`Henceforth, I shall envy no one,' returned I.

`Indeed! Are you so happy then?' said she, thoughtfully; and something very like a cloud of disappointment shadowed her face. `And does he love you--I mean, does he idolize you as much as you do him?' she added, fixing her eyes upon me with ill-disguised anxiety for the reply.

`I don't want to be idolized,' I answered, `but I am well assured that he loves me more than anybody else in the world--as I do him.'

`Exactly,' said she, with a nod. `I wish--', she paused.

`What do you wish?' asked I, annoyed at the vindictive expression of her countenance,

`I wish,' returned she, with a short laugh, `that all the attractive points and desirable qualifications of the two gentlemen were `united In one--that Lord Lowborough had Huntingdon's hand some face and good temper, and all his wit, and mirth, and charm, or else that Huntingdon had Lowborough's pedigree, and title, and delightful old family seat, and I had him; and you might have the other and welcome.'

Thank you, dear Annabella, I am better satisfied with things as they are, for my own part; and for you, I wish you were as well content with your intended, as I am with mine,' said I; and it was true enough; for, though vexed at first at he, unamiable spirit, her frankness touched me, and the contrast between our situations was such, that I could well afford to pity her and wish her well.

Mr Huntingdon's acquaintances appear to be no better pleased with our approaching union than mine. This morning's post brought him letters from several of his friends, during the perusal of which, at the breakfast.table, he excited the attention of the company by the singular variety of his grimaces. But he crushed them all into his pocket, with a private laugh, and said nothing till the meal was concluded. Then, while the company were hanging over the fire or loitering through the room, previous to settling to their various morning's avocations, he came and leant over the back of my chair, with his face in contact with my curls, and commencing with a quiet little kiss, poured forth the following complaints into my ear--

`Helen, you witch, do you know that you've entailed upon me the curses of all my friends? I wrote `to them the others day, to tell them of my happy prospects, and now, instead of a bundle of congratulations, I've got a pocketful of bitter execrations and reproaches. There's not one kind wish for me, or one good word for you among them all. They say there'll be no more fun now, no more merry days and glorious nights--and all my fault--I am the first to break up the jovial band, and others, in pure despair, will follow my example. I was the very life and prop of the community, they do me the honour to say, and I have shamefully betrayed my trust--'

`You may join them again, If you like,' said I, somewhat piqued at the sorrowful tone of his discourse. `I should be sorry to stand between any man--or body of men--and so much happiness; and perhaps I can manage to do without you, as well as your poor deserted friends,'

`Bless you! no,' murmured he, `It's "all for love or the world well lost," with me. Let them go to--where they belong, to speak politely, But If you saw bow they abuse me, Helen, you would love me all the more, for having ventured so much for your sake.'

He pulled out Iris crumpled letters, I thought he was going to show them tome, and told him I did not wish to see them.

`I'm not going to show them to you, love,' said he. `They're hardly fit for a lady's eyes--the most part of them. But look here. This is Grimsby's scrawl--only three lines, the sulky dog! He doesn't say much, to be sure, but his very silence implies more than all the others' words, and the less he says, the more he thinks--G--d--n him!--I beg your pardon, dearest--and this is Hargrave's missive, He is particularly grieved