distinctly heard Mr. George Uplift
ask Miss Carrington.

'Is that lady a Harrington?'

'You perceive a likeness?' was the answer.

Mr. George went 'Whew!--tit-tit-tit!' with the profound expression of a
very slow mind.

The scene was quickly over. There was barely an hour for the ladies to
dress for dinner. Leaving Evan in the doctor's hand, and telling Caroline
to dress in her room, the Countess met Rose, and gratified her
vindictiveness, while she furthered her projects, by saying:

'Not till my brother is quite convalescent will it be adviseable that you
should visit him. I am compelled to think of him entirely now. In his
present state he is not fit to be, played with.'

Rose, stedfastly eyeing her, seemed to swallow down something in her
throat, and said:

'I will obey you, Countess. I hoped you would allow me to nurse him.'

'Quiet above all things, Rose Jocelyn!' returned the Countess, with the
suavity of a governess, who must be civil in her sourness. 'If you would
not complete this morning's achievement--stay away.'

The Countess declined to see that Rose's lip quivered. She saw an
unpleasantness in the bottom of her eyes; and now that her brother's
decease was not even remotely to be apprehended, she herself determined
to punish the cold, unimpressionable coquette of a girl. Before returning
to Caroline, she had five minutes' conversation with. Juliana, which
fully determined her to continue the campaign at Beckley Court, commence
decisive movements, and not to retreat, though fifty George Uplofts
menaced her. Consequently, having dismissed Conning on a message to Harry
Jocelyn, to ask him for a list of the names of the new people they were
to meet that day at dinner, she said to Caroline:

'My dear, I think it will be incumbent on us to depart very quickly.'

Much to the Countess's chagrin and astonishment, Caroline replied:

'I shall hardly be sorry.'

'Not sorry? Why, what now, dear one? Is it true, then, that a flagellated
female kisses the rod? Are you so eager for a repetition of Strike?'

Caroline, with some hesitation, related to her more than the Countess had
ventured to petition for in her prayers.

'Oh! how exceedingly generous!' the latter exclaimed. How very refreshing
to think that there are nobles in your England as romantic, as courteous,
as delicate as our own foreign ones! But his Grace is quite an
exceptional nobleman. Are you not touched, dearest Carry?'

Caroline pensive