pirit and imagination. When we met him this morning, do you know,
I thought him rather stiff and fine. I regretted the bright boyish flow
that I so well recollected, but I see I was mistaken.'

'Ferdinand is much changed,' said Miss Grandison. 'He was once the
most brilliant person, I think, that ever lived: almost too brilliant;
everybody by him seemed so tame. But since his illness he has quite
changed. I have scarcely heard him speak or seen him smile these six
months. There is not in the whole world a person so wretchedly altered.
He is quite a wreck. I do not know what is the matter with him to-day.
He seemed once almost himself.'

'He indulged his feelings too much, perhaps,' said Henrietta; 'he lived,
perhaps, too much alone, after so severe an illness.'

'Oh, no! it is not that,' said Miss Grandison, 'it is not exactly
that. Poor Ferdinand! he is to be pitied. I fear he will never be happy
again.'

'Miss Grandison should hardly say that,' said the duchess, 'if report
speaks truly.'

Katherine was about to reply, but checked herself.

Henrietta rose from her seat rather suddenly, and asked Katherine to
touch the piano.

The duchess took up the 'Morning Post.'

'Poor Ferdinand! he used to sing once so beautifully, too!' said
Katherine to Miss Temple, in a hushed voice. 'He never sings now.'

'You must make him,' said Henrietta.

Miss Grandison shook her head.

'You have influence with him; you should exert it,' said Henrietta.

'I neither have, nor desire to have, influence with him,' said Miss
Grandison. 'Dearest Miss Temple, the world is in error with respect to
myself and my cousin; and yet I ought not to say to you what I have not
thought proper to confess even to my aunt.'

Henrietta leant over and kissed her forehead. 'Say what you like,
dearest Miss Grandison; you speak to a friend, who loves you, and will
respect your secret.'

The gentlemen at this moment entered the room, and interrupted this
interesting conversation.

'You must not quit the instrument, Miss Grandison,' said Lord Montfort,
seating himself by her side. Ferdinand fell into conversation with the
duchess; and Miss Temple was the amiable victim of his Grace's passion
for ecarte.

'Captain Armine is a most agreeable person,' said Lord Montfort.

Miss Grandison rather stared. 'We were just speaking of Ferdinand,' she
replied, 'and I was lamenting his sad change.'

'Severe illness, illness so severe as his, must for the mo