"that neither you nor Watson will give yourselves the liberty of talking of me or my neighbours." 66 "C'est seulement," replied the unabashed valet, que Vatson la trouve la plus charmante Demoiselle du monde, et que l'on dit . . . ." "Leave the room," cried Tremaine in a stern voice, which the valet instantly obeyed, and shaking his head as he entered the housekeeper's apartment, observed gravely that their conjectures must certainly be wrong, for as his master would not talk to him on the subject, though he had even mentioned her name, he could not possibly be in love with Miss Evelyn. His master nevertheless took to rising early in consequence of Miss Evelyn's notions, and Miss Evelyn's advice; nay, what is more, he took to manual labour, for he was actually detected one evening at Evelyn Hall, (and strange to say, after dinner, though only seven o'clock,) in the very act of assisting her to water some carnations and moss roses, of which she was particularly careful. Of these flowers too he became so fond himself, that he would sometimes pass full half an hour in conference with his own gardener, upon the best mode of transplanting and rearing them in the parterre at Woodington. And thus a change, which the force of truth, speaking through the good sense of Evelyn himself, could not produce, (as has been more fully related in the course of this work,) the approving smile of a winning and virtuous girl had thoroughly effected... To shut himself up, indeed, became now no longer that fixed principle to which he had sacrificed his happiness, and almost his health; and though he could unbend as little as ever to what he called the Boors, or what, in his mind, was little removed from them, mere every day characters, (two classes which embraced, he thought, by far the greatest proportion of his acquaintance, whether in town or country,) yet the effort of mind which Evelyn's conversation constantly excited, and the sweet desire of pleasing and being pleased, excited by another, (in itself sufficient happiness) left him no longer a slave to ennui. The effect of this also, was to do good in other respects, for it rendered him infinitely more agreeable where he most wished to be so. The play of his mind developed itself in a liveliness which seemed only natural to it; and the colour had returned to his cheek with earlier hours, and more regular exercise. In this improved state, a fuller indulgence was given to the natural benevolence of his heart, to which none that were in want ever applied in vain ; and his indolence being much overcome, he was even known to seek out objects of relief, as well as to relieve them. His old friend Watson, and even Dupuis, were made confidants, or rather instruments, on those occasions, and whatever was done, found its way straight to Evelyn Hall-between whose domestics and those at Woodington there was as constant intercourse as between the masters. Not that Monsieur Dupuis' dignity condescended very often to shine upon a ménage in which there was no second table. Indeed he was frequently known to lament his hard fate, in having no neighbours worthy of him, any more than his master; insomuch that it once escaped him that his master himself was the only fit companion he could find in the country : and this coming to Evelyn's ears, it was made good use of, to cure, by its ridicule, the fastidiousness which had become so burthensome both to master and man. Between Watson, however, and Evelyn's housekeeper, or rather Georgina's maid, (for Georgina herself was housekeeper in chief,) there had always been intimacy, and frequent visiting; and, as may be supposed, the transactions of one family were not long concealed from the other. Many traits of generosity on the part of Tremaine were therefore promulgated without his knowing it, in the quarter where, had he been a designing man, he would most have wished to have had them published-so high did they raise him where he most wished to be raised. In short, all that Watson knew was naturally con veyed to Georgina's maid, and as naturally through her to Georgina herself. It was not that the young lady encouraged the loquacity of her attendant, or made a confidant of her; for she had too much natural dignity for such a conduct But what she could not encourage, she was frequently not able to prevent; and Mrs. Margaret Winter, having been an old servant of her mother about her own person from her cradle, fond of her young mistress, and moreover penetrating enough to discover what was or was not agreeable to her, poor Georgina had many things to be said for her, (particularly if we add the dearth of topics in a country seclusion,) when she found herself listening as she sometimes did, if not with complacency, at least without displeasure, to the adroit tattle of her aforesaid waiting gentlewoman. CHAP. XII. AN ADVENTURE. "Oh! fairest beauty, do not fear nor fly, "And lay them gently on thy tender side. "Who art thou? Say, that I may honour thee." SHAKSPEARR. AN incident about this time occurred, which seemed to promise additional happiness to the life of Georgina; for young, sanguine, and innocent, her heart was easily wrought upon to confide in the expectation of whatever her reason and fancy combined to make her hope; nor had she yet been taught by any experience, that what her heart had fair ground to rely upon, could ever fail. It was in a glowing forenoon in August, when she was returning on horseback from a visit to her aunt, at the town where, as we have formerly mentioned, the sessions were held. Her father having been detained on business, and the distance not great, she had set out, attended only by a servant; and the season being hot, she was tempted to explore a way she had heard of, but never knew, through an extensive and shady wood, not many miles distant from |