first one comes home; because one's spirits are exhausted."

"My goodness! how true that is, my dear. How horridly flat this stupid England does feel after that dear brilliant Continent-I am sure I wonder how you kill time here."

"Now, Mrs. Vernon, I have something for you to admire-I am sure this will be particularly to your taste it is a most rare piece of antique carving, and cost me-faith, Hal, I am ashamed to say how much," began Mr. Wilmington again.

"What, this hideous thing!" said the uncompromising Mrs. Vernon.

"My dear madam, what do you say? I assure you it is the most astonishing piece—”

"Oh, la!" said Lizzy; "don't tease Mrs. Vernon with vertu, she cares nothing about it. There, madam, I really hope you will like this little Dresden déjeunér."

"That is extremely pretty," said Caroline; "my aunt, I am sure

وو

"Why," said Mrs. Vernon, whose integrity of

spirit was hardly proof against old china, and who

felt mollified in spite of herself, at the beauty of the offering, as she considered it to be; "it is very pretty of you, and I should be sorry

"I am glad you admire this, at least, ma'am. I am sure I shall never endure to take my breakfast out of anything else. I verily believe I could not put Spode's or Chamberlain's to my lips now, so I indulged myself with this little déjeunér for my own boudoir. One would not lose all delicacy of taste the moment one puts one's foot in this barbarous country. Caroline, my dear, I have brought you a tasse and soucoupe, and I hope Mrs. Vernon will do me the favour to accept of this," presenting a rather ordinary-looking little affair, intended to hold flowers; "I thought this would look pretty in your little drawing-room, ma'am."

"Thank you. Bless me how unlucky!” cried Mrs. Vernon, letting the cup slip through her fingers as she received it, and it was dashed into a thousand pieces on the floor.

"Dear madam, how provoking! Really I am very sorry for you; but I hope I shall be able to find something else."

"Oh! don't trouble yourself. It is not of the least importance in the world."

"Henry, my dear, here is something for you. Come, do put aside that woe-begone look, and behave like a rationality-there's a good creature," cried Lizzy, who, in displaying her treasures, had become animated again. Here is a drinking-glass for your nécessaire de toilette. You are a sloven, you sad boy, and want such little elegancies.

There had been no great extravagance here, but the glass was pretty enough, and Henry accepted it good humouredly.

Mrs. Vernon looked as if she would have liked to have handled the glass too.

Lizzy, however, once in for it, was not to be stopped. One article of selfish luxury or another succeeded the presents; and, so utterly vain and silly was she, and her perceptions so perverted, that she really believed she was raising herself in the opinions of her new relations by this exhibition.

"Now, my dears, let me show you my nécessaire. I protest I cannot exist without it. Everything in China, gold and Bohemian glass-it really

What's the name of the horrid place?—I really own I was extravagant-but they all said it was so beautiful. The Comtesse Elise de RenaultLa! what a vain creature she was-was absolutely dying of despair because she could get none like it," &c., &c.

While Henry's brow grew darker and darker; at last Mr. Wilmington said,

66

Upon my soul, Henry, you are most depressingly silent this evening. I think, sir, you might pluck up a little cheerfulness to welcome your mother's return, and Caroline, too."

Caroline's eyes were fixed mournfully upon her brother: she could not divine the reason of this excessive melancholy.

Henry tried to laugh.

"Oh, sir! you know I am the stupidest fellow in the world."

"There is something the matter, however, Henry," said Mrs. Vernon; "tell us what it is?" "Oh! business for to-morrow," said he again, with a forced laugh.

to-morrow," laughed Wil

"Ay! business to-morrow,'

mington, affectedly; and turning on his heel, he hummed a French couplet to that effect.

And this is the way the first evening was passed,

Now, it must be told that during Mr. Wilmington's absence, Estcourt and Jones had embarked in some very advantageous speculations; and actuated partly by prudence-for they were with reason alarmed at the extent of property Mr. Wilmington was annually consuming-partly instigated by jealousy, and a hearty dislike to their man;-partly by a conviction that now was the time to get a very promising business entirely into their own hands, and thus divide the profits between two instead of three, they had made up their minds to dissolve the partnership.

By the articles of agreement, any two of the partners might effect this, upon condition of leaving it optional with the one who had not proposed the measure, either to advance to the others