indeed, that she was ready to receive any notice that he might take of her. But to say truth, the gentle. man was her equal at this play; for though he was in fact well known to her, and had not seen her for eighteen months, he only made her the slightest inclination, (for it could not be called a bow,) in which his chin was in fact the only part of the body that moved. He then instantly pushed through the row of squires and clergymen that intercepted his way, till he found himself by the side of Georgina, who was listening with all meekness to the protecting speeches of an exceedingly great lady indeed.

This was a high-bred dame, who had arrived a few minutes before in a coach and six. Stopping at Boroughbridge, in her way to Lancashire, she had heard that Lord Bellenden, with whom she was well acquainted, had a public day, and had sent to say she would pay him a visit, if Lady Bellenden would admit her in a traveller's dishabille. Lady Bellenden had of course returned a proper compliment, and the dishabille she appeared in was a richly trimmed silk pelisse, while her hair was adorned with a considerable number of diamonds, the fruits to her father, of many German, and other foreign missions, and which she often boasted could purchase the whole dominion of many a German sovereign.

To this lady, Georgina had been introduced by Lady Bellenden, when the latter found, to her very

great vexation, that Lady Gertrude had abandoned her almost in the moment of her introduction. She therefore presented Georgina to her guest with more than common earnestness, as one of her most favourite young friends, and her name alone informed Mrs. Neville, who was not unmindful of these matters, that she was of one of the oldest families, not merely in the county, but in England itself. This and a countenance and manner that had the art of fixing high and low in their favour, the moment they were beheld, and were not thrown away upon Mrs. Neville, (who was what is called an exceedingly clever woman) drew down from her, very voluble offers of any thing she could do, (and she could do a great deal,) to make London or Belvidere Castle agreeable to her, if ever she came to her part of the world.

Georgina was replying, with as much civility as she could muster, where her mind was not fixed, (for in truth she was thinking and wondering at Lady Gertrude still,) when Tremaine joined them.

"Good heavens! Mr. Tremaine !" said Mrs. Neville, " you here!-we thought you had been dead and buried above a year ago, in Northamptonshire."

Tremaine hardly made a salute of recognition to Mrs. Neville, though they had been so long separated.

"I have been inviting Miss Evelyn to Belvidere,"

continued Mrs. Neville, not seeming to notice his coldness," and if she will come to the Assizes, could promise her something gay: our rooms will be more magnificent than ever. But I am this moment under considerable anxiety."

"None of the Miss Nevilles are ill, I hope," said Tremaine, with indifference, "I don't see them here."

"Oh, no! I'm only afraid that Marshall, whom I always bring down to dress my hair, cannot set out in time, so as to be at the assizes the first day."

"That would be dreadful!" said Tremaine, and he turned away with evident contempt.

At this moment he was met by Miss Lyttleton, the lady whom we mentioned in a former chapter, as having excited in him inextinguishable dislike, from certain masculine tastes, which had made him confer upon her the title of the man woman.

He started when he saw, or rather when he resolved not to see, her broad hand stretched out, and inviting his to a grasp, which he declined encountering. He bowed and endeavoured to pass on.

Why, what can be the matter with the man!" cried the surprised female; "do you think I'm a bear, and would hug you to death ?"

"He is not quite sure," observed Mrs. Neville, who had seen the rencontre.

"That is so like you," returned Miss Lyttleton;

"but really I will be obliged to you if you can tell me what has come to him, for he has cut me for the last two years most decidedly."

"He has begun, I think, to cut me too," rejoined Mrs. Neville; "but we must let spoilt children have their own way, for it is too much trouble to attempt

to correct them."

"But I really used to like the fellow," continued Miss Lyttleton. "Well, I hope I shall find somebody else of my acquaintance, for I cannot do without a man to flirt with, or laugh at, and my mother has left me here with Lady Bellenden for three days;only think what a bore !"

Then eyeing Georgina through her glass, By the way," she proceeded, "you seem to have got a pretty young thing there with you. Do introduce me, will you ?"

As this could not be refused, the ceremony was instantly performed, and while she shook, or rather twisted Georgina's slender wrist, "I assure you,” she exclaimed, "I like a pretty girl, almost as well as a pretty fellow. By the way, I don't at all like those curls of your's; why don't you crop as close as I do?-Mrs. Neville, how do you like my new crop?"

At this she bent down her head to shew how entirely she had stript a poll of strong black hair, of every thing like ornament, or a possibility of being

ornamented. Mrs. Neville said that to punish her she would put her into a cap.

"Odious!" she returned. "I hate all caps but a hunting cap. They make one look so like a woman! But I declare there's Tremaine again—I must go and plague him:" and she immediately flew off.

Mrs. Neville turning to Georgina, smiled to observe her astonishment. "You are quite struck, I perceive," said she.

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Why, I own she is at least extraordinary,” answered Georgina. "May I ask more particularly who and what she is?"

"I should say," replied Mrs. Neville," that she was one of my protegées, did she not soar so infinitely above all protection. She is certainly eccentric, but I really believe there is no harm in her.” She then proceeded to inform Georgina, that Miss Lyttleton was the daughter of a good-natured country gentleman in the neighbourhood, who, with an indolent mother, had allowed her to do just as she pleased; and that she had pleased always to affect the man, instead of the woman. This, she added, had, on more occasions than one, been the means of getting her into scrapes, from which she had generally extricated herself by being the first to laugh at them, and by availing herself of a sort of privilege of saying and doing whatever it came into her head to say or do.