cate preference, if not partiality, for our hero, ingratiated
herself into his good opinion and obtained an interest in his mind,
the wily mother ventured an attack of a more decisive nature; and so
contrived it was, that, if it failed, it should appear to have been made
without design to injure, and in total ignorance.

One day, Lady Dashfort, who in fact was not proud of her family, though
she pretended to be so, had herself prevailed on, though with much
difficulty, by Lady Killpatrick, to do the very thing she wanted to do,
to show her genealogy, which had been beautifully blazoned, and which
was to be produced as evidence in the lawsuit that brought her to
Ireland. Lord Colambre stood politely looking on and listening, while
her ladyship explained the splendid inter-marriages of her family,
pointing to each medallion that was filled gloriously with noble, and
even with royal names, till at last she stopped short, and covering one
medallion with her finger, she said--

'Pass over that, dear Lady Killpatrick. You are not to see that, Lord
Colambre--that's a little blot in our scutcheon. You know, Isabel, we
never talk of that prudent match of great-uncle John's; what could he
expect by marrying into THAT family, where you know all the men were not
SANS PEUR, and none of the women SANS REPROCHE.'

'Oh mamma!' cried Lady Isabel, 'not one exception?'

'Not one, Isabel,' persisted Lady Dashfort; 'there was Lady --, and the
other sister, that married the man with the long nose; and the daughter
again, of whom they contrived to make an honest woman, by getting her
married in time to a BLUE-RIBBAND, and who contrived to get herself into
Doctors' Commons the very next year.'

'Well, dear mamma, that is enough, and too much. Oh! pray don't go on,'
cried Lady Isabel, who had appeared very much distressed during her
mother's speech. 'You don't know what you are saying; indeed, ma'am, you
don't.'

'Very likely, child; but that compliment I can return to you on the
spot, and with interest; for you seem to me, at this instant, not to
know either what you are saying or what you are doing. Come, come,
explain.'

'Oh no, ma'am--Pray say so no more; I will explain myself another time.'

'Nay, there you are wrong, Isabel; in point of good-breeding, anything
is better than hints and mystery. Since I have been so unlucky as to
touch upon the subject, better go through with it, and, with all the
boldness of innocence ask the ques