ng?"

"My days of romance are long past, Mr Newland," replied her ladyship;
"indeed I never had much romance in my composition. I married Lord
Maelstrom for the connection, and I loved him pretty well, that is,
soberly, Mr Newland. I mean, I loved him quite enough to marry him,
and to obey my parents, that is all."

"But, my dear Lady Maelstrom, I did not refer to your marriage with his
lordship; I referred to your first love."

"My first love, Mr Newland; pray what do you mean?" replied her
ladyship, looking very hard at me.

"Your ladyship need not be ashamed of it. Our hearts are not in our own
keeping, nor can we always control our passions. I have but to mention
the name of Warrender."

"Warrender!" shrieked her ladyship. "Pray, Mr Newland," continued her
ladyship, recovering herself, "who gave you that piece of information?"

"My dear Lady Maelstrom, pray do not be displeased with me, but I am
very particularly interested in this affair. Your love for Mr
Warrender, long before your marriage, is well known to me; and it is to
that love, to which I referred, when I asked you if it was not most
delightful."

"Well, Mr Newland," replied her ladyship, "how you have obtained the
knowledge I know not, but there was, I acknowledge, a trifling
flirtation with Edward Warrender and me--but I was young, very young at
that time."

"I grant it; and do not, for a moment, imagine that I intend to blame
your ladyship; but, as I before said, madam, I am much interested in the
business."

"What interest can you have with a little flirtation of mine, which took
place before you were born, I cannot imagine, Mr Newland."

"It is because it took place before I was born, that I feel so much
interest."

"I cannot understand you, Mr Newland, and I think we had better change
the subject."

"Excuse me, madam, but I must request to continue it a little longer.
Is Mr Warrender dead or not? Did he die in the West Indies?"

"You appear to be very curious on this subject, Mr Newland; I hardly
can tell. Yes, now I recollect, he did die of the yellow fever, I
think--but I have quite forgotten all about it--and I shall answer no
more questions; if you were not a favourite of mine, Mr Newland, I
should say that you were very impertinent."

"Then, your ladyship, I will put but one more question, and that one I
must put with your permission."

"I should think, after what I have said, Mr Newland, that you might
drop the subj