dington, to whom she had written and explained her views.

Her heart leapt when she discovered that her master's name was Forster;
and when she first saw him she could not but persuade herself that there
was a family likeness. The germs of hope were, however, soon withered,
when Amber, in answer to her inquiries, stated, that Mr Forster had a
brother lately dead, who had never been married, and that she never
heard of his having another. Her fellow-servants were all as strange as
herself; and Mrs Forster (who had assumed the name of Smith) was
obliged to have recourse to that patience and resignation which had been
so severely inculcated. The charge of Amber soon proved a source of
delight; the control which she had over the household a source of
gratification (not as before, for the pleasure of domineering, but for
the sake of exercising kindness and forbearance), and Mrs Forster was
happy and resigned.

It may be surmised as strange, that during the period which she remained
in this capacity, she had never heard mention made of her husband or her
son; but it must be remembered that Nicholas had never called upon his
brother, and that Newton was in the East Indies; and, moreover, that Mr
John Forster was just as little inclined to be communicative as her
husband. Indeed, he never came in contact with his housekeeper, except
to pay the bills, which was regularly once a month, when he called her
down after dinner, and after the accounts were settled, offered her a
glass of wine, as a proof of his being satisfied with her conduct. When
Newton and his father arrived at the chambers on the day before the
discovery, and were invited to dinner, his note of communication was as
laconic as usual.

"Mrs Smith--I have invited two gentlemen to dine with me to-day, six
precisely."

"John Forster."

"PS. Let the spare bed be ready."

Mrs Forster prepared every thing as directed, and having done her
duties below, retired to her room, where she usually sat with Amber.
She did not therefore see the parties when they entered; and Amber, who
had run down to meet her protector, heard nothing during her short stay
in the room, to suppose that they were relatives of Mr John Forster.
All that she had to communicate was, that the parties were an elderly
gentleman and a very handsome young man.

Yet, even this simple communication caused the pulse of Mrs Forster to
accelerate. They might be her husband and her son. It was the f