jewels; for he was convinced, that one réafon for their wishing to have the ceremony speedily concluded, was to prevent this and other proofs of their poverty from appearing. As he now believed, therefore, that it was in his power to obtain Laura in marriage whenever he pleafed, that very conviction acting on his capricious and vicious difpofition, difinclined him to it, and determined him to renew his original scheme of feduction, which he flattered himself the diftreffes of poverty, joined to the credit of his late exploit, would greatly facilitate.

Laura, though unacquainted with the dif agreeable accounts which her mother had received from Germany, or with the exact ftate of the circumftances in which fhe had been left by her father, knew in general that they were narrow, and therefore would have been pleased with a more fevere fyftem of economy than was agreeable to her mother. A knowledge of this was one reason why Madame de Seidlits had always represented their fituation in the most favourable light to her daughter.

This young lady, notwithstanding the admiration fhe never failed to excite, was by no means fond of appearing often in public. For what are called public amusements, she had but a very moderate relish; and flood in no need of them as a refource for paffing her time.

She had fuch a tafte for reading, as afforded a very pleafing fource of entertainment and improvement to her mind, without inclining her to defpife or neglect other occupations becoming her age and fex. Her natural good fenfe, tafte and accomplishments, while they rendered her independent of company, made her more entertaining in it; without being over-referved, nothing could be more modeft than her deportment; and very few women poffeffed the talent of converfing in a more eafy and agreeable manner. Her mind being undisturbed by paffion, ferene through innocence, naturally cheerful, and easily amused, she could have lived happy in a very limited fociety, and in the delightful occupation

A 3

occupation of promoting her mother's happinefs, and that of all around her.

Madame de Seidlits was fomewhat of a different character: although Laura was the warmest object of her affection, yet she flood in need of amufements, and had a tafte for a greater fhare of elegant fuperfluities than her revenue could fupply. Had the conformed herself exactly to her daughter's tafte, they could have lived free from debt upon the pension and interest of the money left by her husband; but as fhe often followed her own, they must have been embarraffed in a fhort time, even although their banker's failure had not happened.

The particular article of expence which gave Laura moft uneafinefs, was what regarded her drefs. Her own, taffe in dress was elegantly fimple, and, in her, was fo becoming, that all who beheld her, were of opinion that additional ornament would tend to diminish the luftre of her beauty; yet when in compliance with her mother's

tafte

taste the adopted ornaments to the height of the mode, the fame beauty fhone confpicuous through all the variations, and in fpite of the extravagances of fashion.

While Madame de Seidlits endeavoured to affume the appearance of ferenity and cheerfulness before Laura, fhe could not resist a real depreffion of spirits. She faw the neceffity of narrowing the limited plan of expence she had with difficulty hitherto followed, and was uncertain whether any fyftem of œconomy would relieve her from a fpecies of diftrefs which her fpirit could ill fupport, and which fhe felt with keener anguish on Laura's account-who in reality could have fupported the misfortune which was fo carefully concealed from her infinitely better than her mother.

Meanwhile, Zeluco vifited Madame de Seidlits with moft affiduous punctuality, and was always received with a cordial welHe faw the dejection of Madame de Seidlits, and the anxiety of Laura, with fecret fatisfaction and apparent concern; he imputed both to the diftrefs of their

come.

"

circumftances, and was in daily expectation that Madame de Seidlits would apply to him for relief, which he imagined would entitle him to ftill greater familiarity in the family, involve her in repeated obligations to himself, and finally terminate in the success of his base designs upon the honour of Laura.

Zeluco's paffion was of the groffeft nature; he called it love, but with more propriety, even at its height, it might have been denominated hatred; it was entirely felfish, unconnected with fentiment, or the happiness of its object; even in the midst of defire, he felt refentment against Laura, for the neglect and indifference which she had evinced towards him.

He took every opportunity, when he found Madame de Seidlits alone, of infinuating a defire of obliging her, and lamented, with mildnefs and much respect, that he was fo referved, and feemed unwilling even in the fmalleft inftance to give him the pleasure of being of fervice to her. He fometimes, on Madame de Seidlits being called out, was left for a few minutes