overcome her firft agitation. Retreat was impoffible, and fhe advanced flowly to the dreaded interview. On the gentleman's fide there was expreffed an infinitude of love, admiration, and defpair, blended with fome degree of refentful fenfibility at the idea of being compelled privately to folicit a bleffing to which he had thought himfelf entitled publicly to afpire. On the lady's there appeared a just fenfe of female decorum, and a steady refolution to reprefs any acrimonious obfervations on her father's conduct. But the most interesting part of the converfation took place after lord Monteith had explained fir William's reafons for rejecting his addreffes, and afked her if fhe would accept the lover he defigned to propose. Affuredly I will not," was her answer. "Should my father ever ex "prefs " prefs fuch intentions to me, I must "be as firm in refufing my hand where "I cannot bestow my heart, as I now "am in rejecting your addreffes while "he difapproves of them." "Moft admirable of all human crea"tures!" exclaimed Monteith, "I will patiently commit my destiny to the "care of a lady whofe exalted ideas in"créafe my esteem for her at every in"terview; yet permit me to add one "more inquiry. Might I venture, madam, to hope, fhould I have been too prefumptuous in hoping, that if I had "been honoured by fir William's ap"probation, I fhould not have encoun"tered the terrors of your refufal ?" Mifs Powerfcourt's reply was confufed and inarticulate; yet the deep crimfon which flushed her half-averted face, and the softness of her accent, did not reduce him to despair. She perceived it it did not; and as foon as the had recollected herself, fhe added, "I know the "goodness of my father's heart; I know "his unbounded affection for me; and I " am confident that he will perfift in no plan that would make me miferable. "But let me entreat you, my lord, not "to pursue a method of addreffing me "which muft either make me mean "in my own eyes, or diminish my "respect for your character." His lordship bowed, and, protesting inviolable obedience and unaltered love, rode off just at the inftant that John found the key which enabled Mifs Powerfcourt to pursue her expedition. Her conduct in this interview did not leffen her in her lover's affections, for he vowed to lord W. that she was an angel in a human form, and that he was determined either to die or obtain her. Nor Nor did the Evans's, to whom Mifs Powerscourt impartially related this incident and that of the letter, feel any diminution of the love and efteem which the many amiable qualities of their charming young friend had long excited. On the contrary, Mrs. Evans beftowed warm encomiums on the marked propriety of her conduct, and Lucy's eyes fhone with that humid luftre which the praises of her dear Geraldine always called forth. Sir William's fcheme for the intended difpofal of his daughter's hand excited general furprife, mingled with some share of difapprobation; and, though uniform refpect for his character prevented Mrs. Evans from expreffing any doubt of the propriety or practicability of the project, the heartlefs openhearted Lucy was fo ftrongly perfuaded of its impropriety, that the moment Mifs Powerscourt retired, fhe could not avoid reprobating reprobating the abfurdity of allowing her friend fo little influence in an affair fo infinitely momentous to her own happiness. "It is certainly wrong," replied Mrs. Evans," and may be added to the "inftances I have frequently repeated "to convince you of the neceffity of "conforming a little to the notions of "other people; for I have often ob"ferved, my dear girl, that you have "more tenacity of opinion than one ge nerally meets with in a young woman "of nineteen. Do not fuffer fingula"rity to creep upon you; for though "it only now appears in wearing your "hair fmooth, while all your acquaint ance have theirs curled, or in ex"preffing your diflike to mufic when all "the world is mufical, it may twenty "or thirty years hence induce you to L lay more abfurd fchemes for the "marriage |