Did you speak to-night, Grahame?" Mr. Hamilton asked, evincing by his
animated countenance an interest in politics, which, from his retired
life, no one believed that he possessed. Grahame eagerly entered into
the detail of that night's debate, and for a little time the three
gentlemen were absorbed in politics alone. The approach of Caroline and
her mother, however, caused Grahame suddenly to break off in his speech.

"A truce with debates, for the present," he gaily exclaimed. "Hamilton,
I never saw Caroline's extraordinary likeness to you till this moment.
What a noble-looking girl she is! Ah, Hamilton, I could pardon you if
you were much prouder of your children than you are."

An involuntary sigh broke from his lips as he spoke, but checking it, he
hastened to Caroline, and amused her with animated discourse, till Lord
Alphingham and Eugene St. Eval at the same instant approached, the one
to claim, the other to request, Caroline as his partner in the last
quadrille before supper. The shade of deep disappointment which passed
over the young Earl's expressive countenance as Caroline eagerly
accepted the Viscount's offered arm, and owned she had been engaged to
him some time, at once confirmed to her flattered fancy the truth of
Lord Henry's words, and occasioned a feeling near akin to pleasure in
the equally observant mother. Mrs. Hamilton shrunk with horror at the
idea of introducing her child into society merely for the purpose of
decoying a husband; but she must have been void of natural feeling had
not the thought very often crossed her mind, that the time was drawing
nigh when her daughter's earthly destiny would, in all probability, be
fixed for ever; and in the midst of the tremblings of maternal love the
natural wish would mingle, that noble rank and manly virtue might be the
endowments of him who would wed her Caroline, and amongst those noble
youths with whom she had lately mingled, she had seen but one her fond
heart deemed on all points worthy of her child, and that one was the
young Earl Eugene St. Eval. That he was attracted, her penetrating eye
could scarcely doubt, but farther she would not think; and so great was
her sensitiveness on this head, that much as she admired the young man,
she was much more reserved with him than she would have been had she
suspected nothing of his newly dawning feelings.

St. Eval did not join in the quadrille, and after lingering by Mrs.
Hamilton till she was invited to