h, no, my dear Mrs. Mainwaring, no. What are the cold forms of the
world but disguises and masks, under which the hardened and heartless
put themselves in a position of false eminence over the humble and
the good. The good are all equal over the earth, no matter what their
relative situations may be; and on this account, not-withstanding my
rank, I am scarcely worthy to sit at your feet."

Mrs. Mainwaring, with a kind of affectionate enthusiasm, put her hand
upon the beautiful girl's hand, and was about to speak; but she
paused for more than half a minute, during which space her serene
and benevolent face assumed an expression of profound thought and
seriousness. At length she sighed rather deeply, and said,

"My dear Lucy, it is too bad that the happiness of such a girl as you
should be wrecked; but, worst of all, that it should be wrecked upon a
most unprincipled profligate. You know the humbleness of my birth; the
daughter of a decent farmer, who felt it a duty to give his children the
only boon, except his blessing, that he had to bestow upon them--a good
education. Well, my dear child, I beg that you will not be disheartened,
nor suffer your spirits to droop. You will look surprised when I tell
you that I think it more than probable, if I am capable of judging your
father's heart aright, that I shall be able by a short interview with
him to change the whole current of his ambition, and to bring about
such a revulsion of feeling against Lord Dunroe, as may prevent him from
consenting to your union with that nobleman under any circumstances.
Nay, not to stop here; but that I shall cause him to look upon the
breaking up of this contemplated marriage as one of the greatest
blessings that could befall his family."

"Such an event might be possible," replied Lucy, "were I not
unfortunately satisfied that papa is already aware of Dunroe's loose
habits of life, which he views only as the giddiness of a young and
buoyant spirit that marriage would reform. He says Dunroe is only sowing
his wild oats, as, with false indulgence, he is pleased to term it.
Under these circumstances, then, I fear he would meet you with the same
arguments, and as they satisfy himself so you will find him cling to the
dangerous theory they establish."

"But, Lucy, my dear child, you are quite mistaken in your estimate
of the arguments which I should use, because you neither can know nor
suspect their import. They apply not at all to Lord Dunroe'