life devoted to her service can mitigate, she
has only to command me to find a cheerful obedience."

"The trifling causes of sorrow in a young woman," replied Isabel,
endeavoring to smile, "will hardly require such serious services to remove
them."

But the lady was extremely interesting at the moment. George was goaded by
his father's caution, and urged on by his own feelings, with great
sincerity, and certainly much eloquence, he therefore proffered his love
and hand to the acceptance of his mistress.

Isabel heard him in painful silence. She respected him, and dreaded his
power over her father; but, unwilling to abandon hopes to which she yet
clung as to her spring of existence, with a violent effort she determined
to throw herself on the generosity of her lover.

During her father's late absence Isabel had, as usual, since the death of
her mother, been left with his sister, and had formed an attachment for a
young clergyman, a younger son of a baronet, and the present Dr. Ives. The
inclination had been mutual; and as Lady Hawker knew her brother to be
perfectly indifferent to money, she could see no possible objection to its
indulgence.

On his return, Ives made his proposals, as related; and although warmly
backed by the recommendations of the aunt, he was refused. Out of delicacy
the wishes of Isabel had not been mentioned by her clerical lover, and
the admiral supposed he had only complied with his agreement with the
general, without in any manner affecting the happiness of his daughter by
his answer. But the feelings which prompted the request still remained in
full vigor in the lovers; and Isabel now, with many blushes and some
hesitation of utterance, made George fully acquainted with the state of
her heart, giving him at the same time to understand that he was the only
obstacle to her happiness.

It cannot be supposed that George heard her without pain or mortification.
The struggle with self-love was a severe one, but his better feelings
prevailed, and he assured the anxious Isabel that from his importunities
she had nothing to apprehend in future. The grateful girl overwhelmed him
with thanks, and George had to fly ere he repented of his own generosity.

Miss Howell intimated, in the course of her narrative, that a better
understanding existed between their parents than the caution of the
general had discovered to his unsuspecting child, and George was
determined to know the worst at once.

At sup