never forgave me kicking that dirty puppy down stairs--little
beast!"

"Ah! you forget some of my remarks," replied McElvina, laughing--"`Love
me, love my dog.' Now oblige me by accepting this; and, Debriseau
(excuse me), there's a capital barber in this street. _Au revoir_."

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT.

Under his lordship's leave, all must be mine.

MIDDLETON.

The first moments of leisure that McElvina could obtain from his duties
were employed in writing to the vicar, informing him of the reappearance
of Seymour, under such peculiar circumstances; and requesting his
immediate presence, that our hero's claims to the property of Admiral de
Courcy might be established. As before observed, Rainscourt was not at
the castle, nor was he expected for some days, having accepted an
invitation to join a shooting party some miles distant. A letter was
despatched to him by his daughter, detailing the circumstances of the
shipwreck, stating that the wounded officer was in the castle, and that,
in consequence, until his return, Mrs McElvina would remain as her
companion.

Although the wound that Seymour had received had been pronounced by the
surgeon not to be of a dangerous tendency, still, he did not recover so
rapidly as might have been expected from his youth and excellent
constitution. The fact was, that all his love for Emily, who was
constantly at his side, and could not conceal her regard for him, had
returned with tenfold violence. The same honourable principle which had
before decided him--that of not taking advantage of her prepossession in
his favour, and permitting her to throw away herself and her large
fortune upon one of unknown parentage and penniless condition,--
militated against his passion, and caused such a tumult of contending
feelings, as could not but affect a person in his weak state. A slow
fever came on, which retarded the cure, and even threatened more serious
consequences.

Madame de Stael has truly observed, that love occupies the whole life of
a woman. It is not therefore surprising that women should be more
skilful in detecting the symptoms of it in others. Mrs McElvina, with
the usual penetration of her sex, discovered what was passing in the
mind of Seymour, and communicated her suspicions to her husband. As for
some days the health of our hero rather declined than improved, McElvina
determined to entrust him with the secret of his birth, which, by
removing all difficulties, h