y charms gradually softened and
quivered down to womanhood.

"The first time I was here," said Vane, "my admiration of you broke out
to Mr. Cibber; and what do you think he said?"

"That you praised me, for me to hear you. Did you?"

"Acquit me of such meanness."

"Forgive me. It is just what I should have done, had I been courting an
actress."

"I think you have not met many ingenuous spirits, dear friend."

"Not one, my child."

This was a phrase she often applied to him now.

"The old fellow pretended to hear what I said, too; and I am sure you
did not--did you?"

"Guess."

"I guess not."

"I am afraid I must plead guilty. An actress's ears are so quick to hear
praise, to tell you the truth, I did catch a word or two, and, 'It told,
sir--it told.'"

"You alarm me! At this rate, I shall never know what you see, hear or
think, by your face."

"When you want to know anything, ask me, and I will tell you; but nobody
else shall learn anything, nor even you, any other way."

"Did you hear the feeble tribute of praise I was paying you, when you
came in?" inquired Vane.

"No. You did not say that my voice had the compass and variety of
nature, and my movements were free and beautiful, while the others when
in motion were stilts, and coffee-pots when in repose, did you?"

"Something of the sort, I believe," cried Vane, laughing.

"I melted from one fine statue into another, I restored the Antinous
to his true sex.--Goose!--Painters might learn their art from me (in
my dressing-room, no doubt), and orators revive at my lips the music
of Athens, that quelled mad mobs and princes drunk with victory.--Silly
fellow!--Praise was never so sweet to me," murmured she, inclining like
a goddess of love toward him; and he fastened on two velvet lips, that
did not shun the sweet attack, but gently parted with a heavenly sigh;
while her heaving bosom and yielding frame and swimming eyes confessed
her conqueror.

That morning Mr. Vane had been dispirited, and apparently
self-discontented; but at night he went home in a state of mental
intoxication. His poetic enthusiasm, his love, his vanity, were all
gratified at once. And all these, singly, have conquered Prudence and
Virtue a million times.

She had confessed to him that she was disposed to risk her happiness
on him; she had begged him to submit to a short probation; and she had
promised, if her confidence and esteem remained unimpaired at the close
of that per