ss night, I repaired to Lady Glanville's house. It was
long since I had been there, and the servant who admitted me, seemed
somewhat surprised at the earliness of my visit. I desired to see the
mother, and waited in the parlour till she came. I made but a scanty
exordium to my speech. In very few words I expressed my love to Ellen,
and besought her mediation in my behalf; nor did I think it would be
a slight consideration in my favour, with the fond mother, to mention
Glanville's concurrence with my suit.

"Ellen is up stairs in the drawing-room," said Lady Glanville. "I will
go and prepare her to receive you--if you have her consent, you have
mine."

"Will you suffer me, then," said I, "to forestal you? Forgive my
impatience, and let me see her before you do."

Lady Glanville was a woman of the good old school, and stood somewhat
upon forms and ceremonies. I did not, therefore, await the answer, which
I foresaw might not be favourable to my success, but with my customary
assurance, left the room, and hastened up stairs. I entered the
drawing-room, and shut the door. Ellen was at the far end; and as I
entered with a light step, she did not perceive me till I was close by.

She started when she saw me; and her cheek, before very pale, deepened
into crimson. "Good Heavens! is it you," she said, falteringly "I--I
thought--but--but--excuse me for an instant, I will call my mother."

"Stay for one instant, I beseech you--it is from your mother that I
come--she has referred me to you." And with a trembling and hurried
voice, for all my usual boldness forsook me, I poured forth, in rapid
and burning words, the history of my secret and hoarded love--its
doubts, fears, and hopes.

Ellen sunk back on her chair, overpowered and silent by her feelings,
and the vehemence of my own. I knelt, and took her hand; I covered it
with my kisses--it was not withdrawn from them. I raised my eyes,
and beheld in her's all that my heart had hoped, but did not dare to
pourtray.

"You--you," said she--when at last she found words--"I imagined that
you only thought of ambition and the world--I could not have dreamt of
this." She ceased, blushing and embarrassed.

"It is true," said I, "that you had a right to think so, for, till this
moment, I have never opened to you even a glimpse of my veiled heart,
and its secret and wild desires; but, do you think that my love was the
less a treasure, because it was hidden? or the less deep, because i