no good to any one. Ralph gazed intently at Slasher, and his warm blood ran cold as he heard that voice come o'er the wolds again.

(I breathed, and—-oh, joy! he was now susceptible to Spectral life:

6

Forget it-try!')

'It comes again!' he muttered. Ah, look at her! Hush! ah, me―ah, me!'

(I breathed:

But Slasher is good and true; and honest are the others!') 'Look, look! I heard him whisper, all her rich, lovely colour now has faded! Her dark, pencilled eyebrows stand out in bewitching contrast to her noble brow! Ah, child of Nature! too beautiful art thou! My God! too beautiful? Oh, guard her, then! See, those lips now quiver! Ah, why so silent, and I so sad?'

*

*

*

*

*

'I presume, Captain Slasher, you won't object to my seeing it too,' said the Marquis to him, as he was in the act of passing a slip of paper to his youngest daughter. The young dragoon became scarlet.

'Let me read it, papa,' said Beatrice, coming gaily to the rescue. All eyes were turned upon her. "The finest fellow out, by Jove!"-I can't-I cannot read-oh, yes!-"whether high, or low,

K

or broad, or round !"—that's all, papa. Oh, no!—" as true as I love,"-oh, I can't read this, papa !-oh, "Smoking," I think it is, papa. Her sweet, ringing voice was such music to the youngsters' ears, that each worshipped her more reverentially than ever; and as to Ralph, his misery seemed complete.

The Marquis now took the paper from her hand, she reddening like the full-blown rose. Adjusting his eye-glass, he said in a very merry tone, 'Well, Birdie darling, I never saw "smoking" begin with a B before, my child'

Looking more bewitching than ever in that roseate hue, she made a second essay, prompted by the ingenious Slasher. 'No, but-Baccy does, papa!'

A roar of laughter followed this remark.

What, my child?' asked the Marquis dubiously.

Why,' she said, pouting her lips deliciously, and leaning her dainty little form so provokingly over Freddy's head and shoulders, that the poor lad's state became, from that moment, quite hopeless, 'why, you know' (she had had a peep at the paper), ‘ Bac—B—' and stopped.

'Beatrice does, my dear; Baccy or Bacca, or whatever Captain Slasher is putting you up to, does not at all resemble this word after the first letter,' said the old Marquis, quietly returning the paper. She bore the laughter which followed these words very complacently, and joining in herself, looked radiant with a settled glow lighting up those wondrous features.

The Marquis, growing merry over it, called upon Captain Slasher to favour the company with the views he had intended to convey to his little rogue of a daughter. Cries of Captain Slasher! Slasher! Blazes Slasher!' being loud and unanimous, the young dragoon officer rose.

After informing them that he, in a general way, was unaccustomed to that sort of thing, he dilated upon the virtues of the noble Marquis, the charms of the lovely Marchioness; then last, but certainly not least, he said, 'The imcomparably fair and lovely daughters of the noble and honoured race of Trememdon' (loud and universal applause, mingled with blushes). But I must not enlarge upon this topic, or I might find myself, ere long, in a raving state' (loud laughter). He sat down, but, at the earnest request of the Marquis, rose again, and continued, 'As for myself, I, Blazes Slasher as I am called, greatly admire the estimable-the jolly Rector; and if I did not, I shouldn't say so' (cheers). In short, I feel proud and happy in indorsing every word I have committed to paper-every word' (laughter from Ralph, cheers from Freddy, a Satanic grin from Raskall, and movement from Somers,

who was getting hot and excited; while blushes were again and again renewed in a certain quarter).

'The Rev. the Rector certainly is,' continued he, 'in my humble estimation, the finest fellow out, or one of them, and I don't care who thinks to the contrary,' said he, looking defiantly and calmly round the room. 'I do not want to quarrel with anybody; but if there is one thing more than another that would make me, and I'm not a quarrelsome man, it is that sort of thing, you know-robbing those widows and orphans, and all that sort of thing, you know. I hope to live and die at peace with all men; but if anybody wants to have a row, especially over widows and orphans, and that sort of thing, why-I am their man, at any time, place, or manner, at their convenience. I believe there is a great deal too much of that sort of thing going on, and, on the whole, I wish it were not so.

6

I will conclude this infamously wretched speech' ('No, nogo on, Slasher!') 'by proposing the healths of our noble host and hostess, and their charming family, embracing with them that of the Rev. the Rector of Trememdon, Lord Allan Trevosa Playfair, and I call upon you all to join.'

While this was being done, and before the salvoes of cheering which accompanied the speech had ceased, the Marquis rose, and took Slasher warmly by the hand. A general shaking of hands following, both with the Marquis and with Slasher, it became infectious. Up came the Rev. Biorlmenes Getorl, M. A., who warmly embraced Slasher for defending the cloth,' while he and Hard-hand Tappem, Esq. M.P., became equally affectionate. 'Sound views-sound views!' ejaculated the latter, in no dubious tone, very sound views!' said he, to the great surprise of all. Whose were sound, however, seemed problematical.

Everybody is right-just what might have been foreseen, sir!' exclaimed Sir Watt. The wine passed more freely, and the party grew more merry.

She

Stanley lisped in his goddess's ear, Wathn't it a thublimely thentimental thpeetth-hith firtht too, Lady Beatrithe?' rewarded him with a smile, which pierced Somers through.

'What's the hubbub all about? inquired Slasher of Ralph, as the two stood by her side. Ralph first regarded him, then watched the towering form of Harry Somers as he sentinellised the ground; he gazed too upon the youthful Stanley, lisping his soul away into those lovely ears, and noted her wondrous look.

Again he looks at the stalwart dragoon-in one instant more their eyes have met, their arms have intertwined in the presence of, and side by side with, all that was dearest in life to both.

'He shall have her, for he is worthy and he is rich, while

Poor Ralph's excited brain could no further go; while 'She loves him; I'll stand by them both!' was generous Slasher's stout resolve.

And she, alone of all around divining the nature of the scene, moved quietly away.

Slasher heard Ralph mutter, 'Lovely flower! oh, dainty form! no longer sounds that voice; come weal, come woe, I'll guard you and nearly every word was echoed in the other's breast.

Maxwell, the Viscount, and Raskall Clencher had been conversing together at the extreme end of the room. Ralph, glancing across, now said aloud, ' But, Walter !-why, what is the man looking at ?-my brother!-at her! oh, God!'

He leaned for support upon the upright form of Slasher. There it was that old, weird, sinister expression—that fatal look which used to play around those high cheek-bones and make Ralph shudder. It made him shudder now, as rushing on his memory, back from boyhood, it seemed more hideous and more intense than ever!

'Tis nothing, Reginald; I only thought I heard a voice!'

A brave, strong form supported him, nor asked him why. Both men regarded each other for a moment, then looked at Ralph. Stanley left Harry's side and walked across to Maxwell. Why, Macthwell, have you got fathe-ache or neuralthia?' he asked, in real simplicity. Walter's countenance instantly relaxed. Ralph seemed greatly agitated, and spoke in jerky sentences. You did not hear a voice then, just behind- —no here—well, all around, across from yonder hills. But p'raps 'twas all a fancy. How weak I feel to-night-how-'

'No, no,' both said at once; 'no, not at all.'

I often feel like that myself,' said thoughtful, generous Oswald.

Had Slasher heard that voice he would have soon demanded the reason why, but Ralph was tired and worn.

During the whole of this little scene one pair of eyes seemed ever watchful. Raskall Clencher allowed nothing to escape his keen observation.