and they speak of her as a very suitable
person.' (This phrase was a kind of cant with my mother and her set,
which expressed in brief that a lady was enormously rich and a very
desirable match for a man with nothing.) 'I forget her name.'

'Miss Bellew, perhaps,' said I, trembling lest any recollection of ever
having heard it before should cross her mind.

'Yes, that's the name; somehow it seems familiar to me. Do you know her
yet, for my friend Lady Middleton knows every one, and will introduce
you?'

'Oh, I have the pleasure of being acquainted with her already,' said I,
turning away to hide my confusion.

'That's quite proper,' said her ladyship encouragingly. 'But here she
comes; I think you must introduce me, John.'

As my mother spoke, Louisa Bellew came up, leaning on a lady's arm.
A moment's hesitation on my part would have only augmented the
embarrassment which increased at every instant; so I stepped forward and
pronounced her name. No sooner had the words 'Miss Bellew' escaped
my lips than she turned round; her large full eyes were fixed upon me
doubtingly for a second, and her face grew deep scarlet, and then as
suddenly pale again. She made an effort to speak, but could not; a
tottering weakness seemed to creep over her frame, and as she pressed
her companion's arm closely I heard her mutter--'Oh, pray move on!'

'Lady Charlotte Hinton--'Miss Bellew,' said the lady at her side, who
had paid no attention whatever to Louisa's agitated manner.

My mother smiled in her sweetest manner, while Miss Bellow's
acknowledgments were made with the most distant coldness.

'My son had deemed himself fortunate enough to be known to you,' said
Lady Charlotte.

Miss Bellew became pale as death; her very lips were bloodless, as with
a voice tremulous with emotion, she replied--

'We were acquainted once, madam; but----'

What was to be the remainder of the speech I know not, for as the crowd
moved on she passed with it, leaving me like one whose senses were
forsaking him one by one. I could only hear my mother say, 'How very
impertinent!' and then my brain became a chaos. A kind of wild reckless
feeling, the savage longing that in moments of dark passion stirs within
a man for some act of cruelty, some deed of vengeance, ran through my
breast. I had been spurned, despised, disowned by her of whom through
many a weary month my heart alone was full. I hurried away from the spot,
my brain on fire. I saw nothing, I